The first early voting held in Massachusetts last year was very successful, but it proved expensive for cities and towns, and the state auditor said Tuesday the state should pay some of the costs.
Responding to a petition from two municipalities, State Auditor Suzanne Bump determined they have a claim for state funding under the Local Mandate Law.
Cities and towns were required by state law to staff at least one polling place during the 12-day early voting period last year.
Springfield Election Commissioner Gladys Oyola said there was no extra money for it from the state.
"Maybe going forward they will learn from this election it is a burden the cities and towns can't bare," Oyola said.
Auditor Bump estimated that in-total municipalities spent close to $720,000 on required costs to conduct early voting.
Nearly a quarter of the people who voted in the 2016 election in Massachusetts did so during the early voting period.
