Existing law requires the county clerk of each county and the city clerk of each city to appoint and notify registered voters to act as election board officers for: (1) the various polling places in the county and city, respectively; and (2) the mail ballot central counting board in such numbers determined to be required by the volume of mail ballots required to be sent to each active registered voter in the county or city, respectively. (NRS 293.217, 293.269929, 293C.220, 293C.26329) Existing law further requires the compensation of voting board officers, counting board officers, specially appointed deputy sheriffs, election board officers and other employees to be fixed by county or city ordinance, resolution or order. (NRS 293.460) Existing law further authorizes a county or city clerk to: (1) appoint certain pupils as trainees for the position of election board officer; and (2) compensate such trainees for service at the same rate fixed for election board officers generally. (NRS 293.2175, 293C.222) Sections 1, 2 and 5 of this bill authorize a trainee, voting board officer, counting board officer or election board officer to choose to work as a volunteer who receives no compensation. Sections 6-8 of this bill amend the Las Vegas City Charter, the Airport Authority Act for Battle Mountain and the Airport Authority Act for Carson City to similarly provide that an officer appointed for certain special elections may choose to work as a volunteer who receives no compensation. (Las Vegas City Charter § 5.130; Airport Authority Act for Battle Mountain § 21; Airport Authority Act for Carson City § 15) Existing law prohibits: (1) a voter registration agency from knowingly employing a person whose duties will include the registration of voters if the person has been convicted of a felony involving theft or fraud; and (2) a county clerk from knowingly appointing as a field registrar a person who has been convicted of a felony involving theft or fraud. Existing law further authorizes the Secretary of State to bring an action against a voter registration agency or county clerk to collect a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 for each person employed or appointed in violation of these prohibitions. (NRS 293.5045, 293.505) Sections 3 and 4 of this bill remove these prohibitions thereby authorizing a person who has been convicted of a felony involving theft or fraud to be: (1) employed by a voter registration agency even if his or her duties will include the registration of voters; or (2) appointed as a field registrar.

Statutes affected:
BDR: 293.2175, 293.460, 293.5045, 293.505, 293C.222