Pender County election to be double expected cost

PENDER COUNTY — Thanks to a few new items on the ballot, the upcoming election in Pender County is going to cost about twice as much as expected.

During odd numbered years, it’s usually just the individual towns in Pender County that hold elections.

But since there is now a referendum on the ballot regarding a county-wide land transfer tax.

The elections board will have to open all 20 precincts. That ups the cost of running the election to $20,000.

As long as there’s not a runoff elections officials say they should be able to absorb the added expense.