McLean County using reserves to fund special election

Posted on July 7, 2015
Polling center
Voters in the 18th Congressional District are narrowing the field of candidates Tuesday as Illinois seeks Aaron Schock’s replacement. (WJBC file photo)

By Adam Studzinski

BLOOMINGTON – Tuesday’s special primary election in Illinois’ 18th Congressional District, combined with September’s general election, will likely cost McLean County about $300,000.

County Board Chairman Matt Sorenson said the county always budgets for elections, but when something like a special election comes up they’re forced to use unbudgeted funds.

“From a fiscal perspective, we obviously have to find those dollars,” he said.

Sorenson explained the county will have to use reserve funds to pay for the election.

“We’ve been fiscally conservative for a number of years. We have an unencumbered fund balance, or what we refer to as kind of a rainy day fund,” said Sorenson. “For us, it’s prudent; it’s good government that we keep some dollars in reserve.”

The county has sent a bill for the election to former Congressman Aaron Schock, who vacated the 18th Congressional seat in March, but Sorenson said Schock has not, in fact, sent them a check.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

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