The county board shall draw warrants in payment of all bills submitted by the election commissioner or county clerk related to the cost of any election conducted by the office of the election commissioner or county clerk. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (4) of section 32-1203, the initial payment for bills submitted to the election commissioner or county clerk for the cost of preparing for and conducting elections shall be a county expense. The compensation of the election commissioner or county clerk, the deputy election commissioner or deputy county clerk for elections, and all permanent employees of the election commissioner or county clerk, the expenditures for the rental, furnishing, and equipping of the office of the election commissioner or county clerk, the expenditures for necessary office supplies, books, documents, and appurtenances relating to or used in performing the duties of the election commissioner or county clerk in relation to elections, and the cost of elections for county, state, and federal governments shall be an apportioned county expense and shall not be chargeable to other political subdivisions.