FISCAL NOTE

Date Requested: February 19, 2021
Time Requested: 11:28 AM
Agency: Secretary of State
CBD Number: Version: Bill Number: Resolution Number:
2166 Introduced HB2625
CBD Subject:


FUND(S):

0155

Sources of Revenue:

General Fund

Legislation creates:

Increases Existing Expenses



Fiscal Note Summary


Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.


Costs for purchasing voter registration applications authorized and distributed for use around the state by all state voter registration agencies are borne by the Secretary of State.



Fiscal Note Detail


Effect of Proposal Fiscal Year
2021
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
2022
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation)
1. Estmated Total Cost 24,650 24,650 0
Personal Services 0 0 0
Current Expenses 5,721 5,721 0
Repairs and Alterations 0 0 0
Assets 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0
2. Estimated Total Revenues 0 0 0


Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):


Current expenses for voter registration applications are $5,721.60 for the most recent statewide purchase order of 19,200 applications, equaling approx. 29 cents per application. Arbitrary estimate of 50 additional voter registration applications required at each voting precinct in each statewide election, with approx. 1,700 precincts in the state, comes to a $24,650 increase in existing expenses for the Secretary of State to distribute enough voter registration applications to every county to have 50 voter registration applications available in each in-person election day precinct.



Memorandum


The Secretary of State recommends removing the potential ambiguity at section 3-2-45(b), which partly provides, "The application form and documentation required shall conform as closely as possible to the requirements stated in this code for registering at other times or under other circumstances and should be no more stringent." The proposed provision as written could be interpreted to permit a lesser standard for the "documentation required" for voter registrations submitted on election day, so long as the documentation "conform[s] as closely as possible" to the voter registration requirements currently in law. It is important to require strict adherence to voter registration requirements for in-person registrations submitted on election day because voters whose eligibility have not previously been considered will, under this bill, be able to participate in the election without first having been duly confirmed eligible to register to vote. The provisional ballot consideration process referred to in 3-1-41 is an appropriate mitigation opportunity for counties to flag and make public decisions on ballots cast by any ineligible registrants who participate in this manner. However, there are but five (5) days between election day and the start of canvass for counties to review same-day voter registration applications. Under current law, county election staff during the 5-day period between election day and canvass are responsible for substantial time-consuming preparations to certify the election results properly and accurately. As such, the language identified above may increase the time and effort counties must dedicate to confirming voter registration applications in a time frame which is significantly shorter than the current voter registration deadline (21 days prior to election day). Therefore, the Secretary of State recommends that strict compliance with voter registration requirements be clear and mandatory for all voter registration applicants, whether same-day or otherwise, rather than a potential lesser standard for in-person same-day registrants as can inferred from the current proposed language.



    Person submitting Fiscal Note: Donald Kersey
    Email Address: dkersey@wvsos.gov