Kevin J. Kennedy Director and General Counsel Wisconsin Government Accountability Board Wisconsin Election Cost Data Voting in America Conference 2012 The Price of Elections

Wisconsin Election Statistics 1,923 Jurisdictions –72 Counties –1,851 Municipalities 3,541 Reporting Units (2012 General Election) 6,676 Wards Approximately 30,000 Election Inspectors (Poll Workers) each election

2012 Wisconsin Statewide Elections April 3, 2012 – Presidential Preference and Spring Election May 8, 2012 – Recall Primary June 5, 2012 – Recall Election August 14, 2012 – Partisan Primary November 6, 2012 – Presidential and General Election*(cost data not yet available)

Wisconsin Election Costs Year-To-Date

Wisconsin Year-To-Date Election Costs ElectionYear-To-Date Costs 2012 Presidential Preference and Spring Election 2012 May 8 Recall Primary Election 2012 June 5 Recall Election 2012 Partisan Primary Total Cost$27,093,750.32$7,678,647.48$6,311,580.64$7,230,397.94$5,873, Training$1,267,658.01$655,381.63$161,250.35$250,225.28$200, Ballots$3,404,704.34$956,166.27$724,960.33$983,857.58$739, Memory Devices$310,740.69$90,508.12$117,798.05$55,924.82$46, Programming$2,743,131.13$773,679.55$616,890.90$600,951.93$751, Ballot Bags$77,482.50$16,219.14$11,618.49$10,791.22$38, Wages - Poll Workers and Board of Canvassers$9,189,231.53$2,296,011.84$2,292,419.91$2,568,884.85$2,031, L.E.O. Staff$7,058,692.28$1,920,863.97$1,768,462.01$1,978,093.77$1,391, Polling Place Rental$117,590.07$31,753.17$29,188.45$27,297.45$29, Notices$1,053,494.22$320,576.25$242,821.27$252,030.07$238, Polling Place Documents$440,144.08$148,522.09$101,366.65$97,442.97$92, Miscellaneous$1,430,881.49$468,965.46$244,804.24$404,898.01$312,213.79

Wisconsin Voter Turnout General Elections Year and ElectionVoting Age Population (VAP) Votes CastPercentage of VAP Voting 2012 General**4,378,7413,071, % 2012 Recall*4,378,7412,516, % 2010 General4, ,171, % 2008 General 4,330,695 2,996, % 2006 General 4,260,038 2,166, % 2004 General 4,118,6213,016, % 2002 General 4,060,973 1,785, % 2000 General 3,908,5332,619, % *2012 June 5 Recall Election included with General Elections ** 2012 Presidential and General Election Votes and Turnout based on official results for the office of President of the United States

Wisconsin Voter Turnout Partisan Primary Elections Year and ElectionVoting Age Population (VAP) Votes CastPercentage of VAP Voting 2012 Partisan Primary4,378,741851, % 2012 Recall Primary*4,378,7411,360, % 2010 Partisan Primary4,372,347857, % 2008 Partisan Primary 4,330,695388,0798.9% 2006 Partisan Primary 4,260,038615, % 2004 Partisan Primary 4,118,621686, % 2002 Partisan Primary 4,060,973913, % 2000 Partisan Primary 3,908,533406, % *2012 May 8 Recall Primary Election included with Partisan Primary Elections

Wisconsin Voter Turnout Presidential Preference Elections Year and ElectionVoting Age Population (VAP) Votes CastPercentage of VAP Voting 2012 Presidential Preference4,378,7411,144, % 2008 Presidential Preference4,330,6951,511, % 2004 Presidential Preference4,118,621992, % 2000 Presidential Preference3,908,533866, %

Wisconsin Voter Turnout Spring Elections (w/o Pres. Pref.) Year and ElectionVoting Age Population (VAP) Votes CastPercentage of VAP Voting 2011 Spring Election4,372,3471,524, % 2010 Spring Election4,372,347574, % 2009 Spring Election4,354,717793, % 2008 Spring Election4,294,976830, % 2007 Spring Election4,294,976831, % 2006 Spring Election4,260,038502, % 2005 Spring Election4,220,645723, % 2004No Statewide Election 2003 Spring Election4,088,085814, % 2002No Statewide Election 2001 Spring Election4,021,482552, % 2000 Spring Election3,908,533817, %

Wisconsin Election Cost Data - Lessons Learned Difficult to collect data from 1,923 jurisdictions –72 Counties –190 Cities – 406 Villages –1,255 Towns Approximately 62 percent of Municipal Clerks are Part-Time All 72 County Clerks are Elected

Wisconsin Election Cost Data - Lessons Learned Define cost categories in clear detail –Without clear instructions, categories can be interpreted differently –Provided clerks with three pages of instructions 2011 cost estimates versus 2012 cost data –Total costs were similar, but major differences within categories –Estimates did not separate poll worker wages from L.E.O. Staff costs for municipalities –Categories for counties and municipalities were different

Wisconsin Election Cost Data - Lessons Learned Fixed Costs –Notices –Polling place rental Variable Costs –Ballots (including absentee costs) –Programming electronic voting equipment Each Election –Poll worker wages –Ballots Annually –Purchasing voting equipment or memory devices –Training –L.E.O. Staff Determining the frequency and timing of collection election cost data

Wisconsin Election Cost Data - Lessons Learned Elections costs provide a valuable tool –Policy change analysis –Performance management –Budgeting –Identifying potential cost savings

Kevin J. Kennedy Director and General Counsel (608) Brian M. Bell, M.P.A. Election Data Manager (608) Wisconsin Government Accountability Board Homepage: Statistics: