HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2550

BYRepresentatives R. Fisher, McLean, Horn, R. King, Anderson, Todd and Wood

Changing provisions relating to the appointment of precinct election officers.

House Committe on State Government

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (9)

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

House Staff:Kenneth Hirst (786-7105)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 6, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Election Code requires the chair of each county central committee to submit to the county auditor a list of persons qualified to act as precinct election officers.  The list must be submitted at least 60 days before a primary or election.  The auditor must appoint the precinct election officers from the names of persons on these lists.  For each precinct, the auditor must appoint two election officers from the political party whose candidate for President of the United States at the last Presidential election received the highest number of votes in the county and one officer from the party whose candidate received the next greatest number of votes.

SUMMARY:

Lists of persons qualified to serve as precinct election officers must be submitted by the chairs of the county central committees to the county auditor by June 1st of each year.  The auditor may delete the names of persons from these lists (called nomination lists) if the persons:  indicate to the auditor that they cannot or do not wish to serve as such officers or cannot otherwise so serve; or lack the ability to conduct properly the duties of such an election officer after training has been made available to them by the auditor.  The auditor may appoint as precinct election officers properly trained persons whose names are not on these lists to the extent that the number of persons on the lists is insufficient to provide the number of election officers required for a primary or election.

The auditor must appoint two precinct election officers from one political party and one from another as specified by the Election Code only if the number of names on the parties' nomination lists for these positions is sufficient to satisfy this requirement.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Gary McIntosh and John Pearson, Office of the Secretary of State; and Ken Housden, Chelan County Auditor.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (1) The first duty of an auditor is to conduct good elections; this bill helps the auditors do so.  (2) The bill will help the auditor ensure that polling place officers are appointed from persons who reside within the precinct they serve.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.