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

SPONSOR Fox-Young

DATE TYPED 1/25/05

HB 20

SHORT TITLE Require Voter Identification by Signature

SB

ANALYST Medina

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$250.0

Non-Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to HB18, HB63, HB41, HB208, SB40

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Secretary of State

Responses Received From

Secretary of State

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 20 appropriates $250.0 from the general fund to the Secretary of State for the purpose

of reimbursing counties for purchasing digital facsimile signature printers. The bill calls for the

signature rosters at each polling place to contain every registered voter’s signature in digital fac-

simile form. When voting at the polling place, the voter would be required to sign the voting ros-

ter and that signature would then be compared to the signature kept on file by the county on the

signature roster. If the signature entered by the voter in the voting roster does not match, varies

significantly from the digital facsimile signature on the signature roster, and no member of the

precinct board has personal knowledge of the identity of the voter, the voter would be required to

vote on a provisional paper ballot. Voters qualifying for assistance pursuant to Section 1-12-12

NMSA 1978 would be exempt from the provisions of the bill.

House Bill 20 -- Page 2

Significant Issues

The expertise of the poll workers or precinct board charged with determining whether or not the

voter’s signature matches the digital facsimile signature on file might be of concern to voters. If

a voter is not able to reproduce his or her signature to the satisfaction of the precinct board, that

voter may feel disenfranchised, especially if the voter is not prepared to produce the appropriate

form of identification required for voting by provisional paper ballot.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $250.0 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general fund

for expenditure in fiscal years 2006 and 2007. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance re-

maining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert to the general fund.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

According to the Secretary of State, county clerks will require training, and will likewise be re-

quired to train precinct workers in the upkeep, operation and maintenance of the new system.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

The Secretary of State is uncertain as to the actual cost of acquiring and operating such digital

facsimile printers.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL.

Status quo.

DXM/yr