Final cost of Paso Robles school board election released. Why it was less than expected
The special election to fill a seat on the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District’s Board of Directors cost $307,624, according to San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano, but the total was less than expected.
That final tally included the costs of printing ballots and official notices, and well as compensation of precinct election officers, precinct maps, renting space for polling places and mailing charges, Cano said.
Kenney Enney won back a seat on the school board with 6,486 votes, or 54.3% of the vote, while challenger Angela Hollander received 5,461 votes, the Clerk-Recorder’s Office reported in its final election results released on May 3.
Enney was originally appointed to the school board position in October.
Community members called Enney an “extremist candidate” with beliefs that could result in discrimination against LGBTQ+ students, and collected 800 signatures on a petition to remove him from the board — resulting in the special election.
The special election had a relatively low turnout of 39% of registered voters, with a total of 11,947 ballots cast. This resulted in lower costs than expected, Cano said.
Here is a cost breakdown for the special election:
$45,929.99 for services and supplies;
$1,458.42 for publications;
$23,030.64 for ballot and voter information guide printing;
$13,186 for polling locations and workers;
$6,673.42 for postage; and
$217,345.71 for labor.
The school district has 30 days to pay the county for the election, according to Cano.
This story was originally published May 23, 2023 at 10:58 AM.
