Legislature(1995 - 1996)
04/13/1995 03:32 PM Senate STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SSTA - 4/13/95
SB 146 ELECTION CODE AND ADMINISTRATION
SENATOR SHARP brings up SB 146 as the next order of business before
the Senate State Affairs Committee and calls the first witness.
Number 527
SHERMAN ERNOUF, Aide to Senator Kelly, prime sponsor of SB 146,
reads the sponsor statement for the bill.
Number 540
MR. ERNOUF reviews the sectional analysis on SB 146.
Number 560
MR. ERNOUF notes that three amendments proposed by Senator Kelly
have been submitted to the committee; members have those amendments
in their bill files.
SENATOR DUNCAN asks if any employees of the Division of Elections
will be able to join collective bargaining units.
DAVID KOIVUNIEMI, Acting Director of the Division of Elections,
responds that no employees will be able to join a collective
bargaining unit.
SENATOR DUNCAN asks if presently employees of the Division of
Elections are members of collective bargaining units.
Number 588
MR. KOIVUNIEMI responds, "No." Presently, all employees of the
division are in the exempt service. The amendment would retain
employees in the exempt service, however, they would be granted
some protections.
TAPE 95-18, SIDE B
Number 591
MR. KOIVUNIEMI states that the status of directors and supervisors
would not change at all. However, other full-time employees of the
division would have some protections and could only have employment
terminated for cause. There would be a grievance procedure, and
the department would be able to have a probationary period. The
main objective is to prohibit what occurred in the division four
years ago, when the whole division was wiped out.
Number 581
SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS asks what the Lieutenant Governor Ulmer's
position is on SB 146.
MR. KOIVUNIEMI replies that the lieutenant governor supports the
amendments.
SENATOR DUNCAN asks if the lieutenant governor supports the bill.
MR. KOIVUNIEMI responds that the only sections Lieutenant Governor
Ulmer has not endorsed are those relating to the placement of names
on the primary election ballot by party petition. She is taking a
neutral position on that section.
Number 560
SENATOR LEMAN asks which amendment repeals paying $0.50 for each
voter registration.
MR. KOIVUNIEMI replies it is in amendment #1. That has not been a
cost-efficient program. For example, in March of 1995, we paid
registrars a total of $74.50. The administration cost for doing so
was about $200 just for computer time; that does not include staff
time. With mandatory voter registration at the Department of Motor
Vehicles and several other state agencies, we have registered over
19,900 voters just since January 1st of this year. We are also
working with the Permanent Fund Dividend Division to develop voter
registration on pfd applications.
SENATOR LEMAN asks if the division supports the section relating to
rotation of names.
MR. KOIVUNIEMI responds that the division does support that
section. It is estimated that provision will save about $105,000.
Number 528
SENATOR DUNCAN asks if there have been studies that show whether or
not rotating names on the ballot has an effect on how people vote.
MR. KOIVUNIEMI replies that in the studies he has seen, there
appears to be an impact in non-partisan, low-profile races, such as
water district board elections. In those types of races, it is
usually the first and last position on the ballot that get the most
votes. But in higher profile races, from city council on up, there
is no discernable impact related to placement of names on the
ballot.
Number 515
[There is a general discussion regarding the ballot rotation
process.]
SENATOR LEMAN, SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS, and SENATOR DUNCAN all
express concern about changing the ballot rotation process.
Number 428
SENATOR DUNCAN makes a motion to adopt amendment #1.
CHAIRMAN SHARP, hearing no objection, states amendment #1 has been
adopted.
Number 422
SENATOR LEMAN makes a motion to adopt amendment #2.
CHAIRMAN SHARP, hearing no objection, states amendment #2 has been
adopted.
SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS makes a motion to adopt amendment #3.
CHAIRMAN SHARP, hearing no objection, states amendment #3 has been
adopted.
Number 406
CHAIRMAN SHARP expresses concern regarding Section 17.
MR. KOIVUNIEMI responds that section states that petition
candidates will have to appear on the primary election ballot, and
not just on the general election ballot.
CHAIRMAN SHARP, after hearing that explanation, states he has no
further concern with Section 17.
SENATOR DUNCAN asks what happens if a candidate dies after the
primary election.
MR. KOIVUNIEMI replies that it depends on when they die: if a
candidate dies more than 48 days before the general election, then
their name will be removed from the ballot. A political party can
make a substitution to a race for specific reasons, such as the
death, resignation, withdrawal, disqualification, etcetera, of a
candidate.
SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS makes a motion to delete Section 7.
Number 365
CHAIRMAN SHARP, hearing no objection, states Section 7 has been
deleted.
Number 362
SENATOR LEMAN asks if there is a specific reason to require the
ballots to be printed on white paper.
MR. KOIVUNIEMI responds that is what is required in the general
election.
SENATOR LEMAN understands that the ballots should be the same
color, but asks if there is any reason to specify white. Is it
less expensive?
BARB WHITING, Division of Elections replies it is probably cheaper
and easier to read.
SENATOR LEMAN asks, if there is an off-white, recycled paper that
is cheaper than white paper, would the division be able to use the
recycled paper?
MR. KOIVUNIEMI replies the division would consider something like
that to be white.
SENATOR LEMAN makes a motion to discharge SB 146 from the Senate
State Affairs Committee with individual recommendations.
Number 345
CHAIRMAN SHARP, hearing no objection, orders SB 146 released from
committee with individual recommendations.
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