FAYETTEVILLE -- Bills already filed in the Legislature could affect how elections are handled, Washington County election officials said Friday.
Jennifer Price, Washington County's election director, told the three members of the county's Election Commission one bill has been filed regarding voter identification requirements.
House Bill 1112 would remove the provision allowing voters who don't have the proper identification at a polling place to sign an optional identity verification affirmation and cast a provisional ballot. The ballot is counted if the voter's information is confirmed. Under the new bill, Price said, voters would have to bring the required identification to the County Clerk's Office before their vote could be counted.
Price said voter identification requirements are already a source of confusion among voters and changes could make it more confusing.
"If this passes, a lot of voter education will have to be done," she said.
Price said she's more enthusiastic about another measure filed. She said House Joint Resolution 1002 proposes to amend the state Constitution to remove the requirement school millage rates be on the ballot every year, even if the millage rate is unchanged. Price said removing the requirement would make ballots shorter and less confusing, since voters often think they are voting on changes in the millage.
Price said the Legislature is only allowed to propose three ballot questions, which will then be subject to a public vote, from each session. The proposed amendment may not be chosen, she said.
Legislators have until Feb. 10 to file proposed amendments.
Also Friday, the Election Commission approved raises for Price and for the part-time election staff. Raises for the staff were calculated based on raises approved by the Quorum Court for full-time employees and amounted to 75 cents per hour. The commission voted to increase Price's salary by $5,000 from $49,849. Commission member Bill Ackerman said Price's salary was last reviewed in 2015.