Special Election to Cost Calloway Co. 25K

It will cost Calloway County around $25,000 for tomorrow's local option election in Murray.

City residents go to the polls tomorrow to decide whether to allow packaged alcohol sales within city limits. Right now the city is moist, meaning restaurants may serve liquor by the drink. County Clerk Ray Coursey said per state law, county funds must pay for the special election.

“More than half the cost is involved with our precinct officers. We have to have four precinct officers at each polling place, and each officer gets seems like it’s 90 to 95 dollars a day," he said.

The county must also have back up poll workers in case the ones scheduled to work drop out. Coursey said the referendum will cost a little less than a regular election because only 14 precincts are open, rather than 31. A vote to allow packaged alcohol sales in Marshall County is also tomorrow.