Picente Seeks Outside Audit of Board of Elections

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr. today announced that he is seeking an external audit of the Oneida County Board of Elections and has asked the Oneida County Comptroller’s Office to arrange for and oversee the process.

In a letter to Comptroller Joseph Timpano, Picente called for “a full financial and compliance audit of the Oneida County Board of Elections to be performed by an outside auditor or firm. This audit should examine all aspects of payroll for full and part-time help in addition to all purchases made through and within Oneida County’s procurement policy.” Picente said that “in addition to the examination of the hiring and procurement practices of the Board of Elections, I am also seeking a full reconciliation of all of the revenue and expense lines within the budget of the Board of Elections. Please include in this accounting a report of whether all NYS aid that has been available to Oneida County has been sought and received, and that it has been used for the appropriate and intended purposes.”

Picente said that this audit differs in scope and depth form the regular oversight performed by the Comptroller’s office. In his letter, he requests that “in addition to the review of full time personnel time and attendance records, this audit should review those persons who have been hired by the Board of Elections in the various capacities that include but are not limited to; election inspectors, site coordinators, circuit riders, machine custodians, machine technicians, machine programmers and trainers. Specifically the review should seek to identify the criteria used for rates of pay, hours worked and duties assigned and any contractual agreements that were established. The audit should review all time sheets and other written materials that would document the performance of work as well as the method of payments, such as payroll submissions or vouchers.”

Picente said that he wants the audit to include “all persons or firms that have done business with the Board of Elections in any fashion, and that have received payment for their services” and that “the method of selection and retention of these individuals and the basis used to determine the amount of fees that were paid must also be identified.”

Picente said that the audit is sought as part of ongoing due diligence of county spending.