Election Commission Chairman Mike Walden on Wednesday questioned the high cost of print newspaper ads for this year's elections.
Kerry Steelman, election administrator, said the total legal notice publication cost for the March 1, 2016 election with the Chattanooga Times Free Press was $8,906.92.
He said the amounts will likely be slightly higher for the August and November elections.
Chairman Walden asked if the office had any alternatives, such as online publication.
Mr. Steelman said a law was proposed in the Legislature this year that would have obviated the necessity of having the notices in a print newspaper. However, the bill did not pass. Most communities now have only a single print newspaper that may set its own price for the notices.
The election administrator said the notices, under current law, must be in a "newspaper of general circulation" - meaning a print newspaper, not an online newspaper or a governmental website, such as the one for the election office, where the notices are also posted.
Mr. Steelman said under current law election offices across the state have to place four different ads per election with the local print newspaper. Those include (1) a notice of election, (2) a later notice of commission office location, dates open, hours, etc., and a notice about elderly and disabled voters, (3) an early voting sample ballot and a notice on early voting and absentee voting, and (4) the election day sample ballot, notice of election day polling places and the absentee counting board.