SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5746

                    As of February 17, 1995

Title:  An act relating to voting precinct boundaries.

Brief Description:  Requiring voting precinct boundaries to be redrawn to conform to state law.

Sponsors:  Senators Cantu and C. Anderson.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Government Operations:  2/22/95.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Staff:  Rod McAulay (786-7754)

Background:  The voting precinct is the smallest election administrative unit.  Precincts are used as the district for electing political party committee persons and generally as the site for a polling place, though often a single polling place may serve a group of adjacent precincts.

Precinct boundaries are established by the county legislative authority, though temporary adjustments may be made by the county auditor.  A precinct must be entirely within a single congressional, state legislative and county legislative district. Precinct boundaries must be drawn so that the precinct is contiguous and as compact as practicable.  Precinct boundaries shall follow visible, physical features delineated on the most current maps provided by the census bureau, unless (a) the boundary is altered to follow a boundary resulting from annexation or incorporation, or (b) it is altered to avoid a substantial impairment of election administration in the area.  When reporting precinct boundaries to the Secretary of State, a county auditor must include a statement of the reasons justifying a variation from visible, physical features to avoid impairment of election administration.

Summary of Bill:  The authority to deviate from visible, physical features delineated on census maps when drawing precinct boundaries in order to avoid impairment of election administration is repealed.  Every county legislative authority must redraw precinct boundaries to conform with statutory standards by June 1, 1996.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 14, 1995.

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