SENATE 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

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 19, 1990

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chairman; Thorsness, Vice Chairman; DeJarnatt, Patrick, Sutherland.

Senate Staff:Barbara Howard (786-7410)

                  February 20, 1990

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS, FEBRUARY 19, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Election Code requires the chair of each county central committee to submit to the county auditor a list (called a nomination 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 1 of each year.  The auditor may delete the names of persons from these lists if the persons:  indicate to the auditor that they cannot or do not wish to serve as such officers or cannot otherwise 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.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      none requested

Senate Committee - Testified: Sam Reed, Thurston County Auditor