NORWICH – Merging voting districts in several towns has put the Chenango County Board of Elections on track to cut spending by about $6,500 this election year.

A government standing committee agreed to elimate one district in the following towns that formerly had two each: Afton, Bainbridge, Guilford, New Berlin, North Norwich and Smithville. Polling sites will remain the same.

The change would result in four rather than eight voting inspectors on the job in each town during any given election. Other costs would also diminish with less ballots ordered, printed and distributed.

The Board of Elections has consolidated polling sites for the past few years in order to save on the cost of new voting machines that were mandated by New York State. Several towns’ facilities also didn’t meet the state’s handicapped accessible guidelines, and were closed.