HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5143

BYSenators Pullen, Madsen, Talmadge and Moore

Discussing ballot pages and the placement of candidates' names on them.

House Committe on State Government

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (10)

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

House Staff:Kenneth Hirst (786-7105)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 12, 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A provision of law is repealed which prohibits a voting device from containing the name of candidates for a particular precinct committee office in more than one precinct and requires the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:      No Impact.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Jane Hague, County Auditors Legislative Committee; and Tim Likness, Clark County.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (1) In many counties, there is an insufficient number of voting devices to prevent the names of candidates for precinct committeepersons from more than one precinct from appearing on the ballot pages in a precinct.  As a result, supplemental ballots are used and very few voters cast these ballots.  Therefore, some positions garner too few votes to qualify the winners for election to these positions.  The bill removes this problem.  (2) The current system requires sufficient knowledge and control by polling place officials to invite error.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.