East Grand Forks city elections could make the move to even years if City Council members approve at their meeting at noon July 29 in City Hall.
Interim city administrator Jerry Skyberg said it would save the city money to align city elections with county elections, which are on even years. The county has the ballot-counting machines, he said, so the city doesn't have to.
This would also mean the extension of council members' and the mayor's term by a year, Skyberg said.
In the past, the city has had election judges count ballots by hand but, starting this year, new laws require counting by machine, according to Michelle French, mayor's assistant.
With all the necessary judges in place, the cost is $182.50 an hour. Last November, the judges began setting up ballot boxes at 6 a.m. and finished counting at 11 p.m. That's $3,100 in wages.
