Cost of Hand Counting in Maine

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This was sent to me as an email and I left it in that format.

Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 11:38 AM

Subject: Unity, Maine paid 42 cents per ballot in Maine; would be 85 cents per ballot at usual rates (ballot was 9 races and 2 issues)

I called the Maine Department of Elections [in March 2005] and they don’t have the detail on labor needed to count paper ballots. Because the article we

are referencing referred to Unity, Maine, I was referred to the Town Clerk in Unity, Maine. For the November, 2004 election, they had 1400 ballots, 15

counters (who were paid $6.50/hour). Some of them worked 3 hour voting shifts, but they all came in for the counting and counted for 6 hours. There were

7 races and 2 issues on the ballot.

Therefore, they counted 1400 ballots x 9 races and issues = 12,600 races and issues (counting each ballot as one race or issue). 15 people doing this over

6 hours = 90 hours work. 12,600 races and issues divided by 90 hours work = 140 races and issues per hour per person. 140 races + issues divided by 9 races

plus issues per ballot = 15.5 ballots per hour per person. Although their hourly rate was $6.50, figuring a $13/hour hourly rate, the per ballot counting

cost is about 85 cents for 9 races and issues.

I asked Susan Lombard, the Town Clerk of Unity, Maine, how she got these people to work so well (faster than Canada) and for $6.50/hour. She said they

like working for her, it is a social event and most of them are retired.

Jo Anne