2002-01-22                     Senate Journal                      Page 2001
SB 251                                                                                            
SENATE BILL NO. 251 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                   
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                               
                                                                                                    
          "An Act creating the Alaska Youth Voter Corps and                                         
          relating to that corps; authorizing the members of the                                    
          corps to be appointed to serve on election boards;                                        
          relating to qualifications for appointment to election                                    
          boards; and providing for an effective date."                                             
                                                                                                    
was read the first time and referred to the State Affairs and Judiciary                             
Committees.                                                                                         
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    

2002-01-22                     Senate Journal                      Page 2002
The following fiscal information was published today:                                               
 Fiscal Note No. 1, zero, Office of the Governor                                                    
 Fiscal Note No. 2, zero, Department of Labor and Workforce                                         
  Development                                                                                       
                                                                                                    
Governor's transmittal letter dated January 21:                                                     
                                                                                                    
Dear President Halford:                                                                             
                                                                                                    
The Youth Voter Corps bill I am transmitting today presents us with a                               
unique opportunity to enliven the interest of young people in the                                   
election process, and in their rights and responsibilities as citizens.                             
Introduced at the request of Lt. Governor Fran Ulmer and the Alaska                                 
Democracy Project task force, this bill allows high school students to                              
work at the polls during elections.                                                                 
                                                                                                    
The intent of the bill is threefold:                                                                
                                                                                                    
     · To increase young persons' awareness and interest in voting;                                 
     · To allow for meaningful student involvement in elections; and                                
     · To relieve the shortage of election workers.                                                 
                                                                                                    
Alaska Youth Voters Corps members, students age 16 or older, would                                  
be appointed and trained by an election supervisor and supervised by                                
an elections board chairperson. The Ford-Carter Elections                                           
Commission supported this concept on a national level and almost a                                  
third of the states have laws in place that allow for high school                                   
students to work at the polls.                                                                      
                                                                                                    
The bill also amends the qualifications for appointment to a precinct                               
election board to remove the requirement that the appointee be                                      
registered to vote in that precinct. This change would allow a qualified                            
voter in the state, regardless of which precinct the voter is registered                            
in, to serve on any precinct's election board. This would give more                                 
flexibility to the election supervisor to find qualified candidates to                              
serve this important function.                                                                      
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    

2002-01-22                     Senate Journal                      Page 2003
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                            
                                                                                                    
Sincerely,                                                                                          
/s/                                                                                                 
Tony Knowles,                                                                                       
Governor