Codington County Auditor Reports Rising Runoff Election Turnout, Lower 2027 Budget Request

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Codington County Auditor Brenda Hanten delivered her monthly report Tuesday, noting steady increases in voter turnout ahead of the July 28 Republican runoff election and outlining her proposed 2027 budget, which reflects a significant overall decrease.

Hanten told commissioners that as of Monday, 478 voters had already cast ballots, including 45 absentee voters in a single day, signaling growing participation as the runoff approaches.

She also reported a surge in party affiliation changes leading up to the statutory deadline. The cutoff for voter registration and party changes was Monday at 5 p.m., and no further changes can be made until after the election.

Election Preparation Continues

Hanten said her office remains fully engaged in election preparation, including ballot processing, voter updates, and coordination for the upcoming canvass. The commission later confirmed that its July 28 meeting will be rescheduled to July 30 to accommodate canvassing requirements, as noted in the official agenda.

2027 Provisional Budget Work Underway

Hanten is also continuing work on the county’s 2027 provisional budget, which must be submitted later this summer.

Auditor’s Budget Shows $27,434 Decrease

Hanten presented her departmental budget request for 2027, detailing several adjustments:

·         3% salary increase plus a scheduled step increase for July 2027

·         10% increase in health insurance costs

·         No change to professional services

·         Repairs and maintenance increased by $500

·         Supplies decreased by $2,000

·         Travel decreased by $2,000

·         Utilities decreased by $500

·         Other expenses unchanged

Overall, her office budget reflects a $27,434 decrease from the previous year.

Election Budget Also Reduced

Hanten also reviewed the 2027 election budget, which is lower due to the expectation of no county‑run elections next year.

Key figures include:

·         Insurance adjusted based on prior usage

·         Programming: $1,000

·         Publishing: $1,000

·         Polling places: $1,000

·         Repairs and maintenance: $8,000

·         Election supplies: $6,000

The total election budget is $32,900, a decrease from the current year.

Agenda Cross‑Reference: Monthly Settlement

The agenda packet also includes the Auditor’s official monthly settlement with the Treasurer, showing $49,149,986.04 in total cash and investment balances across all county funds as of July 7, 2026.

These figures include:

·         General Fund: $10.9 million

·         County Jail Build Fund: $27.7 million

·         Special Revenue Funds: $8.37 million

·         Bond Redemption Fund: $275,565

·         Custodial Funds: $1.35 million

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