DuPage County officials are taking swift action to safeguard the upcoming November general election. County Board Chair Deborah Conroy announced a special call meeting for 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 1, during which the board will consider allocating additional funds to the Election Division of the DuPage County Clerk’s office.
Funding request details
The proposal calls for $440,000 to cover postage and $225,000 for printing. Both amounts would come from budgeted General Fund contingencies, meaning the money is already set aside for unforeseen expenses. The request follows a financial analysis that revealed the Clerk’s office had not moved sufficient dollars into the postage and printing lines of its FY 2026 budget, despite a total allocation of $2.7 million for the Election Division.
Why the extra money is needed
During the recent primary election, the Clerk’s office spent 99.8 % of its allotted postage budget and only 74 % of its printing budget. For the current fiscal year, the office has already used $276,569 of its postage line, leaving little room for the increased demand of a statewide general election. Conroy emphasized that a robust vote‑by‑mail program is a “critical function” of the Clerk’s office and warned that failing to move funds could jeopardize voters’ access to the ballot.
Board’s response and next steps
Chair Conroy said the board will keep a standing agenda item for the Clerk to present specific funding requests directly to the board. She added, “We would welcome the Clerk to come to our meetings and discuss any needed requests and the associated justifications for these requests.” The Clerk’s office had declined to attend a prior Board meeting on Tuesday, prompting the special call.
Budget context
The FY 2026 budget for the Election Division is 14 % higher than the budget for the 2022 gubernatorial election. Printing costs are projected to be 15 % higher, while postage funding is set to be 201 % higher than in 2022, reflecting the growing reliance on mail‑in ballots. The additional $665,000 sought by the Board would help bridge the gap between the current allocations and the projected needs for the November election.
Impact on voters
Ensuring adequate postage and printing resources is essential for maintaining a free and fair election. By addressing the shortfall now, DuPage County aims to provide every eligible voter with reliable ballot access, uphold election integrity, and avoid any disruption that could arise from insufficient funding.
Residents can watch the special call meeting live via the County Board’s website or attend in person at the DuPage County Administration Building. The Board’s decision will be recorded in the meeting minutes and made publicly available.
Original reporting: Positively Naperville (Aurora area) — read the source article.
