(REPRINTED WITH ADOPTED AMENDMENTS)

 

Senate Bill No. 27–Senator Wiener

 

Prefiled January 19, 2001

 

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Government Affairs

 

SUMMARY—Makes various changes relating to voting. (BDR 24‑504)

 

FISCAL NOTE:            Effect on Local Government: Yes.

                                    Effect on the State: No.

 

~

 

EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to elections; requiring the secretary of state to include on a form for an application to register to vote an option for a registered voter to receive a sample ballot in large type; requiring that certain information be placed on certain sample ballots; requiring that a sample ballot in large type be mailed to a registered voter upon request; requiring that certain sample ballots be printed in at least a certain minimum size print; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1    Section 1. Chapter 293 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a

1-2  new section to read as follows:

1-3    The secretary of state shall include on all forms for an application to

1-4  register to vote prescribed by him the following option, printed in a

1-5  separate box created by bold lines, in at least 14-point bold type:

1-6    [ ] CHECK THIS BOX TO RECEIVE A SAMPLE BALLOT IN

1-7  LARGER TYPE

1-8    Sec. 2.  NRS 293.565 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-9    293.565  1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, sample

1-10  ballots must include:

1-11    (a) The fiscal note, as provided pursuant to NRS 218.443 or 293.250,

1-12  for each proposed constitutional amendment or statewide measure;

1-13    (b) An explanation, as provided pursuant to NRS 218.443, of each

1-14  proposed constitutional amendment or statewide measure, including

1-15  arguments for and against it; and

1-16    (c) The full text of each proposed constitutional amendment.

1-17    2.  Sample ballots that are mailed to registered voters may be printed

1-18  without the full text of each proposed constitutional amendment if:

2-1    (a) The cost of printing the sample ballots would be significantly

2-2  reduced if the full text of each proposed constitutional amendment were

2-3  not included;

2-4    (b) The county clerk ensures that a sample ballot that includes the full

2-5  text of each proposed constitutional amendment is provided at no charge to

2-6  each registered voter who requests such a sample ballot; and

2-7    (c) The sample ballots provided to each polling place include the full

2-8  text of each proposed constitutional amendment.

2-9    3.  At least 10 days before any election, the county clerk shall cause to

2-10  be mailed to each registered voter in the county a sample ballot for his

2-11  precinct with a notice informing the voter of the location of his polling

2-12  place. If the location of the polling place has changed since the last

2-13  election:

2-14    (a) The county clerk shall mail a notice of the change to each registered

2-15  voter in the county not sooner than 10 days before mailing the sample

2-16  ballots; or

2-17    (b) The sample ballot must also include a notice in [at least 10-point]

2-18  bold type immediately above the location which states:

2-19  NOTICE: THE LOCATION OF YOUR POLLING PLACE

2-20  HAS CHANGED SINCE THE LAST ELECTION

2-21    4. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 5, a sample ballot

2-22  required to be mailed pursuant to this section must:

2-23    (a) Be printed in at least 12-point type; and

2-24    (b) Include on the front page, in a separate box created by bold lines,

2-25  a notice printed in at least 20-point bold type that states:

2-26  NOTICE: TO RECEIVE A SAMPLE BALLOT IN

2-27  LARGE TYPE, CALL (Insert appropriate telephone number)

2-28    5.  A portion of a sample ballot that contains a facsimile of the

2-29  display area of a voting device may include material in less than 12-point

2-30  type to the extent necessary to make the facsimile fit on the pages of the

2-31  sample ballot.

2-32    6.  The sample ballot mailed to a person who requests a sample ballot

2-33  in large type by exercising the option provided pursuant to section 1 of

2-34  this act, or in any other manner, must be printed in at least 14-point type,

2-35  or larger when practicable.

2-36    7.  If a person requests a sample ballot in large type, the county clerk

2-37  shall ensure that all future sample ballots mailed to that person from the

2-38  county are in large type.

2-39    8. The county clerk shall include in each sample ballot for a primary

2-40  election, a separate page on which is printed a list of the offices and

2-41  candidates for those offices for which there is no opposition.

2-42    [5.] 9.  The cost of mailing sample ballots for any election other than a

2-43  primary or general election must be borne by the political subdivision

2-44  holding the election.

2-45    Sec. 3.  NRS 293C.530 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-46    293C.530  1.  At least 10 days before an election, the city clerk shall

2-47  cause to be mailed to each registered voter in the city a sample ballot for

2-48  his precinct with a notice informing the voter of the location of his polling

3-1  place. If the location of the polling place has changed since the last

3-2  election:

3-3    (a) The city clerk shall mail a notice of the change to each registered

3-4  voter in the city not sooner than 10 days before mailing the sample ballots;

3-5  or

3-6    (b) The sample ballot must also include a notice in [at least 10-point]

3-7  bold type immediately above the location which states:

3-8  NOTICE: THE LOCATION OF YOUR POLLING PLACE

3-9  HAS CHANGED SINCE THE LAST ELECTION

3-10    2.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, a sample ballot

3-11  required to be mailed pursuant to this section must:

3-12    (a) Be printed in at least 12-point type; and

3-13    (b) Include on the front page, in a separate box created by bold lines,

3-14  a notice printed in at least 20-point bold type that states:

3-15  NOTICE: TO RECEIVE A SAMPLE BALLOT IN

3-16  LARGE TYPE, CALL (Insert appropriate telephone number)

3-17    3.  A portion of a sample ballot that contains a facsimile of the

3-18  display area of a voting device may include material in less than 12-point

3-19  type to the extent necessary to make the facsimile fit on the pages of the

3-20  sample ballot.

3-21    4.  The sample ballot mailed to a person who requests a sample ballot

3-22  in large type by exercising the option provided pursuant to section 1 of

3-23  this act, or in any other manner, must be printed in at least 14-point type,

3-24  or larger when practicable.

3-25    5.  If a person requests a sample ballot in large type, the city clerk

3-26  shall ensure that all future sample ballots mailed to that person from the

3-27  city are in large type.

3-28    6.  The city clerk shall include in each sample ballot for a primary city

3-29  election, a separate page on which is printed a list of the offices and

3-30  candidates for those offices for which there is no opposition.

3-31    [3.] 7.  The cost of mailing sample ballots for a city election must be

3-32  borne by the city holding the election.

3-33    Sec. 4.  NRS 266.0325 is hereby amended to read as follows:

3-34    266.0325  1.  At least 10 days before an election held pursuant to NRS

3-35  266.029, the county clerk or registrar of voters shall cause to be mailed to

3-36  each qualified elector a sample ballot for his precinct with a notice

3-37  informing the elector of the location of his polling place.

3-38    2.  The sample ballot must:

3-39    (a) Be in the form required by NRS 266.032.

3-40    (b) Include the information required by NRS 266.032.

3-41    (c) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, be printed in at least

3-42  12-point type.

3-43    (d) Describe the area proposed to be incorporated by assessor’s parcel

3-44  maps, existing boundaries of subdivision or parcel maps, identifying

3-45  visible ground features, extensions of the visible ground features, or by any

3-46  boundary that coincides with the official boundary of the state, a county, a

3-47  city, a township, a section or any combination thereof.

4-1    [(d)] (e) Contain a copy of the map or plat that was submitted with the

4-2  petition pursuant to NRS 266.019 and depicts the existing dedicated streets,

4-3  sewer interceptors and outfalls and their proposed extensions.

4-4    (f) Include on the front page, in a separate box created by bold lines, a

4-5  notice printed in at least 20-point bold type that states:

4-6  NOTICE: TO RECEIVE A SAMPLE BALLOT IN

4-7  LARGE TYPE, CALL (Insert appropriate telephone number)

4-8    3.  A portion of a sample ballot that contains a facsimile of the

4-9  display area of a voting device may include material in less than 12-point

4-10  type to the extent necessary to make the facsimile fit on the pages of the

4-11  sample ballot.

4-12    4.  The sample ballot mailed to a person who requests a sample ballot

4-13  in large type by exercising the option provided pursuant to section 1 of

4-14  this act, or in any other manner, must be printed in at least 14-point type,

4-15  or larger when practicable.

4-16    5.  If a person requests a sample ballot in large type, the county clerk

4-17  shall ensure that all future sample ballots mailed to that person from the

4-18  county are in large type.

4-19    Sec. 5. A form for an application to register to vote prescribed by the

4-20  secretary of state which does not comply with the requirements of section 1

4-21  of this act may be used after July 1, 2001, if the form was printed on or

4-22  before July 1, 2001, but forms that do not comply with section 1 of this act

4-23  must not be ordered or produced after July 1, 2001.

 

4-24  H