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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 23

SHORT TITLE Election Day Polling Place Requirements

SB

ANALYST Medina

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to HB 22 and the Election Code.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Secretary of State

Responses Received From

Secretary of State

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 23 amends the Election Code with a provision requiring the election judge at a poll-

ing place to post the number of ballots cast and the number of voters at a polling place on Elec-

tion Day. The bill requires that upon the closing of the polling place, the number of each type of

ballot (electronic, emergency and provisional) and the number of voters who signed the signature

roster be determined by the election judge at each precinct. The results/totals are then to be

posted for public viewing.

Significant Issues

According to the Secretary of State:

“For election judges to determine and post the number of each type of ballot cast in their

precincts is logistically impossible:

(1)

Provisional ballots are not canvassed at the precincts, they are canvassed by

House Bill 23 -- Page 2

the county canvassing board which convenes three-days after the election to

begin the canvassing process.

(2)

Provisional ballots cannot be tallied until they are qualified.

(3)

Election judges need time to tally ballots cast and due to volume and time

constraints this procedure is not completed, ‘upon the closing of the polling

place’.”

This bill calls for the election judge to report on the number of ballots cast and the number of

voters signing the signature roster, not the number of canvassed or otherwise validated ballots

cast. The bill provides a point of reference to determine the number of ballots that are determined

to be invalid when canvassed.

Under the provisions in the bill, poll workers would likely be required to spend extra time work-

ing after the polls close.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL.

Current reporting practices and procedures will continue to be utilized.

DXM/yr