115.065. Proportion of cost for two or more political subdivisions or special districts, how computed--exceptions--definitions--election services fund, when used.

Proportion of cost for two or more political subdivisions orspecial districts, how computed--exceptions--definitions--electionservices fund, when used.

115.065. 1. Except as provided in sections 115.069, 115.071, 115.073and 115.077, when any question or candidate is submitted to a vote by twoor more political subdivisions or special districts, or except in primaryand general elections by the state and one or more political subdivisionsor special districts at the same election, all costs of the election shallbe paid proportionally from the general revenues of the state and allpolitical subdivisions and special districts submitting a question orcandidate at the election, except that costs of publications of legalnotice of elections shall not be paid proportionally. The state and eachpolitical subdivision and each special district shall pay for publicationof its legal notice of election. At the discretion of the electionauthority, ballot printing costs, if any, may be paid proportionally or thestate and each political subdivision and each special district may pay forsuch ballot printing costs, if any.

2. Except as provided in sections 115.069, 115.071 and 115.073, whenany question or candidate is submitted to a vote by two or more politicalsubdivisions or special districts at the same election, all costs of theelection shall be paid proportionally from the general revenues of allpolitical subdivisions and special districts submitting a question orcandidate at the election.

3. Proportional election costs paid under the provisions ofsubsection 2 of this section shall be assessed by charging each politicalsubdivision and special district the same percentage of the total cost ofthe election as the number of registered voters of the politicalsubdivision or special district on the day of the election is to the totalnumber of registered voters on the day of the election, derived by addingtogether the number of registered voters in each political subdivision andspecial district submitting a question or candidate at the election.

4. "Proportional costs" and "election costs", as used in thischapter, are defined as those costs that require additional out-of-pocketexpense by the election authority in conducting an election. It mayinclude reimbursement to county general revenue for the salaries ofemployees of the election authority for the hours worked to conduct anelection, any indirect expenses identified under an independent costallocation study and an amount not to exceed five percent of the total costof election to be credited to the election services fund of the county.The election services fund shall be budgeted and expended at the directionof the election authority and shall not be used to substitute for orsubsidize any allocation of general revenue for the operation of theelection authority's office without the express consent of the electionauthority. The election services fund may be audited by the appropriateauditing agency, and any unexpended balance shall be left in the fund toaccumulate from year to year with interest. The election services fundshall be used by the election authority for training programs and purchaseof additional supplies or equipment to improve the conduct of elections,including anything necessarily pertaining thereto. In addition to thesecosts, the state shall, subject to appropriation, compensate the electionservices fund for transactions submitted pursuant to the provisions ofsection 115.157.

(L. 1977 H.B. 101 § 2.515, A.L. 1979 S.B. 275, A.L. 1982 S.B. 526, A.L. 1983 H.B. 713 Revision, S.B. 234, A.L. 1993 S.B. 31, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676)