Kathy Patterson
Councilmember Vincent Orange
A BILL IN THE COUNCIL
OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Councilmembers Kathy
Patterson and Vincent Orange introduced the following legislation,
which was referred to the Committee on Government Operations.
To amend the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955 to allow
residents of the District of Columbia who are 16 or 17 years of age to
serve as pollworkers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act
may be cited as the "Youth Pollworker Act of 2002".
Sec. 2. Section 5 of the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955,
approved August 12, 1955 (69 Stat. 700; D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.05)
is amended by adding a new paragraph (e)(4) to read as follows:
"(e)(4) The Board shall select, appoint, and fix the compensation
of temporary election workers to operate the polling places, including
precinct captains who shall oversee the operations of polling places in
accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the Board, and polling
place workers who shall assist the precinct captains. Precinct captains
shall be qualified registered electors in the District of Columbia.
Polling place workers shall be qualified registered electors in the
District of Columbia, except that the Board may also appoint as polling
place workers individuals who are 16 or 17 years of age on the day -that
they are working in this capacity, who reside in the District of Columbia,
and who are enrolled in or have graduated from a public or private
secondary school or an institution of higher education.".
Sec. 3. Fiscal
impact statement.
The Council finds that this legislation will not have a fiscal impact.
The main impact of the legislation will be to help the Board of Elections
and Ethics ("Board") fill pollworker positions that are funded
but have gone unfilled in prior election cycles. The legislation does not
create any mandate for the Board to hire additional pollworkers or spend
additional funds; rather, it clarifies the existing statutory language
regarding pollworkers and allows youth between the ages of 16 and 18 to
serve as pollworkers.
For example, the Board recruited 1,622 pollworkers for the November 7,
2000, general election – positions that were funded in its budget – but
only 1,402 reported to work on election day. The legislation provides the
Board with another source of pollworkers so that the Board can fill more
or all of its funded positions. As a result, the legislation will not have
any adverse fiscal impact on the Board or on the District of Columbia
government.
In addition, the legislation positions the District for a potentially
positive fiscal impact. H.R. 3295, which was approved by the U.S. House of
Representatives on December 12, 2001, and is now being considered by the
U.S. Senate, would authorize $5 million in fiscal year 2002, and such sums
as may be necessary in subsequent years, to fund a new Help America Vote
Foundation that would provide grants to election agencies for secondary
school students to serve as non-partisan poll workers or assistants.
Enactment of this legislation would enable the Board to apply for grant
funds from the Help America Vote Foundation if the federal legislation
is also enacted.
Sec. 4. This act shall take effect following approval
by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the
Council to override the veto), and a 30-day period of Congressional
review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home
Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code
§1206.02(c)(1), and publication in the District of Columbia Register.