Legislature(1993 - 1994)
03/15/1994 08:35 AM Senate FIN
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SB 303: An Act relating to voter eligibility, voter registration, and voter registration agencies; and providing for an effective date. Laura Glaiser, Special Assistant, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, spoke in support of SB 303. Discussion was held between Senators Kelly, Sharp and Co-chair Pearce regarding federal law and other concerns. Amendment 1 FAILED to be adopted. SB 303 was REPORTED OUT of committee with individual recommendations, zero fiscal notes for the Department of Education and the Department of Revenue, and fiscal notes for the Department of Public Safety - $90.9, Lt. Gov. Elections - $23.0, Department of Health & Social Services (M.H. Admin.)-$10.7, Department of Health & Social Services (WIC)-$4.4, Department of Health & Social Services (Pub.Assist.)-$10.4, and Department of Commerce & Regional Affairs-$10.0. SENATE BILL NO. 303: An Act relating to voter eligibility, voter registration, and voter registration agencies; and providing for an effective date. Co-chair Pearce announced that SB 303 was before the committee and invited Laura Glaiser, Special Assistant, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, to speak to the committee. LAURA GLAISER said that SB 303 was drafted to bring the state into compliance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. The main significance of the bill was the designation of the Division of Motor Vehicles as a voter registration agency. It also included those Divisions within Health & Social Services that administer WIC, ADFC, Medicaid, and Food Stamp programs as voter registration agencies. As well as those state funded agencies that primarily provide services with disabilities, all armed services recruitment offices in Alaska would also be designated as voter registration agencies. The administration also had decided to add the Division of Municipal and Regional Assistance, Department of Community & Regional Affairs, as well, because members of that Division travel to the bush areas and could provide bilingual assistance with voter registration. The Director may also designate other state and local agencies as voter registration agencies. Ms. Glaiser went on to say that being designated as a voter registration agency meant the agency would assist voter applicants in filling out voter registration forms. The form would be offered to everyone (not just when requested) and the person could choose to fill it out or not. If they decided not to fill it out, they would be required to sign a declination form so that the agency had a record of their refusal to register. Ms. Glaiser went on to say that SB 303 made technical changes to the election laws to bring the state into compliance with the Voter Registration Act. One item changed was that all witnessing requirements would be removed from voter registration forms. In answer to Senator Kelly, Ms. Glaiser said that federal law did not require witnessing or formal notarization on voter registration forms. In addition, the system by which voters were purged from the voter registration rolls had been changed. A voter remained on the master list two years longer than presently. It would not effect the precinct list. In addition, it named the Director of Elections responsible for state coordination and reporting requirements under the federal act. Currently, if a person were convicted of a felony moral turpitude under federal law, but resided in the state of Alaska, he/she could still register and vote at the last known residence on an absentee ballot. One other change to state law, in compliance with this federal act, was that federal felonies would be reported to the state Division of Elections and the felon would not be allowed to vote until that felony had been cleared. Co-chair Pearce announced that Juanita Hensley, Division of Motor Vehicles, Dept. of Public Safety, and Curtis Lomas, Program Officer, ADFC program, Dept. of Health & Social Services, were in the audience and available to answer questions in regard to SB 303. In answer to Senator Kelly, Ms. Glaiser said that a person applying for driver's license could refuse to register to vote. The forms would be printed so the applicant would simultaneously fill out similar information. If he/she chose not to sign the voter registration section, that would be considered a declination. There would be no formal declination at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Ms. Glaiser said there would be training sessions similar to registrar training on what can be said to the applicant, and how to assist the applicant. In answer to Senator Sharp, Ms. Glaiser said the state would not require witness signatures on voter registration forms but would retain the registrar program. The state would not make the registration agency employees voter registrars. In answer to Senator Sharp, Ms. Glaiser agreed that anyone could gather signatures for voter registration and the election official would not know who had filled them out. Ms. Glaiser said that amendment 1 would change the way names were placed on the ballot. She explained that the state had one of the most complex systems of ballot rotation in the country. Many states were doing away with ballot rotation as a cost saving measure because it is believed voters did not vote for candidates because of their placement on the ballot. She proposed that letters of the alphabet would be drawn by the Director of Elections, names would be placed on the ballot accordingly, and the names would not rotate. Sample ballots could be printed and then used in the voting booth as a reference since the names would stay in the same order. Senator Kerttula voiced his opposition to this amendment. In answer to Co-chair Frank, Ms. Glaiser said that the ballot rotation was not part of the National Voter Registration Act. She also informed the committee that the National Voter Registration Act was a federal mandate without federal funding. The state would have the threat of a lawsuit if it did not come in compliance and because Alaska was a Voting Rights Act state, all party rules and state election laws pass through the Department of Justice which would flag this issue. In answer to Co-chair Pearce, Ms. Glaiser said that the Division estimated a savings of approximately $189,000 with the addition of amendment 1. If the Republican rule stayed in effect, and there was a separate ballot, it would save $267,000 every election cycle. Ms. Glaiser said that Washington, Oregon and California have noticed no complaints or difference for candidates when ballot rotation was used. Co-chair Frank MOVED amendment 1. Senator Kerttula OBJECTED. Co-chair Pearce called for a show of hands on the adoption of amendment 1, and the motion FAILED on a 2 to 3 vote. (Co-chairs Pearce and Frank were in favor, Senators Sharp, Kerttula and Kelly were opposed. Senator Jacko was absent from the meeting at the time the vote was taken). Senator Kelly asked what part of SB 303 was not mandated under federal law. Ms. Glaiser said the only addition outside of federal requirements was the inclusion of the Community & Regional Affairs as a voter registration agency. She reiterated that this agency was added because it contacted the bush and could provide bilingual service for voter registration. The federal government mandated voter registration forms had to be bilingual if a large population used another language but since parts of Alaska had so many oral and dialect changes, the administration thought that the Department of Community & Regional Affairs could address that situation. Senator Sharp MOVED for passage of SB 303 from committee with individual recommendations. Senator Kerttula OBJECTED. Co-chair Pearce asked for a show of hands. SB 303 was REPORTED OUT of committee with a "no recommendation," zero fiscal notes for the Department of Education, Department of Revenue, and fiscal notes for the Department of Public Safety-$90.9, Elections-$23.0, Department of Health & Social Services-M.H. Admin. $10.7, WIC-$4.4, Pub.Assist. $10.4 and the Department of Community & Regional Affairs-$10.0. Co- chair Pearce signed a reluctant "do pass," and Co-chair Frank, Senators Sharp, Kelly, Rieger, Jacko, and Kerttula signed "no recommendation."
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