LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
April 23, 1997
TO: Honorable Debra Danburg, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 1400, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Committee on Elections By: Telford
House
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB1400 ( Relating
to the election of the office of precinct chair of a political
party.) this office has detemined the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB1400-Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net
positive impact of $413,250 to General Revenue Related Funds
through the biennium ending August 31, 1999.
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would change the way in which the office of precinct
chair is elected. If there were a contested election for precinct
chair, the office would go on the ballot. If there were only
one candidate's name on the ballot, that candidate would be
declared elected if otherwise qualified, and a notice to the
voters would be posted at the polling place. If no candidate
files for precinct chair, the office of the precinct chair goes
on the ballot for write-in voting.
If one candidate were
to file for precinct chair and another candidate wanted to run
as a write-in candidate against a candidate whose name appears
on the ballot, those candidates would have to file as a write-in
candidate to run for precinct chair. The filing deadline for
write-in voting would be the 62nd day before a primary, and
if the deadline needed to be extended due to death or ineligibility,
the deadline would be the 59th day. Votes written in for a
candidate other than a declared write-in candidate would not
be counted unless no one filed. A race with a candidate whose
name is printed on the ballot would be determined to be a contested
race if there is a declared write-in who has filed by the deadline.
The
Secretary of State would prescribe any procedures necessary
to implement the provisions of this bill.
Methodolgy
The Secretary of State estimates that there is a $25.00 "plate
charge" for printing the office of precinct chair for each of
the 17,400 precincts in Texas. The Secretary of State also
states that only five percent of the precincts in the state
(870 precincts) currently have an opposed office of precinct
chair on the ballot, and 16,530 precincts do not . The bill
would result in a saving on the "plate charge" of $413,250 (16,530
x $25.00).
The probable fiscal implications of implementing the provisions
of the bill during each of the first five years following passage
is estimated as follows:
Five Year Impact:
Fiscal Year Probable
Savings/(Cost)
from General
Revenue Fund
0001
1998 $413,250
1998 0
2000 413,250
2001 0
2002 413,250
Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
The probable fiscal implication to General Revenue related funds
during each of the first five years is estimated as follows:
Fiscal Year Probable Net Postive/(Negative)
General Revenue Related Funds
Funds
1998 $413,250
1999 0
2000 413,250
2001 0
2002 413,250
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source: Agencies: 307 Secretary of State
LBB Staff: JK ,PE ,JC