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Q&A
Celina Avalos Jaramillo on cost savings and resource reallocation from even-year elections
3:05:38
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92 sec
Celina Avalos Jaramillo briefly adds to her testimony, highlighting the fiscal benefits of moving elections to even-numbered years.
She cites an Independent Budget Office finding that New York City could save $42 million every other year by consolidating elections. Jaramillo also notes this would free up resources for election administrators to improve poll site accessibility, security, and protect election workers, which is increasingly necessary.
Sharon Greenberger
3:05:38
Thank you both.
3:05:39
Very much appreciate it.
3:05:41
But
Amy Tsai
3:05:43
I did wanna answer one of the questions that would be was asked about the place to impact so that you can hear Paul see if I can answer.
Sharon Greenberger
3:05:50
Very quickly, if you will take the mic and do so.
Celina Avalos Jaramillo
3:05:53
Just really quick.
3:05:55
So reducing, the election administration costs and the long term benefits of the even year policy.
3:06:02
The independent budget office found that in 2024, they did this analysis in 2024, so last year that this ship would help New York City save 42,000,000 every other year.
3:06:14
So, again, like, this is, you know, the fiscal impact of this policy, but, also, this policy would enable localities to save on costs associated with holding several elections each year.
3:06:24
This includes printing ballots, setting up and operating voting equipment, recruiting, training, and compensating poll workers, undetermining final election results.
3:06:34
But just something else too that I wanna highlight about this policy and the fiscal impacts of it is that what this policy does is that it allows resources to be allocated for different uses in off year elections.
3:06:46
So now election administration election administrators can think about improving accessibility of designated poll sites and physical security to upgrade or better protect election offices and employees.
3:06:59
And we know that these really quick.
3:07:01
We know that these are becoming increasingly more necessary with nearly one in three election officials reporting that they have been harassed, abused, or threatened because of their job.