Legislature(1993 - 1994)
02/18/1993 08:00 AM House 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
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
February 18, 1993
8:00 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Al Vezey, Chairman
Representative Pete Kott, Vice Chairman
Representative Harley Olberg
Representative Jerry Sanders
Representative Fran Ulmer
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Bettye Davis
Representative Gary Davis
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HB 47 "An Act relating to the delivery of the primary
ballots to persons making application for them
when, by operation of political party rule, two or
more primary ballots must be provided to the
public."
HELD IN COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION
HB 49 "An Act relating to facsimile absentee ballot
application and facsimile absentee voting."
HELD IN COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION
WITNESS REGISTER
Charlot Thickstun, Director
Division of Elections
P.O. Box 110017
Juneau, Alaska 99801-0017
465-4611
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed HB 47
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: HB 47
SHORT TITLE: ABSENTEE BALLOTS - PRIMARY ELECTIONS
BILL VERSION:
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) MARTIN
TITLE: "An Act relating to the delivery of the primary
ballots to persons making application for them when, by
operation of political party rule, two or more primary
ballots must be provided to the public."
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
01/12/93 43 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)
01/12/93 43 (H) STATE AFFAIRS, JUDICIARY,
FINANCE
01/28/93 (H) STA AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 102
01/30/93 (H) STA AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 102
01/30/93 (H) MINUTE(STA)
02/04/93 (H) STA AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 102
02/06/93 (H) STA AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 102
02/09/93 (H) STA AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 102
02/11/93 (H) MINUTE(STA)
02/13/93 (H) STA AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 102
02/18/93 (H) STA AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 102
BILL: HB 49
SHORT TITLE: ABSENTEE BALLOTING BY FAX
BILL VERSION:
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) MARTIN,Brice
TITLE: "An Act relating to facsimile absentee ballot
application and facsimile absentee voting."
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
01/13/93 52 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)
01/13/93 53 (H) STATE AFFAIRS, JUDICIARY,
FINANCE
01/20/93 117 (H) COSPONSOR(S): BRICE
01/28/93 (H) STA AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 102
01/28/93 (H) MINUTE(STA)
01/30/93 (H) STA AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 102
01/30/93 (H) MINUTE(STA)
02/09/93 (H) STA AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 102
02/11/93 (H) STA AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 102
02/11/93 (H) MINUTE(STA)
02/13/93 (H) STA AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 102
02/18/93 (H) STA AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 102
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 93-20, SIDE A
Number 000
CHAIRMAN AL VEZEY called the meeting to order at 8:03 a.m.
and noted a quorum was present.
HB 47: ABSENTEE BALLOTS - PRIMARY ELECTIONS
CHAIRMAN VEZEY read the title of HB 47 and invited comments.
REPRESENTATIVE PETE KOTT commented on line 28, page 2. He
suggested inserting two words, "if applicable", in HB 47. He
spoke of his understanding of HB 47 and requested more input
from the Director of Elections, Charlotte Thickstun, who was
present to testify.
Number 111
CHARLOT THICKSTUN, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ELECTIONS,
discussed her department's dislike of the bill and requested
more time to compromise and make HB 47 workable.
CHAIRMAN VEZEY stated HB 47 had not been placed in a
subcommittee and asked for any comments from the committee.
Number 136
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT asked Ms. Thickstun exactly what she
would like to resolve.
Number 143
MS. THICKSTUN wanted to eliminate any chance of litigations
between parties with regard to ballots.
Number 157
REPRESENTATIVE HARLEY OLBERG stated it would be a good idea
to pass this through central committees.
Number 169
CHAIRMAN VEZEY asked if the committee would continue to work
on HB 47, and if so, a volunteer was needed. If not, the
committee would like to pass HB 47 out, he added.
Number 180
REPRESENTATIVE FRAN ULMER requested a proposed committee
substitute (CS) be brought before the committee.
Number 190
CHAIRMAN VEZEY discussed Representative Sanders working with
the Division of Elections on HB 47.
REPRESENTATIVE JERRY SANDERS agreed.
HB 49: ABSENTEE BALLOTING BY FAX
Number 199
CHAIRMAN VEZEY read the title of HB 49 and asked
Representative Kott to submit his information on the bill.
Number 209
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT stated he had a working draft of a CS to
HB 49.
Number 218
CHAIRMAN VEZEY asked to start the discussions concerning the
working draft, and stated the CS must be adopted before it
could be passed out of committee. The intention would be to
revise the draft in committee, therefore, it would be
premature to adopt it, he said.
Number 234
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT stated major changes in the draft CS
were to accommodate Alaskans living overseas. The same did
not apply to Alaskans residing in the Lower 48, he said, and
noted there was a mail service problem, which meant it took
longer than domestic mail. Ballots mailed must be
postmarked by the appropriate date, he added, and pointed
out there was a time provision in statute. The most
expeditious mail service was overnight mail, which costs $8,
he said.
Number 333
MS. THICKSTUN stated the Division did not want to pay out a
lot for postage. She preferred to see priority mail used.
Number 364
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT felt they could discriminate between
those in the U.S. and overseas.
Number 386
CHAIRMAN VEZEY stated three questions: "1) Is a qualified
voter defined anywhere? 2) Are we extending this right to
military and additional persons overseas? And, 3) what is
the monitor process on the other end?"
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT, in response to the first question,
stated designations from existing statutes had not been
restricted
Number 419
CHAIRMAN VEZEY understood one could not just go to any fax
machine and cast a ballot.
MS. THICKSTUN disagreed. She said, "You could, but you
would have your signature compared with the hard copy
previously sent."
Number 457
REPRESENTATIVE ULMER questioned whether or not forgery would
occur, and asked if the Division was comfortable with this
process.
Number 474
CHAIRMAN VEZEY restated MS. THICKSTUN'S testimony, and added
absentee ballots required witnesses.
Number 505
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT stated it would work like checks and
balances, with potential compromises likely, but that the
right to vote outweighed those compromises.
Number 535
CHAIRMAN VEZEY stated the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens
Absentee Voting Act (section 104, page 6) required an oath
administered by an officer. It was his understanding that
an official needed to verify the identity of the person
casting a ballot.
Number 557
REPRESENTATIVE ULMER agreed there should be verification.
Number 563
MS. THICKSTUN added every absentee ballot contained an oath
and witness policy.
Number 573
REPRESENTATIVE ULMER MOVED to AMEND HB 49 so there were
officials present when a ballot was being cast. She also
asked for Ms. Thickstun's input.
Number 613
MS. THICKSTUN stated her duty to work on HB 49 for overseas
Alaskans, and stressed the importance of the bill to
accommodate those who needed it.
Number 663
CHAIRMAN VEZEY stated it would be addressed in statute and
announced the committee would work with Representative Kott
on that.
ADJOURNMENT
Number 692
CHAIRMAN VEZEY adjourned the meeting at 8:49 a.m.
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