Cities And Towns To Be Reimbursed For $1.1M For Election Costs

Massachusetts communities will be reimbursed more than $1.1 million for the unfunded costs of early voting in the 2018 general election.

State Auditor Suzanne Bump last month surveyed city and town clerks to add up the costs associated with early voting in the midterm elections - and whether any of those costs could be considered an unfunded mandate.

The money for the reimbursements will come from funding allocated to state Secretary William Galvin's office in a supplemental budget passed late last year.

Galvin said that as the state works to expand early voting and increase voter access and convenience, it needs to make sure local election officials are given the resources they need to hold successful elections.

More than 584,000 voters cast ballots during the early voting period last year.