NOTE:  As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended only for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used for other purposes.

 

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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Sandoval

 

DATE TYPED:

2/19/03

 

HB

444

 

SHORT TITLE:

Replacement of Absent Precinct Board Members

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

Chavez

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

 

 

NFI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Secretary of State (SOS)

LFC Files

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 444 requires the number of appointed absent voter precinct board members from each major political party to be as nearly equal as is practicable. 

 

     Significant Issues

 

The bill amends 1-6-24 NMSA 1978 which currently states that there should be no more than two members belonging to the same political party appointed to the absent voter precinct board.  This language limits the number of members (two members) per political party.

 

House Bill 444 permits any size absent voter precinct board as long as the number from each major political party is nearly equal as is practicable.  The bill does not alter the minimum requirement of three precinct board members to be appointed to the absent voter precinct board.

 

The definition of major political party found in 1-1-9 NMSA 1978 is defined as any qualified political party, any of whose candidates received as many as five percent of the total number of votes cast at the last preceding general election for the office of governor, or President of the United States, as the case may be and whose membership totals not less than one-third of the percent of the statewide registered voter file on the day of the governor’s primary election proclamation.  Currently, New Mexico has three major political parties: Democratic, Republican and Green Party.

 

FC/njw