Election Funding
Creating a Stable and Sufficient Environment at the Ballot Box
The Gap
An average federal election year costs between $4 and $6 billion. Local governments cover the bulk of that expenditure. Election officials need resources to ensure ballot security, election integrity, emergency response, and voter access.
Please see our 50 States of Need report for more information.
The Solution
States should allocate ongoing, consistent funding for local election offices. The federal government can also step up its commitment and fund elections the way we treat other critical infrastructure: reliably and at scale.
How the Policy Works
State election funding could take the form of legislation authorizing new funding streams, or simply be in the usual budgeting process. States like New York, Colorado, and Kentucky continually invest in local election operations, allowing officials to plan ahead and innovate. Michigan and Pennsylvania have also budgeted tens of millions of dollars in funds available for local election officials’ needs.
Federally, funding can be allocated to states through the congressional appropriations process and federal grant programs. The key to effective federal funding is making it consistent, predictable, and flexible so state and local officials can plan budgets based on their community’s actual needs. While many states have unspent federal funds available (provided under the Help America Vote Act, or HAVA), election offices often are cautious about using this money given unclear state and federal funding commitments and the potential of future emergencies.
Responsive Gov and the Project for Election Infrastructure estimate that more than $50 billion is needed over 10 years to fund election administration and operations, cybersecurity, replace voting machines, update voter registration systems, and strengthen post-election audits.
Why Responsive Gov Cares
Elections are the backbone of representative government, and they should be funded like the essential infrastructure they are.
