04/22/1995 01:30 PM House FIN

  SENATE BILL  5                                                               
                                                                               
       "An  Act  prescribing the  use  and characteristics  of                 
       voting booths employed  in elections  and the color  of                 
       ballots used in state primary elections."                               
                                                                               
  JOSHUA FINK, STAFF TO SENATOR TIM KELLY, explained  that the                 
  proposed  legislation was  designed  to address  concerns by                 
  ensuring the secrecy of ballots and the privacy of voting in                 
  two ways.   It would require that half of all booths at each                 
  precinct be curtained  booths, and  also having all  primary                 
  ballots printed on white paper only.                                         
                                                                               
  He  added that the ballot a  voter chooses and how they cast                 
  their  vote  is   a  secret   matter,  not   to  be   shared                 
  indiscriminately without consent.  The  secret ballot is one                 
  of the basic protections in a democracy.  Mr. Fink concluded                 
  that the proposed  legislation would remedy the  corruptions                 
  within the  voting process,  adding that  it carried  a zero                 
  fiscal note.                                                                 
                                                                               
  Mr. Fink stated that Sections  9-21 incorporate the entirety                 
  of  HB  132,  upon  Representative  Mackie's request.    The                 
  legislation would require  candidates running for  office to                 
  run  on the  primary  ballot.   Mr. Fink  provided Committee                 
  members an overview of each section within SB 5.                             
                                                                               
  Representative Brown questioned the "rotation" process.  Mr.                 
  Fink commented  that  a greater  effect  would happen  if  a                 
  candidate  represented  more than  one  district.   Mr. Fink                 
  referenced a proposed  amendment [Attachment #4] to  Page 1,                 
  Line 6, deleting the words "the back of".                                    
                                                                               
  Representative  Brown asked how  the legislation  would work                 
  for the  independent candidates.   She  understood that  all                 
  independent candidates would  have to file before  June 1st;                 
  and should more than three  candidates file, that they would                 
  have that same "windowing".   She pointed out that  a person                 
  could pick any  name combination creating  a unique name  in                 
  order to qualifty for the ballot.                                            
                                                                               
  Mr. Fink clarified  that the person  in that category  could                 
                                                                               
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  file as an independent  and could pick any name  they wanted                 
  to  avoid  being lumped  in  with the  other "independents".                 
  Nothing  in  the  bill  would  prevent that  from  occuring,                 
  although, he added that the thrust of the legislation  would                 
  allow no one to skip the primary.                                            
                                                                               
  Representative Therriault explained that the  purpose of the                 
  primary election  was to choose  "a" person from  "a" party.                 
  Co-Chair Hanley interjected that concept was  being changed.                 
  To be an  officially recognized  "party" requires a  certain                 
  percentage of votes on  the statewide ballot.  In  the past,                 
  one appeared on a primary ballot  and was then registered as                 
  a recognized  participant.  Mr. Fink explained  that Page 7,                 
  Section #17,  portion (a)  and (b)  clarifies that  language                 
  used for "political groups" rather than "parties".                           
                                                                               
  Representative  Brown   distributed  and   MOVED  to   adopt                 
  Amendment  #1.   [Attachment #5].    Mr. Fink  supported the                 
  amendment.  There being NO OBJECTION, it was adopted.                        
                                                                               
  Representative   Brown   MOVED   to  adopt   Amendment   #2.                 
  [Attachment #4].  There being NO OBJECTION, it was  adopted.                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Representative Martin MOVED to report HCS  CS SB 5 (FIN) out                 
  of Committee  with individual  recommendations and  with the                 
  accompanying fiscal note.                                                    
                                                                               
  HCS CS SB 5 (FIN) was  reported out of Committee with a  "do                 
  pass" recommendation and with a fiscal note by the Office of                 
  the Governor dated 2/16/95.