Suffolk elections board braces for an expensive year

While most Suffolk County departments have been coming in with minimal budget increases in a county executive election year, the county Board of Elections warned the Bellone administration in its budget hearing last week its spending will spike 31 percent next year -- an increase driven largely by presidential politics.

Election officials say presidential election years bring with them four major election days rather than the normal two. There are presidential primaries in April, federal congressional primaries in June, state primaries in September and the traditional Election Day in November.
That will mean this year's elections board budget of $14.67 million will jump to $19.36 million next year.