HomeMy WebLinkAboutFY 2016 Budget Presentation-County Clerk
Ricky Watanabe
County Clerk
Jade K. Fountain-Tanigawa
Deputy County Clerk
Lyndon Yoshioka
Elections Administrator
COUNTY OF K U ‘IA
Office of the County Clerk
Council Services Division
Elections Division
2016 Budget Presentation
Submitted to Council: March 13 , 201 5
Departmental Budget Review: April 16, 2015
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 1
OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK
COUNCIL SERVICES DIVISION
Mission
To serve the Kaua‘i County Council in its legislative function and to provide service to the
public efficiently, accurately , and with respect.
Goals & Objectives
The Council Services Divisi on provides support services to the Count y Council, and consists of
four (4 ) sections – Research, Records Management, Support S ervices (Clerical), and Support
Services (Secretarial Assistants).
Division Goals:
1. To recognize that all members of our staff are valued and that the contributions they each
make, strengthen our organization and help to carry out our mission of delivering
efficient public service .
2. To treat everyone that comes into contact with the Council Services Division with
respect, while at the same time recognizing the importance of providing exceptional
customer service.
3. To efficiently and effectively p rovide staff and support services to the Kaua‘i County
Council in the preparation of Council and Committee Meeti ngs , and to perform the
n ecessary follow -up work a s required .
4. To p rovide information and related documents on legislative and/or County matters when
requested by the public. If information cannot be delivered within the time frame
requested, a response to the request shall be pr ovided no later than the time frame
established pursuant to the provisions of the Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA ).
Section Summary:
1. Records Management. To maintain records of the Legislative Branch, including legal
documents and operational re cords of the County. To file documents of the County
Council and the Office of the County Clerk and retrieve records requested by the
Council, the Administration, the public, and other agencies. (The Records Management
Section is not the county -wide repo sitory of all county records.)
Goals:
a. Provide records -related assistance to the Kaua‘i County Council, staff of the
Office of the County Clerk, the County Administration, the public, and other
agencies in a timely manner.
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 2
b. Continue indexing/scanning syste m to hasten records retrieval and for records
protection.
c. Process documents received in a timely manner.
Objectives:
a. Maintain the current database indexing system in Microsoft Access.
b. Maintain the current electronic filing system on Laserfiche.
c. Contin ue the computerization of the indexing system for selected records series.
d. Continue the scanning, verifying, and indexing of selected records series.
e. Continue the digitization project by verifying, separating, and indexing the
vendor -scanned documents.
f. Fulfill records requests on a priority basis within ten days after the request is
received, with “ASAP” requests being researched immediately.
g. Process rules and regulations and transmit them to the State of Hawai‘i, Office of
the Lieutenant Governor with in three (3) working days after received by the
Office of the County Clerk for filing.
h. Maintain records pursuant to the Kaua‘i County Charter.
i. Update the Office of the County Clerk “Sale -Item List.”
2. Support Services (Clerical). To provide all the cleri cal support for the County Council
and the Office of the County Clerk. In addition to the day -to -day typing of letters and
documents, the Support Services Section is responsible for preparing and posting agendas
of meetings , public hearings, and workshops , including posting agendas on the County’s
website with applicable attachments , staffing meetings and compiling documentation
prior to and after such m eetings, preparing minutes and C ommittee R eports, processing
claims against the County of Kau a‘i, proces sing and distributing mail delivered to the
County Councilmembers and the Office , preparing legal notices for publication ,
recording all necess ary legal documents as required with the Bureau of Conveyances ,
handling the sale of ordinances, handling cash de posits, posting resolutions to the
County’s website and servicing the public by providing documents pursuant to the UIPA .
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 3
Goals:
a. Post and upload all agendas and attachments using Optical Character Recognition
(OCR) Software to the County’s website , and distri bute and mail as necessary,
notices of meetings and public hearings as required by law.
b. Complete all minutes accurately within the 30 -day requirement established by the
“Sunshine Law ”, and complete Committee Reports drafted by the Research
Secti on by the third working day following the meeting.
c. A nswer all telephone calls by the third ring and exercise proper phone etiquette.
d. Adhere to the e stablish ed standardized format for all clerical work produced.
e. Provide the necessary training and exposur e so that all clerical support staff will
be capable and confident when staffing meetings including reporting and
transcribing minutes within the established time frames.
f. Type , distribute, and mail (including securing signatures when necessary) all
letter s and memos within three (3) working days of request.
Objectives:
a. Council Services Assistant s have embarked on a rotational system where they are
provided with the “down time” necessary to complete their minutes accurately
utilizing proper grammar and pu nctuation with in the required time frame.
b. Review all written material (minutes, Committee Reports, memorandums, etc.)
for accuracy to ensure the proper use of grammar and punctuation, while keeping
with the intent of the speaker.
c. To utilize the Standardi zation Guide that was developed by the Council Services
Assistant II, when drafting / formatting memos, bills, resolutions, certificates, etc.
in order to achieve a standardized product.
d. Continue the c lerical rotation , with respect to clerical assignments , mail
distribution , and tasks accordingly.
3. Research Section. To perform all legislative staff functions, including comprehensive
research and writing necessary for the efficient operation of the Office of the County
Clerk and the Kaua‘i County Council.
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 4
Goals:
a. To invest in the development of each member of the Research Section so that
every staff member is c onfident and capable with staffing any Council
Committee, project , or request.
b. To p rovide a three (3) day turnaround for project assignments. For projects that
are more complex in nature, s taff will need to work with the “Requestor” to
determine an agreed upon date . Encouraging staff to work with the “Requestor”
will help to build a strong working relationship.
c. To meet on a weekly basis to provide the status of projects, an update on
upcoming events, solicit different ideas of how to approach complex assignments ,
and to discuss any difficulty experienced with certain projects/assignments.
d. Provide assistance to the State Legislature , Hawai‘i State Association of Counties
(HSAC), National Association of Counties (NACo), and the Western Interstate
Region (WIR) when requested , and develop / maintain relationships with
respective counterparts in the various organizations.
Objectives:
a. Staff all meetings and hearings and provide information requested by the County
Council and its Committees so all meetings can be conducted efficiently.
b. Work closely with the County Administration, the public, and other governmental
and private agencies to ensu re the smooth flow of accurate information .
c. Draft legislation, C ommittee R eports, certificates of achievement, letters, news
releases, speeches, and requests for “I nvestigation and R eport ” (“Personal
Requests”) with accuracy and on a timely basis.
d. Assist in the preparation of the County and Hawai‘i State Association of Counties
(HS AC) Legislative Packages which is annually submitted to the State
Legislature. Provide assist ance /information to the County Administration relating
to their respective Legislative Packages, when requested.
e. When requested, draft testimony to be submitted to the State Legislature and
Congress .
f. Provide the public and other interested organization s with requested information
on Council and County matters within seven (7) business da ys. Should more time
be needed, the request for additional time should be communicated to the
requestor.
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 5
g. Assist the County Council in the preparation, sc heduling, and enactment of the
a nnual County Operating and Capital Imp rovement Programs (CIP) Budgets and
Resolution establishing the County of Kaua‘i’s real property tax rates.
h. Provide the necessary research and supporting documentation to assist in the
development of the Operating and CIP Budgets and Resolution establishing the
County of Kaua‘i’s real property tax rates .
4. Support Services (Secretarial Assistants ). Council Services currently has three (3)
Secretarial Assistants responsible for providing clerical assistance to each County
Councilmember as well as serve as the liaison between the Councilm embe r s and the
respective Sections within the Office.
As these positions and t he functions that they provide continue to evolve, we strive to
find the best staffing model that w ill enable our Office to successfully address the needs
of all seven (7) Cou ncilmembers.
Goals:
a. Determine the individual needs and expectations of each Councilmember.
b. Provide assistance to each Councilmember on a timely basis (scheduling meetings
and appointments, mak ing travel arrangements, etc.).
c. Utilize the pCard System co rrectly to ensure that all transactions comply with the
established policies and procedures for pCard use.
Objectives:
a. Meet individually with each Councilmember to determine their expectations and
type of assistance that they need/require.
b. Assess how to best serve each Council member and establish standard procedures
for dealing with the following:
Scheduling appointments and meetings.
Maintaining their individual calendars.
Notifying / providing reminders as necessary.
Scheduling travel arrangements for all Councilmembers utilizing the
pCard System.
Process all requests for reimbursement timely, and in compliance with the
established policies and procedures.
Prepare on a timely basis, all forms required for mileage and cell phone
reimbursement.
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 6
Succes ses and Achievements
Overall Achievements:
1. Received an A+ rating by Ballotpedia (formerly known as the Sunshine Review ) for
Government Transparency for the third consecutive year .
2. Reorganized the Council’s website to make it user friendly; utilizing OCR software.
3. Posted all Council and Committee agenda s and attachments and confirmed that they are
available via the County Council’s website.
4. Established a Social Media Policy, whi ch led to the launch o f the County Council’s
Facebook page. This initiative is an effort to b e more accessible to the public and
encourage public participation in County government. Currently, the Council’s Facebook
page has :
a. 411 “Likes”
b. 8,530 weekly total reach (The total number of people who see content associated
with the C ouncil’s Facebook page).
c. 39,114 weekly total impressions (The number of impressions seen of any content
associated with your page (total count)).
d. 524 weekly unique users (The number of people sharing stories about your page.
These stories include liking y our page, posting to your page’s timeline, liking,
commenting on or sharing on of your page posts, answering a question you
posted, responding to one of your events, mentioning your page, tagging your
page in a photo, or checking in at your location).
5. C ompleted the codification of the Kaua‘i County Code 1987, as amended, and
Supplement #1 (2013) and #2 (2014) which are available online. The online version of
the Code will be updated twice a year (December & June). A printed supplement will be
available once a year (June).
6. Successfully promoted the 2015 WIR Conference through mandatory promotional booths
at the 2014 WIR Conference in Alaska, 2014 NACo Annual Conference in Louisiana,
and 2015 NACo Legislative Conference in Washington D.C.
7. Assisted the O ffice of the County Clerk, Elections Division with the 2014 Primary and
General Elections.
Other Achievements:
1. Records Management. (S tatistic s provided are from July 1, 201 4 to February 28 , 201 5 ,
and they may include cross references.)
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 7
a. Non -agenda c om munications scanned, indexed, and filed:
b. Agenda -related items scanned:
c. Council and Committee minutes scanned, indexed, and filed:
d. Executive Session minutes and related documents scanned,
indexed, and filed:
e. Committee Reports scanned, indexed, and filed:
f. Resolutions scanned, indexed, and filed:
g. Bills scanned, indexed, and filed:
h. Public Hearing transcripts scanned, indexed, and filed:
i. Affidavits of Publication scanned, indexed, and filed
(includes related notices):
j. Studies scanned, i ndexed, and filed:
k. Agenda -related items scanned:
l. On average, twenty five (2 5 ) communications on the weekly
meeting agenda were indexed and filed.
m. On average, there were twenty (20) requests a week to retrieve
and research documents.
n. Vendor -scanned do cuments that have been indexed, corrected,
and verified:
2,256
3,655
103
331
131
47
75
30
93
11 (1,603 pages)
2,572
2. S upport Services (Clerical) and Research Section. (Statistics provided are from
July 1, 201 4 to February 2 8, 201 5 .)
a. Agendas prepared, meetings staffed:
i. Council
ii. Special Council
iii. Executive Session
iv. Workshops
16
14
52
4
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 8
v. Committee
vi. Length of Meetings (Hours)
b. Committee Reports prepared:
c. Minutes prepared:
i. Council / Special Council M inutes
ii. Committee Deferred Minutes
iii. Public Hearing Minutes
iv. Executive Sessions
v. Workshops
d. Public Hearing Notices and Publications:
e. Ordinances adopted:
f. Resolutions adopted:
g. Total typing assignments (including daily commu nications, bills, and
Resolutions, etc.):
h. Request for Investigation and Service (Personal Request) forms drafted and
typed (includes follow -up, response to constituent, etc.):
i. Certificates drafted and typed:
j. New Project Assignments – Request s for information, request for research,
letters, memos, etc. (This would range from simple to complex issues):
k. Legislative Packages: Staff assisted in the preparation of the annual County
Legislative Package and the Hawai‘i State Association of Countie s (HSAC)
Legislative Package, and assisted in lobbying efforts at the State
Legislature.
l. Council Recap Memos and approved Council Meeting Minutes were placed
on the County website, as soon as possible (depending upon when
signatures were obtained).
14
3 77
62
2 5
39
37
52
4
37
22
33
973
146
69
4,536
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 9
Challenges
1. Records Management Section.
a. Completing the i ndexing of scanned images and verification of documents.
b. Keeping current with indexing and scanning of records.
2. S upport Services (Clerical) Section.
a. The vacancy in the Council Services Assistant I position will decrease turnaround
time between meetings for the remaining Council Services Assistant I and II staff
to complete minutes.
b. Completion of minutes within thi rty (30) days remains a constant challenge due to
the frequency of meetings held, and in some cases, the current daily
responsibilities (reception duties, typing assignments, etc.) limits the available
time and concentration needed.
3. Research Section.
a. To p erform all duties and numerous tasks within established deadlines and
provide the necessary follow -up.
b. Provide the necessary s ervice to all Councilmembers in a timely fashion while
recognizing that each Councilmember has varying degrees of expectation s.
c. Standardize workflow, process d eliverables , and adhere to establish ed protocols ,
and when appropriate, provide these items within a specified timeframe.
4. Support (Secretarial Assistants) Section.
a. Work collaboratively to provide adequate assistance to each Councilmember
utilizing a primary Secretarial Assistant – Councilmember system while providing
the necessary back -up assistance when necessary.
b. Following established protocol and standards while meeting the expectations and
needs of seven (7), indivi dual Councilmembers.
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 10
Upcoming Initiatives
1. Formulate a staff survey to identify areas that the staff feels they need assistance with.
Results of the survey will be used to develop appropriate training opportunities.
2. Develop an aggressive employee “cross -training” plan.
3. Continue staff training based on the results of the staff survey.
4. Focus on “Team Building” and effective communication.
5. Prepare to host the 2015 National WIR Annual Conference.
6. Prepare for the 2016 Primary and General Elections – assisting in securing the
necessary space for election operations.
7. Continuity /Succession Planning for both Council Services and the Elections
Division s .
8. Work to develop a County Council community outreach component in order to be
more accessible to the public.
9. Develop a plan to increase the number of people who use the County’s Facebook
page.
10. Identify and work towards the continuous improvement of the Office of the County
Clerk’s website in collaboration with the Department of Finance, Information
Tec hnology Division.
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 11
Comparative Budget Graphs
FY 2015 FY 2016
Wages $ 1,946,440 $ 1,909,384
Benefits $ 914,937 $ 985,620
Operations $ 304,251 $ 262,072
Equipment/Leases $ 73,000 $ 58,000
Utilities $ 15,450 $ 20,700
$ 3,254,078 $ 3,235,776
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 12
Succession Planning
The Council Services Division has begun the process of succession planning by identifying and
developing current staff members that have shown the potential to fi ll key leadership positions
within the Division in the near future. Through active succession planning, we have the ability
to increase the availability of experienced and capable employees that are prepared to assume
these roles as they become available. As a Division, we aim to:
Identify those with the potential to assume greater responsibility in the organization
Provide critical development experiences to those that can move into key roles
Engage the leadership in supporting the development of high -po tential leaders
T he Council Services Division is actively increasing the continuity and succession training to
assist in institutionalizing as much knowledge as possible for the continued success of the
Division.
Vacant Positions
The Council Services Division currently has the following vacant positions:
Position #2708 – Council Services Administrator (Dollar Funded)
Position #E -271 4 – Secretarial Assistant (Dollar Funded)
Position #E -2701 – Council Services Assistant I (Dollar Funded)
D ivision’s Bud get Discussion
The Office of the County Clerk , Council Services Division ’s FY 201 5 -201 6 budget request
reflects a $1 8 ,302 or 0 .56% de crease from FY 201 4 -201 5 . This decrease is primarily due to the
removal of costs related to the mandatory promotional dut ies to host the 2015 WIR Conference,
which will no longer be needed in FY 2015 -2016. The Council Services Division does not have
many variable costs budgeted for the operations of the Legislative Branch.
Additional Information
Attached please note th e Office of the County Clerk Table of Organization effective
February 11 , 201 5.
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 13
OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK
ELECTIONS DIVISION
Mission
The Elections Division’s mission is to:
1. Provide open, accessible, fair, and secure election servic es for the residents of the County
of Kaua‘i; and
2. Provide County Agencies with quality document reproduction services in an expeditious
manner.
Goals and Objectives
Conduct elections in accordance with Federal, State, and County laws.
Establish and implem ent sound policies and procedures which ensure the integrity of the
electoral process.
Offer services which are convenient and accessible for all election stakeholders.
Provide quality document reproduction services to county agencies in a timely and
cost -effective manner.
Evaluation of Goals & Objectives for Fiscal Year 2014 -2015
1. 2014 Elections
Thanks to the excellent work of staff at both the Elections Division and Council Services
Division, and the hundreds of Election Day volunteers, the 2014 Electio ns were rather routine .
Notable election statistics are depicted in the following sections.
Voter Counts
2014 2012
Primary Election 41,165 39,835
General Election 41,869 40,738
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 14
Voter Turnout
Primary
Election
General
Election Total
Precinct Turno ut 7,816 11,557 19,373
Early Voting Turnout 3,759 3,383 7,142
Absentee Mail
Turnout 7,791 9,103 16,894
Total Turnout 19,366 24,043 43,409
No. Voters 41,165 41,869 n/a
Turnout % 47.0 57.4 n/a
Voter File Maintenance
Number
Voter Affidavits Processed 5,515
Voter Declinations Filed 1 6,702
Purge / Deceased (a) 725
Purge / Moved Away (b) 174
Purge / Self Cancellation (c) 92
Purge / Felony Incarceration (d) 11
Purge / Pursuant to NVRA 2 -cycle Inactivity 2
(e) 967
Purge / Total (a + b + c + d + e) 1,9 69
1 Approximate number of individual s who applied for or renewed a driver license but declined to
register to vote .
2 Number of voters purged from the rolls for failin g to respond to federally mandated notices.
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 15
Election Day Official Recruitment and Training
No.
Recruited
No.
Trainings
Sessions
Polling Place Officials 425 14
Counting Center Officials 103 4
Ballot Delivery & Collection
Officials 30 2
Control Center Officials 52 3
Totals 610 23
2. Genera l Election Notification Pilot Project.
In an effort to increase awareness of the 2014 General Elections, we conducted a pilot project
which consisted of an election notification postcard mailed to each voter and election notification
posters displayed in a pprox. 125 locations around the island.
Overall, the project was well received. Comments were mostly positive but some voters did
question why public funds were being spent to promote the elections when there was already an
abundance of election related p olitical advertising.
For the 2016 Elections, we plan to expand the use of notification posters but eliminate the
mailing of postcards.
3. Drive -thru Voter Registration.
Drive -thru voter registration services were offered on the day before and day of the v oter
registration deadline for each election. The public was appreciative of the services and over the
course of four (4) days, a total of 260 voter registration forms were received.
4. Microfilming .
Discussions are currently underway with the vendor who developed our scanning/signature
management system to establish a semi -automated process for converting digitized document
images into microfilm. This process will reduce the overall cost of microfilming election
documents and allow microfilming to occur more frequently.
5. Legislation .
The 2015 Legislature began with fifty eight (58) election specific bills (37 House bills and 21
Senate bills). As of March 9, 2015, six (6) House bills and eight (8) Senate bills are still alive.
A summary of bills is con tained in the last 3 pages of this narrative.
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 16
Two (2) bills (HB 124, HD 2 and SB 287, SD 2) are of particular interest to our office since they
would establish election -by -mail for Kaua‘i county beginning with the 2016 Elections then the
rest of the state in 2018 (Maui and Hawai‘i county) and 2020 (C&C of Honolulu).
G o als and Objectives for Fiscal Year 2015 -2016
1. 201 6 Elections Preparations .
The 2016 Elections will include the following contests:
President and Vice President
United States Senate
United Sta tes Representative
State of Hawai‘i Senate (District 8)
State of Hawai‘i Representative (Districts 14, 15, and 16)
Office of Hawaiian Affairs (Kaua‘i seat and at -large)
County Council
Prosecuting Attorney
During the upcoming fiscal year, election preparati ons focus primarily on two areas: 1)
procurement of goods and services required to conduct the elections, and 2) recruitment of
Election Day officials required to support election services.
Procurements include:
Absentee Mail Envelopes (3 -types required: s ize 11, ballot mail -out; size 10, ballot
return; and size 9, secret ballot);
Voter Final Confirmation Mailing Vendor (Federally mandated final voter notification
required prior to purging voters from the voter file);
Voter Registration Notification Mailing Vendor (Pre -election notification providing
election specific information); and
Absentee Ballot Mass Mailing Vendor (Initial ballot mailing for the Primary and General
Elections).
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 17
Election Day official recruitment consists of the following:
Approx.
no. r e quir ed
Polling Place Officials 42 0
Counting Center Officials 10 0
Ballot Delivery & Collection Officials 30
Control Center Officials 5 0
Totals 60 0
In addition to routine election preparations, we will also be instituting the following services for
the 2016 Elections.
Online voter registration (Act 225, SLH 2012) will allow eligible individuals who are
issued a Hawai‘i driver’s license or State identification card to register and update voter
registration information online. The system is currently being tested by election
personnel statewide and is expected to go live in August 2015.
L ate voter registration (Act 166, SLH 2014) will allow non -registered individuals to
register and vote during the early voting period. Late voter registration will be expanded
to the polls on Election Day beginning in 2018.
2 . Temporary Relocation of Counting Center and Early Voting Operations .
As a result of a Facility Use Agreement established with Kaua‘i Community College (KCC) in
2000, counting center operations (CC OPS) are usually setup in the Office of Continuing
Education and Training (OCET) classroom on the campus of KCC. However, due to major
renovations to the Learning Resource Center (LRC) beginning later this year, school officials
have asked if we would be able to forego use of the OCET facility for the 2016 Elections to
allow displaced students, staff, and classrooms to use the space during the LRC renovations.
In the spirit of being good neighbors, we plan to accommodate KCC’s request by temporarily
re loca ting CCOPS to the Annex basement and temporarily relocate early voting operations to the
Līhu‘e Neighborhood Center (LNC).
We opted to setup CCOPS in the basement of the Annex (rather than LNC) because once
established it must remain intact and secured for the duration of the election year from July to
December, and we did not believe it was practical to sequester a public facility for this length of
time. Additionally, the LNC does not offer the level of security required to store ballot counting
equipmen t and other sensitive devices and documents, and it would have been too expensive to
properly secure the facility.
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 18
Early voting on the other hand, can be setup a week before the start of voting and taken down
immediately after early voting polls have close d. Sensitive equipment and supplies can be stored
in a relative small space or brought back to the Elections Division at the end of the day.
Succession Planning
We do not anticipate any staff departures in the immediate future , but are working with the
C ounty C lerk and Deputy County Clerk to establish a succession plan for the Election Division .
Vacant Positions
The Elections Division currently has no vacant positions.
D ivision’s Budget Discussion
The Office of the County Clerk, Elections Division’s F Y 201 5 -201 6 budget request reflects a
$265 ,240 or 3 3 .1 % de crease from FY 201 4 -201 5 . This de crease is primarily due to Fiscal Year
2015 -2016 being a non -Election year .
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 19
Comparative Budget & Graphs
FY 2015 FY 2016
Wages $ 307,083 $ 232,118
Benefits $ 168,300 $ 147,455
Operations $ 286,130 $ 129,200
Equipment/Leases $ 39,700 $ 27,200
Utilities $ - $ -
$ 801,213 $ 535,9 73
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 20
201 5 Election Legislation
The following bills are still alive as of March 4, 2015 .
Bill No. Description Position
HB 15 Creates a statewide standard for the distribution of absentee ballots. None
HB 124
HD 1,
Beginning with t he primary election in 2016, requires the office of elections to implement
elections by mail in a county with a population less than 100,000. In 2018, elections by mail
will be held in one or more counties of similar size. Thereafter requires all federal, state,
and county primary, special primary, general, special general, and special elections to be
conducted by mail. Establishes voter service centers for the counties and islands, in lieu of
traditional polling places. Requires voter service centers to pr ovide services such as voter
registration. Appropriates funds. (HB124 HD1)
Support
HB 179
HD 1
Specifies the in -state mailing address in a voter's registration record as the forwarding
address for receiving absentee ballots permanently. Requires voters se eking to have
permanent absentee ballots forwarded to another address to re -apply for an absentee ballot.
(HB179 HD1)
Support
HB 376
HD 1
Specifies that the Chief Election Officer is an at -will employee. Requires a performance
evaluation of the Chief Elec tion Officer after a general election. Requires a public hearing
on the Chief Election Officer's performance for purposes of considering reappointment.
(HB376 HD1)
None
HB 401
HD 1
Provides that all applicants for a new or renewed driver's license, provis ional license,
instructional permit, or civil identification card must either clearly decline to register to vote
or fill out the voter affidavit on their application before their application can be processed.
(HD1)
Support
Intent
with
Comments
HB 612
HD 1
Prohibits disclosure of votes cast in a postponed election. Authorizes discretionary
withholding of election results unrelated to postponement. Clarifies Governor's emergency
postponement authority. Limits postponement period to seven days after an elect ion.
(HB612 HD1)
None
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 21
Bill No. Description Position
SB 150
SD 1
Specifies that an affidavit on application for voter registration shall be a part of the
application associated with the issuance of a civil identification card and driver's license.
(SD1)
None
SB 218
SD 1
Clarifies the order of succession to the office of lieutenant governor when the office of
lieutenant governor becomes vacant. Effective 01/07/2059. (SD1)
None
SB 243
SD 1
Clarifies that in the event of a natural disaster, the chief election officer or county clerk in
t he case of county elections prior to the day of election has the authority to determine
whether to postpone or vote by absentee ballot in an election affected by the natural
disaster. Authorizes the governor on the day of election and thereafter to determi ne whether
to postpone or vote by absentee ballot in an election affected by the natural disaster unless
the governor is a candidate for office in that election. Effective 01/07/2059. (SD1)
None
SB 287
SD 1
Requires the office of elections to implement el ections by mail in a county with a
population of less than 100,000, beginning with the 2016 primary election. By 2018,
requires all federal, state, and county primary, special primary, general, special general, and
special elections to be conducted by mail . Provides places of deposit for personal delivery
of mail -in ballots and ensures a limited number of voter service centers in each county to
remain open on the day of election to allow voters with special needs to vote and receive
personal delivery of abs entee, permanent absentee, and mail -in ballots. Makes conforming
amendments. Appropriates funds for the implementation and administration of the election
by mail program. (SD1)
Support
SB 364
SD 1
Establishes a process for the recounting of ballots in an election. Authorizes that contests
for cause challenging an election result may also be based upon unlawful activity or force
majeure. Effective 01/07/2059. (SD1)
None
SB 440 Amends procedures for nominating and electing a U.S. senator to complete an unex pired
term after a vacancy occurs (SD1)
None
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 22
Bill No. Description Position
SB 442
SD 1
Specifies the mailing address in a voter's registration record as the forwarding address for
receiving absentee ballots permanently. Requires voters seeking to have permanent absentee
ballots forwar ded to another address to re -apply for an absentee ballot. Effective
01/07/2059. (SD1)
Support
SB 622
SD 1
Requires the elections commission to conduct a performance evaluation of the chief
election officer after each general election and submit a written report regarding the
evaluation to the legislature. Effective 01/07/2059. (SD1)
None
Fiscal Year 201 5 -201 6 Budget Presentation Page 23