Corpus Christi (KIII News) — Saturday's special election to fill the 27th District Congressional seat left vacant after Blake Farenthold resigned will cost the taxpayers a lot of money.
The cost for the special election in Nueces County is more than $125,000, but District 27 is comprised of 11 counties; and if none of the nine candidates manage to garner the required 51-percent of the vote, taxpayers will end up paying for yet another runoff election.
"The cost comes from labor from the workers, so it always depends on how many polling places we have, how many vote centers, how many early voting locations we have," Nueces County Clerk Kara Sands said.
According to Sands, the county tries to cut costs wherever possible -- for instance, holding early voting only during the week.
If there is a runoff election after Saturday's special election, the time for that election is to be determined.
"In the governor's order it may be in September. We're hoping that it would be August because again, having it in September and turning around and getting ready for the general and early voting for the general starts in October," Sands said.
The candidate who ultimately takes the "temporary" congressional seat could end up serving only a few weeks as a member of Congress with virtually little to no opportunity to help create legislation.
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