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

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Sandoval

 

DATE TYPED:

2/21/03

 

HB

445

 

SHORT TITLE:

County Clerk Certification of Nominees

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

Chavez

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

NFI

NFI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Secretary of State (SOS)

LFC Files

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 445 amends Section 1-8-4 NMSA 1978 of the Election Code to standardize the review process for minor party candidates.  The effective date of this proposed legislation is July 1, 2003.

 

     Significant Issues

 

Currently, those elected officials in multi-counties present certificates of nomination to the Secretary of State who is required to:

 

  1. determine whether the method of nomination used by the certifying political party complies with the current rules and regulations of that party on file in his office;
  2. determine whether all the requirements of Sections 1-8-1, 1-8-2 and 1-8-3 NMSA 1978 have been complied with and that the petition and list of signatures and addresses of voters are valid and comply with law;
  3. certify the names of the party’s nominees as candidates for the office for which each is nominated.

 

Currently, those elected officials in single counties present certificates of nomination to the county clerk who is not required to:

 

1.   determine whether the method of nomination used by the certifying political party complies with the current rules and regulations of that party on file in his office;

  1. determine whether all the requirements of Sections 1-8-1, 1-8-2 and 1-8-3 NMSA 1978 have been complied with, and that the petition and list of signatures and addresses of voters are valid and comply with law;
  2. certify the names of the party’s nominees as candidates for the office for which each is nominated.

 

This bill would require the county clerks to complete the above steps to standardize the process for both multi-counties and single counties, and to place elected officials on a more equal playing field.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

 

The bill would require the county clerks to perform the same tasks that are currently required of the Secretary of State.

 

FC/njw