SB 94

Currently, the voters of each ward vote at the same polling place, which is

generally separate from other polling places in a municipality. Election returns are

reported by ward unless otherwise authorized by law. Currently, no later than 60

days before each September primary and general election, and no later than 30 days

before each other election, the governing body of a municipality may combine two or

more wards for voting purposes to permit the use of a common polling place. In

municipalities with a population of 35,000 or more, a municipality must continue to

report all election returns by ward even where wards are combined for voting

purposes at a single location. Other municipalities may report returns for combined

wards together unless a separate ballot is required in a partisan election, in which

case separate returns must be reported for the offices listed on each separate ballot

so that the results of the various elections may be determined.

Under this bill, any municipality having a population of 35,000 or more may

provide that election returns for any ward having a population of less than 20 will

be combined with returns for any adjacent ward, unless separate returns are

required to determine the results of an election. A municipality, however, may not

combine wards if the total population of the combined wards would exceed the

applicable population range for wards in that municipality. The bill allows the

municipal clerk to estimate ward populations for the purpose of combining returns

if the population cannot be determined from census results.