Johnson County election staff recommend contract with K&H Election Services for printing and mailing services up to $615,000
Summary
Election commissioner Fred Sherman presented a recommended contract with K&H Election Services for printing and mailing (including voter information packets and test ballots) at a cost not to exceed $615,000 for the initial year, with four one-year renewal options; commissioners asked for budget context and comparisons to prior contracts.
Fred Sherman, Johnson County election commissioner, presented a recommended contract with K&H Election Services for printing and mailing services related to elections, including voter information packets, logic-and-accuracy test ballots and mail-ballot processing.
Sherman said the vendor is based in Seattle and that the county issued a competitive request for proposals last year. The proposed contract term is one year with four one-year renewal options and a not-to-exceed annual amount of $615,000. Sherman explained the $500,000 figure in the briefing sheet represented the current year budget but that election costs vary by cycle; he said the $615,000 figure reflects an average-year estimate and an apples-to-apples comparison across bids.
Sherman described the largest vendor expense as mailing personalized voter-information packets to all registered voters — "we're 460,000, and we did that twice in 2024" — and noted mail-ballot quantities vary by election. He said the county tested K&H in recent smaller elections and is satisfied with their performance. Commissioners asked for current-contract costs, a clearer definition of an "average year," and historical spending details for 2024; Sherman said staff would provide those figures before action. The item was scheduled to return for approval at the board's June 5, 2025 meeting.
