The cost I can’t address but I’ll give you an expample. Jefferson County Texas
has 11 early voting locations. They are open 11 days for early voting this election. In 2010 there were 145,201 registered voters. On the Normal election day there are 116 voting precincts.
Now it is possible that a few may be consodidated to the same voting location.
The Texas Legislature enacted early voting in 1987. 1988 was the first year of
in person absentee voting. In 1993 legislation mandated early voting statewide
in all 254 counties. Early voting has changed over time until it is just as if
you were voting on a normal election day, except as a rule the lines aren’t nearly as long.
To vote in person you must have a valid photo ID, be a registered voter, appear
and sign the register. From its inception the voters using early voting has grown
to were approximately 40% of the voters are early voters. I think you can say it’s
here to say for the foreseeable future.
JMO
If my memory is correct, all those events occurred when the Democrats ruled the state under "Ma" Richards. Hardly surprising that it went down that way. Democrats know that the more days you keep the polls open, the more voting fraud and cheating is abetted. (That doesn't mean that Texas doesn't have a relatively honest election system overall, compared to many states, because other protections against fraud and cheating are apparently followed.