LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
April 4, 1997
TO: Honorable Kenneth Armbrister, Chair IN RE: Senate Bill No. 510, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Committee on State Affairs By: Madla
Senate
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB510 ( relating
to conducting and financing primary elections.) this office
has detemined the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB510-Committee Report 1st House, Substituted FN Revision 1
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net
positive impact of $1,957,711 to General Revenue Related Funds
through the biennium ending August 31, 1999.
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would permit precinct conventions of more than one
party to be held in the same building in separate rooms, and
authorize joint primary elections. The county clerk would supervise
the overall conduct of the joint primary elections. The joint
primary would be administered by co-judges and clerks selected
by the county clerk pursuant to rules prescribed by the Secretary
of State. Each party would use separate ballot boxes, except
that one set of ballot boxes could be used using an electronic
voting system in which the ballots are deposited directly into
a unit of automatic tabulating equipment. The Secretary of
State would prescribe rules to ensure that each party's ballots
were easily distinguishable. The election returns from the
joint primary would be separately prepared and canvassed by
each party.
The Secretary of State would prescribe rules
for the administration and financing of joint primary elections.
Methodolgy
The Secretary of State estimated the potential savings utilizing
the primary costs for 1996 and assuming that all counties would
conduct joint primaries. The Secretary of State further assumed
that while approximately 37% of counties already share polling
places and transportation of equipment, the shared cost savings
for election judges and clerks would apply to all counties.
The
shared cost savings for election judges and clerks was derived
by eliminating the cost of two election clerks per party for
both the primary election and the runoff: 254 counties x 4
elections x 2 clerks x 14 hours/clerk x $5.00/hour, resulting
in a savings of $142,240.
The shared cost saving for the
rental of polling places and transportation of equipment would
apply to 63% of the counties, resulting in a savings of $264,666
for rental costs and $222,207 for transportation of equipment
costs.
Savings on miscellaneous election day expenses were
estimated at $240,390, which is 50 percent of the 1996 cost,
as the county clerk would supervise the overall conduct of joint
primary elections. Savings on administrative expenses were
estimated at $697,838. An overall savings of $1,957,711 was
determined.
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 $1,957,711
1998 0
2000 1,957,711
2001 0
2002 1,957,711
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 $1,957,711
1999 0
2000 1,957,711
2001 0
2002 1,957,711
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 ,JD ,JC