HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1698

As Amended by the Senate

BYRepresentatives R. Fisher, McLean and Anderson; by request of Secretary of State

Consolidating standards for establishing precinct boundaries.

House Committe on State Government

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (9)

      Signed by Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Anderson, Vice Chair; McLean, Ranking Republican Member; Hankins, R. King, Morris, O'Brien, Sayan and Silver.

House Staff:Kenneth Hirst (786-7105)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 7, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Each election precinct must be wholly within the district boundaries of a state and county legislative district.  The precincts must be numbered consecutively for the preparation of maps and apportionment purposes.  They may also be named.

Prior to the 1980 state primary, county auditors were required to prepare maps delineating precinct boundaries and to transmit the maps and corresponding lists of census blocks and enumeration districts to the Secretary of State.  The maps of cities or towns were also to be transmitted to the appropriate cities or towns. The maps and lists are public records but the Secretary is prohibited from associating voting results with these maps and lists.

SUMMARY:

In addition to satisfying other requirements of state law, each voting precinct must be wholly within a single Congressional district.  Whenever possible, alterations to the boundaries of a precinct must follow physical features delineated on the most current maps provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.  After a change in precinct boundaries, the county auditor must send a map or maps delineating the new precinct boundaries to the Secretary of State and to the cities or towns containing those precincts.  The county auditor may assign names or other numbers (rather than, under current law, just names) to the precincts for other election purposes.  Copies of precinct maps must be made available to the public for a reproduction fee.

Provisions of the state's Election Code are repealed which required auditors to prepare and transmit, prior to the 1980 state primary, precinct maps to towns and cities and precinct maps and corresponding lists of census blocks and enumeration districts to the Secretary of State.  Also repealed is a provision which prohibits the Secretary from associating voting results with these maps and lists.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENTS:  The Senate amendments identify the only circumstances under which alterations in precinct boundaries need not follow the visible, physical features delineated on the most current maps provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.  They are:  (1) the boundary is identical to the exterior boundary of a new annexation or incorporation which does not follow those features; or (2) following such features would substantially impair election administration in the area involved.  If a precinct boundary is changed and does not follow these physical features, an explanation must be sent by the county auditor to the secretary of state along with the maps showing the changes.

The secretary is authorized, by the amendments, to adopt rules governing the review of maps delineating precinct boundary changes.  All such maps must also contain a legal description of precinct boundary changes.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 7, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Jennifer Helget, Office of the Secretary of State.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The bill will help minimize precinct boundary changes prior to redistricting in 1991.  The U.S. Bureau of the Census will provide 1990 census data based upon the 1988 precinct boundaries and the physical features of its most current maps.  This will make data for redistricting readily available.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 89; Nays 1; Absent 1; Excused 7

Voting Nay: Representative H. Sommers

Absent:     Representative Bristow

Excused:    Representatives Basich, Betrozoff, Brooks, Hargrove, Sayan, Schoon and Vekich