LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
March 27, 2001
TO: Honorable Debra Danburg, Chair, House Committee on
Elections
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB2689 by Maxey (Relating to the conduct of primary
elections.), As Introduced
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB2689, As Introduced: positive impact of $3,240,716 through the *
* biennium ending August 31, 2003. *
* *
* The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal *
* basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of *
* the bill. *
**************************************************************************
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2002 $3,240,716 *
* 2003 0 *
* 2004 3,240,716 *
* 2005 0 *
* 2006 3,240,716 *
****************************************************
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
*****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from *
* General Revenue Fund *
* 0001 *
* 2002 $3,240,716 *
* 2003 0 *
* 2004 3,240,716 *
* 2005 0 *
* 2006 3,240,716 *
*****************************************************
Technology Impact
None
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require joint primary elections and provide that the
county election officer is responsible for conducting the primary
election. The county chairs are responsible for certifying the names of
the candidates who properly filed, but all their election administration
responsibilities are transferred to the county elections officer.
Methodology
According to the Secretary of State's Office, if all 254 counties were
mandated to conduct joint primary elections, there would be a savings due
to the reduced cost for the compensation of election judges and clerks
since the polling place would be staffed by workers appointed from both
parties. Two election clerks could be eliminated per polling place per
party for both the primary and the runoff elections. (16,834 (# of
polling places used in 2000 primary) X $70 (compensation for election
workers) X 2 (# of clerks), or $2,356,760.
The administrative costs are reduced as the county chairs will continue
to handle filing but other functions are transferred to the county
election officer. Administrative costs for maintaining party offices for
about 4 months would be reduced to maintaining offices for 2 months
(during the filing period). The savings is estimated at $1,767,910.96
(total amount of administrative costs from 2000 primary election) reduced
to $883,956 which represents of the administrative costs.
Total savings would be $3,240,716 each primary election.
Local Government Impact
The proposed statutory changes would shift many election responsibilities
at the county level to the county clerk's office. An official from
Lampasas County anticipates the additional responsibilities would require
hiring two additional staff for 60 working days for each primary
election. The county projects an increase in election costs of
approximately $3,360. Dallas County election officials estimate the
county's primary election expenses would increase by at least $500,000.
Counties would experience an additional cost per primary election and the
cost amount would vary depending on the size of the registered voter
population in the county.
Source Agencies: 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 301 Office of
the Governor, 307 Secretary of State
LBB Staff: JK, TB, SK, DB