AB 496

This bill requires that each nonjudicial elective state official, during the

person's first term of office and once every three years during subsequent terms,

serve as an election official for an election held where the person resides, not

including an election in which the person is a candidate on the ballot. The

requirement under the bill applies to the offices of governor, lieutenant governor,

secretary of state, state treasurer, state superintendent of public instruction, state

senator, and state representative to the assembly.

The bill requires the nonjudicial elective state official to be appointed and

trained in the same manner as other election officials and to serve as an election

official no fewer than eight hours on election day. Under the bill, the person receives

no compensation for serving as an election official. In addition, after satisfying the

requirement, the person must certify that fact to the Ethics Commission. However,

the requirement does not apply to a person who files with the commission a sworn

statement from a physician or physician assistant verifying that the person is

physically incapable of serving as an election official for eight hours on election day.

Under the bill, the appointment of a nonjudicial elective state official to serve as an

election official does not count towards any limit that a municipality imposes on the

number of election officials hired or appointed.

Finally, the bill prohibits the legislature and all legislative committees from

meeting on a day in which an election, other than a special election, is being held in

this state for a local, state, or national office.