HB 496: "An Act creating the Youth Vote Ambassador Program and relating to that program; authorizing the members of the program to be appointed to serve on election boards; relating to qualifications for appointment to election boards; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 496 01 "An Act creating the Youth Vote Ambassador Program and relating to that program; 02 authorizing the members of the program to be appointed to serve on election boards; 03 relating to qualifications for appointment to election boards; and providing for an 04 effective date." 05 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 06 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 07 to read: 08 FINDINGS. The legislature finds that 09 (1) involvement of young people in the election process will raise awareness 10 of and interest in voting and encourage responsible citizenship; 11 (2) creation of a youth vote ambassador program provides a meaningful way 12 for young people to be involved in the election process; and 13 (3) service by young people on election boards will help relieve the shortage 14 of election workers in this state and develop election workers for the future.
01 * Sec. 2. AS 15.10 is amended by adding a new section to read: 02 Sec. 15.10.108. Youth vote ambassador program. (a) The youth vote 03 ambassador program is established in the division of elections. 04 (b) In order to serve as a member of the youth vote ambassador program, an 05 individual must 06 (1) be a student age 16 or older 07 (A) enrolled in a public or private high school program in this 08 state; or 09 (B) being educated in the student's home by a parent or legal 10 guardian in this state under AS 14.30.010(b)(12); 11 (2) volunteer to serve in the youth vote ambassador program and be 12 appointed to the youth vote ambassador program by the director of elections; and 13 (3) if appointed, agree to complete a program of training as determined 14 by the director of elections. 15 (c) An election supervisor may appoint a member of the youth vote 16 ambassador program to serve on a precinct election board appointed under 17 AS 15.10.120. A program member who is appointed to serve on an election board 18 under this subsection serves under the supervision of the chairperson for that board. 19 (d) A member of the program who is appointed under (c) of this section is 20 compensated as provided in AS 15.15.380 only for service on the election board of the 21 precinct. 22 (e) A member of the program may provide unpaid volunteer services related to 23 education and outreach on state elections as directed by, and under the supervision of, 24 the director of elections. 25 (f) In this section, "program" means the youth vote ambassador program. 26 * Sec. 3. AS 15.10.120(a) is amended to read: 27 (a) An election supervisor shall appoint in each precinct within the election 28 supervisor's district an election board composed of at least three qualified voters 29 registered to vote in this state [THAT PRECINCT]. An election supervisor may 30 also appoint not more than two members of the youth vote ambassador program 31 established in AS 15.10.108 to serve on a precinct election board.
01 * Sec. 4. AS 15.10.120(c) is amended to read: 02 (c) An election supervisor shall appoint one nominee of the political party of 03 which the governor is a member and one nominee of the political party that received 04 the second largest number of votes statewide in the preceding gubernatorial election. 05 The election supervisor shall appoint at least one additional qualified individual 06 registered to vote in this state [THAT PRECINCT]. If a party district committee or 07 state party central committee of the party of which the governor is a member or the 08 party that received the second largest number of votes statewide in the preceding 09 gubernatorial election fails to present the names prescribed by (b) of this section by 10 April 15 of a regular election year or at least 60 days before a special election, the 11 election supervisor may appoint any qualified individual registered to vote in this 12 state [THAT PRECINCT]. 13 * Sec. 5. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).