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Two changes to election law signed
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Posted on May 18 2006
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial has signed two separate election laws that will increase the disclosure threshold for campaign contributions to $500 and allow the Commonwealth Election Commission to keep the ballot design used in November 2005.
House Bill 15-26, now Public Law 15-6, allows political candidates to keep information about any election contribution amounting to less than $500. Previously, candidates were required to report any contributions or expenses with a minimum $100 value.
Another election measure, House Bill 15-28, was enacted and became Public Law 15-7. By retaining the ballot design used in the 2005 general election, P.L. 15-7 undid P.L. 14–87 another legislation enacted less than a year ago by the 14th Legislature.
P.L. 14-87 itself was enacted to reverse an election regulation concerning ballot design.
The regulation, adopted by the Election Commission for the 2005 election, abolished the ballot’s old columnar format where candidates of a political party were listed consecutively with all the other candidates of the same party. Rather, the 2005 ballot listed candidates by position or office.
However, the 14th Legislature passed P.L. 14-87 requiring the Election Commission to reinstate the old party-based format effective the 2007 midterm election.
The commission opposed this, saying that the new ballot design significantly reduced the number of spoiled votes in the November 2005 election.
The new law reflects the commission’s position. “The Legislature finds that it is in the best interest of the public to follow the ballot design used in the 2005 general election because it promotes less confusion and results in greater percentage of valid votes,” reads a portion of the P.L. 15-7.
