HOUSE BILL REPORT

 

 

                                    HB 1110

 

 

BYRepresentatives O'Brien, McLean, Cooper, Horn, Silver, Anderson, Betrozoff, R. Fisher, Baugher, Winsley, D. Sommers, Miller, Brumsickle, Nutley, Morris and May

 

 

Changing the section relating to ballot pages and the placement of candidates' names.

 

 

House Committe on State Government

 

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (7)

      Signed by Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Anderson, Vice Chair; McLean, Ranking Republican Member; Hankins, R. King, Rector and Sayan.

 

      House Staff:Kenneth Hirst (786-7105)

 

 

                       AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 8, 1989

 

BACKGROUND:

 

A voting device may not contain the names of candidates for a particular precinct committee office in more than one precinct.  In even year elections, voting devices must be grouped by precinct and physically separated from the voting devices containing ballot pages for other precincts.

 

SUMMARY:

 

A provision of law is repealed which prohibits a voting device from containing the name of candidates for a particular precinct committee office in more than one precinct and requires the devices to be grouped by precinct.

 

Fiscal Note:      Requested January 17, 1989.

 

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Jane Hague, King County Records and Elections; Dean Williams, Snohomish County Auditor; Tim Likness, Clark County Auditor; and John Pearson, Secretary of State's Office.

 

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

 

House Committee - Testimony For:    (1) There are over 2500 precincts in King County; the requirement of the current law can only be handled by supplementing the voting device voting with "handout sheets" for precinct offices.  There have been irregularities in giving these to voters and so few voters cast votes on these supplements that many precinct offices remain unfilled at the end of the election.  (2) If voting device pages are used for precinct offices, voters tend to avoid the lines at some precinct devices by using the devices labelled for other precincts.  This invalidates votes.

 

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.