Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

State Picking Up Costs Of May and November Elections

Filing fees for county offices will cost candidates much less this year than in past years.

This decision was made by the Nevada County Democratic Central Committee Monday morning as they met to discuss the upcoming slate of elections.

Filing fees will cost candidates 3 percent of the offices annual salary, the committee decided.

This means candidates for municipal judge, county judge and sheriff will pay $750 to file. Those vying for county clerk and municipal clerk, along with tax assessor and county treasurer will have filing fees of $600. Candidates for justice of the peace and city alderman will pay $75, while those wanting to be coroner will have a $50 fee to cough up.

This will be the fee for all candidates who file for these positions.

According to chairman Davis Benton, the state committee suggested basing filing fees on 2 to 7 percent of the position's annual salaries.

"We have had excessive fees, and can live within our budget if we cut the fees in half," he told the committee.

The only fees the committee will receive will be from local candidates. There will be no assistance financially from district races such as state representative, state senate, judges or the prosecuting attorney. Those fees, Benton said, will be paid to the state.

Dates for filing have been set from noon March 19 until noon April 2. Those seeking public office may file in the lobby of the Nevada County Courthouse from 8 a.m. until noon during this period. However, for those unable to file during the morning hours, fees can be paid to Delbert DuCharme in the Nevada County Treasurer's Office.

The Republican Party, Benton said, will be setting its own filing fees for the elections.

The primary election will be held May 21, with a runoff, if needed, three weeks later.

Polls, he said, will again be open from 7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.

Benton said poll workers will be paid minimum wage during the 12 hour shifts they work.

During the primary election, there will be 20 boxes with six workers at each box.

According to Benton, it has cost the committee about $7,500 to run an election. He said with the state picking up the tab for the primary and general elections, it shouldn't cost the committee as much, therefore resulting in the lower filing fees.

Benton told the committee members the state passed these measures during the last General Assembly. This means the primary elections will be held in a similar fashion to the general election.

Voters from both parties will go to the same polling location to cast their ballots.

The voters, however, will not be allowed to cross parties during the primary elections. Whichever party they vote for in the primary, is the one they must vote in should there be a runoff.

Voters can vote for either party in the general elections.

The Democratic and Republican committees will be responsible for finding poll workers, but the Nevada County Election Commission will make the final decision as to who actually works the polls during the election.

This, Benton said, needs to be decided during the next three weeks.

He said the commission will actually run the elections, while poll workers check the rolls with computerized readouts.

According to Benton, there could be two boxes at each location during the primary and runoff elections. One would be for those voting Democrat, and the other for those casting their ballots for GOP candidates.

In other business, James Osborn volunteered to fill the vacancy for Emmet City and Rural position on the committee. C.R. "Shorty" Carlton accepted the duties for the Laneburg-Sutton area as well. Delbert DuCharme was appointed to fill the West Rural slot, replacing Sam Jones.