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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Lovejoy

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/21/07

3/15/07 HB

SHORT TITLE Alternative Native American Voting Locations

SB 1105/aSRC/aHVEC

ANALYST Leger

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY07

FY08

FY09 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total

$0.1

$0.1

$0.1 Recurring General

Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Secretary of State’s Office (SOS)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of HVEC Amendment

The House Voters and Elections Committee amendment strikes all Senate Rules Committee

amendments. The amendment requires county clerks to provide an alternate early voting

location on Indian Nation, Tribal or Pueblo Lands when requested by the Indian Nation, Tribe or

Pueblo.

Synopsis of SRC Amendment

The Senate Rules Committee amendment allows County Clerks to provide alternate voting

locations without having to be requested by the Indian Nation, Tribe or Pueblo. The amendment

also allows for a mobile or alternate early voting location.

Senate Bill 1105/aSRC/aHVEC – Page

2

Synopsis of Original Bill

Senate Bill 1105 amends NMSA Section 1-6-5.6 NMSA requiring County Clerks to provide an

alternate voting location on Tribal Lands when requested by the Indian Nation, Tribe or Pueblo.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

According to the SOS, counties would need to be funded for the alternate voting location on

Tribal Lands. Possible expenses are:

•

Additional Voting Machines

•

Precinct Boards

•

Additional Ballots

•

Native American Interpreters

•

Additional Voting Machine programming and testing costs

•

Additional Voting Machine Troubleshooters

•

Some Counties would have to set up seven or more alternate sites if all Tribes within that

county request an alternate site

•

A mobile alternative voting site would have to be purchased and staffed if requested by

Indian Nation within that county

•

Informational costs

It is estimated a county could pay up to $30,000 per site. If all possible alternate sites are

requested, a county may have to spend more that $200,000 that is not currently in their budget.

The counties cannot fulfill the provisions of this bill without additional funding.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Providing alternative sites on Indians lands may increase voter turnout.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

There will be some additional administrative work for the SOS, but it can be handled with

existing staff as part of the SOS’s ongoing responsibilities.

The county clerks will also have added administrative responsibilities that will tax existing staff.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

Does the SOS have any guidelines on sitting voting locations such as population requirements or

maximum distances traveled.

JL/csd:nt