Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance
committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports
if they are used for other purposes.
Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are a vailable on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).
Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not. Previously issued FIRs and
attachments may be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.
F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Campos, J
ORIGINAL DATE
LAST UPDATED
2/14/07
HB 758
SHORT TITLE Absentee Ballots as Backups
SB
ANALYST Ortiz
APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)
Appropriation
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY07
FY08
NFI
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Duplicates HB 758 Relates to SB179
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Responses Received From
Attorney General’s Office (AGO)
Secretary of State
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
House Bill 758 would amend NMSA Section 1-6-10 of the Election Code to allow the use of
unused absentee ballots by precinct boards requiring more ballots on election day. The bill would
require the Secretary of State to promulgate rules to ensure that all absentee ballots used as
backup ballots are accounted for and that all unused absentee ballots are destroyed at the close of
the polls on election day.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
According to the Attorney General’s Office, current law requires destruction of all unused
absentee ballots at 5:00 p.m. on the Monday preceding an election. This bill appears intended to
address situations where certain precincts receive an insufficient number of ballots on election
day.