Recall Election Cost High For Tuolumne County

The actual costs of the up-coming special October seventh election to recall Governor Davis appears to be anyone´s guess. The guesses started at $30 million — then skyrocketed to $66 million.

In Tuolumne County, Elections Clerk Tim Johnson says he has a good idea what this recall election will cost local coffers. “I think we´re coming up with a cost estimate of around $65,000,” Johnson said Wednesday

The county officials says this recall election isn´t as costly as a regular election. “It´s probably a little less expensive than a primary type election,” he said, because it is only one ballot type and going county wide.

The county uses an optical scan type ballot, which, Johnson says, is less expensive than the punch tab kind used in other counties.

County officials throughout the state are worried about paying for the recall. They´re using emergency reserves or money budgeted for next March´s election – or hoping for a bailout from the state.