March 01, 2007

"Early primary stresses budgets"

"Moving California's presidential primary election from June to February would stress counties physically and financially, El Dorado County officials say.

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday authorized board chairwoman Helen Baumann to send a letter to state Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, opposing Calderon's Senate Bill 113, which would change the date of the 2008 primary to give the state more influence in choosing presidential candidates.

But supervisors argue that any increased clout would come at a high price to counties, particularly if the state does not reimburse them for the cost of the additional election. A third statewide election in 2008, board members said, would cost El Dorado County about $450,000.

Though the Senate bill states that the Legislature intends to fully reimburse counties for the costs of new elections, the draft letter says the board would oppose the bill unless the funding were clearly guaranteed.

The additional election also would stretch the county's human resources, the supervisors said, noting that El Dorado County would have to conduct four elections in a 12-month period."

Posted by Randy Riddle at March 1, 2007 09:06 AM