S.F. _____ Section 1. Section 43.45, Code 2015, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 3. Notwithstanding any requirement to 3 the contrary in subsection 1 and subsection 2, paragraph “c” , 4 the commissioner may direct the precinct election officials 5 to tally and record write-in votes at the precincts after 6 the closing of the polls or may direct the precinct election 7 officials to sort the ballots by write-in votes for delivery 8 to the special precinct board to tally and record the write-in 9 votes on any day following election day and prior to the 10 canvass by the board of supervisors under section 43.49. 11 Sec. 2. Section 49.11, subsection 3, paragraph d, 12 subparagraph (2), Code 2015, is amended to read as follows: 13 (2) The consolidated precincts, if established as a 14 permanent precinct, would meet all requirements of section 15 49.3 , and a combined total of no more than three hundred 16 fifty voters voted in the consolidated precincts at the last 17 preceding similar election except that a consolidated precinct 18 may exceed a total population of three thousand five hundred if 19 determined by the commissioner to be administratively feasible . 20 The commissioner shall notify the voters of a consolidated 21 precinct pursuant to section 49.23. 22 Sec. 3. Section 50.24, subsection 2, Code 2015, is amended 23 to read as follows: 24 2. Upon convening, the board shall open and canvass the 25 tally lists and shall prepare abstracts stating the number of 26 votes cast in the county, or in that portion of the county 27 in which the election was held, for each office and on each 28 question on the ballot for the election. The board shall 29 contact the chairperson of the special precinct board before 30 adjourning and include in the canvass any write-in votes 31 tallied and recorded by the special precinct board or any 32 absentee ballots which were received after the polls closed in 33 accordance with section 53.17 and which were canvassed by the 34 special precinct board after election day. The abstract shall 35 -1- LSB 2066XC (3) 86 aw/sc 1/ 3

S.F. _____ further indicate the name of each person who received votes for 1 each office on the ballot, and the number of votes each person 2 named received for that office, and the number of votes for and 3 against each question submitted to the voters at the election. 4 The votes of all write-in candidates who each received less 5 than five percent of the votes cast for an office shall be 6 reported collectively under the heading “scattering”. 7 Sec. 4. Section 53.20, subsection 1, Code 2015, is amended 8 to read as follows: 9 1. There is established in each county a special precinct to 10 be known as the absentee ballot and special voters precinct. 11 Its jurisdiction shall be conterminous with the borders of the 12 county, for the purposes specified by sections 53.22 and 53.23 , 13 and the requirement that precincts not cross the boundaries 14 of legislative districts shall not be applicable to it. The 15 commissioner shall draw up an election board panel for the 16 special precinct in the manner prescribed by section 49.15 , 17 having due regard for the nature and extent of the duties 18 required of members of the election board and the election 19 officers to be appointed from the panel , including, if directed 20 by the commissioner, the tallying and recording of write-in 21 votes . 22 Sec. 5. Section 331.904, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 23 2015, is amended to read as follows: 24 a. The annual base salary of the first and second deputy 25 officer of the office of auditor, treasurer, and recorder, the 26 deputy in charge of election administration, the deputy in 27 charge of the motor vehicle registration and title division, 28 and the deputy in charge of driver’s license issuance shall 29 each be an amount not to exceed eighty-five percent of the 30 annual salary of the deputy’s principal officer. In offices 31 where more than two deputies are required, the annual base 32 salary of each additional deputy shall be an amount not to 33 exceed eighty percent of the principal officer’s salary. The 34 amount of the annual base salary of each deputy shall be 35 -2- LSB 2066XC (3) 86 aw/sc 2/ 3

S.F. _____ certified by the principal officer to the board and, if a 1 deputy’s annual base salary does not exceed the limitations 2 specified in this subsection , the board shall certify the 3 annual base salary to the auditor. The board shall not certify 4 a deputy’s annual base salary which exceeds the limitations of 5 this subsection . 6 EXPLANATION 7 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 8 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 9 This bill relates to elections administration and election 10 officials. 11 Under current law, precinct election officials are required 12 to tally and record write-in votes after the polls close in 13 all elections. Under the bill, the county commissioner of 14 elections may direct the precinct election officials to tally 15 or count the write-in votes after the polls close or may direct 16 the officials to deliver those ballots to the special precinct 17 board to tally and record the write-in votes on any day 18 after the election and before the county board of supervisors 19 canvasses the votes. 20 The bill also provides that precincts consolidated by the 21 county commissioner of elections may have populations greater 22 than 3,500. Current law prohibits any precinct from having a 23 population greater than 3,500. 24 The bill also provides that the deputy in charge of election 25 administration shall earn an annual salary not to exceed 85 26 percent of the annual salary of the county auditor. 27 -3- LSB 2066XC (3) 86 aw/sc 3/ 3