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S1165......................................................by STATE AFFAIRS WRITE-IN CANDIDATES - Amends existing law to provide that all write-in candidates must file a declaration of intent by the eighth Friday preceding a primary or general election. 02/21 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing 02/22 Rpt prt - to St Aff
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]] Fifty-ninth Legislature First Regular Session - 2007IN THE SENATE SENATE BILL NO. 1165 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE 1 AN ACT 2 RELATING TO THE DECLARATION OF INTENT FOR WRITE-IN CANDIDATES; AMENDING SEC- 3 TION 34-702A, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE THAT ALL WRITE-IN CANDIDATES MUST 4 FILE A DECLARATION OF INTENT BY THE EIGHTH FRIDAY PRECEDING A PRIMARY OR 5 GENERAL ELECTION. 6 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho: 7 SECTION 1. That Section 34-702A, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby 8 amended to read as follows: 9 34-702A. DECLARATION OF INTENT FOR WRITE-IN CANDIDATES. No write-in vote 10 for any office in a primary, special, or general election shall be counted 11 unless a declaration of intent has been filed indicating that the person 12 desires the office and is legally qualified to assume the duties of said 13 office if elected. The declaration of intent shall be filed with the secretary 14 of state if for a federal, state, or legislative district office and with the 15 county clerk if for a county office. Such declaration of intent shall be filed 16 not later thanfourteen (14) days beforethe eighth Friday preceding the day 17 of the primary or general election. The secretary of state shall prescribe the 18 form for said declaration. 19 In those counties which utilize optical scan ballots an elector shall not 20 place on the ballot a sticker bearing the name of a person, or use any other 21 method or device, except writing, to vote for a person whose name is not 22 printed on the ballot.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE RS 17005 The purpose of this bill is to require a person intending to run as a write-in candidate to file a declaration of intent by the eighth Friday preceding the day of the primary or general election. The current deadline allows write-in candidates to file a declaration after the date that county clerks are required to print ballots, requiring clerks to print a write-in line for each office on the ballot. By changing the deadline, county clerks will save significant printing costs, because they will only need to print a write-in line for those races that actually have a write-in candidate. FISCAL NOTE This bill has no effect on the general fund. It will save costs incurred by county clerks in printing and preparing ballots. Contact Name: Senator Curt McKenzie Phone: (208) 332-1326 Senator John McGee STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE S 1165