HOUSE BILL REPORT

                     EHB 1071

                           As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to the appointment of precinct election officers.

Brief Description:  Changing provisions relating to the appointment of precinct election officers.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Anderson, McLean, R. Fisher, Moyer, Dorn, Chandler, Sheldon, Bowman, Winsley, Broback, Edmondson, Paris, Holland, D. Sommers, May, Wynne, Brumsickle, Nealey, Miller, P. Johnson, Casada, Wood, Forner and Mitchell.

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

State Government, January 30, 1991, DP.

Passed House February 11, 1991, 96-0;

Passed Legislature, 96-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

STATE GOVERNMENT

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Anderson, Chair; Pruitt, Vice Chair; McLean, Ranking Minority Member; Bowman; Chandler; R. Fisher; Grant; Moyer; O'Brien; and Sheldon. 

Staff:  Kenneth Hirst (786-7105).

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 precinct election officers from the names of persons on these lists.  For a precinct's three-member election board, the auditor must appoint two 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 of Bill:

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.  If the number of names on the list of a political party is not sufficient to supply the number of election officials needed from that party, the auditor must notify the chair of the county central committee of that party.  The chair has five days after notification to add names to the list.  Afterward, if the lists from the political parties are still not sufficient to supply the number of election officers needed, the auditor may appoint a properly trained person not on the lists as an election officer.  The auditor may do so, however, only to the extent that the lists are insufficient.

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.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  (1) At times, the lists submitted by the chairs of the county central committees of the political parties do not provide enough polling place officers to conduct an election.  The bill provides alternatives in such a case.  (2) The list of potential election officers would be valid for an entire year, rather than just for one primary or election.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Karen Flynn, County Auditors' Association (in favor); John Pearson, Office of the Secretary of State (in favor); and Calvin Castle, precinct committee officer (in favor).