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Committee rejects bill to double ballot-marking time after fiscal and logistical concerns
Summary
A proposal to increase the statutory voting time at ballot-marking devices from five to ten minutes was opposed by county election officials who warned of large, unplanned costs to purchase machines and staff and of longer lines; the committee failed to advance the bill.
The Senate committee considered House Bill 1503, a one-line change to increase the time allowed at a ballot-marking device from five minutes to ten minutes, but the measure failed to pass.
Sponsor supporters said the change would help voters confronted with long ballots and new technology. Stuart Soffer, a Jefferson County election commissioner, told the panel that increasing allotted time would reduce throughput per machine and could require counties to purchase many more ballot-marking devices at substantial cost. He estimated significant statewide costs — including several million dollars in new equipment and ongoing warranty and license charges — and warned that longer lines could dissuade voters.
"When the line to vote gets longer, voters are either gonna stay away or leave," Soffer said, arguing that broader voter education and demonstrations are better responses than extending device time.
Committee debate focused on equipment availability, potential hidden statewide costs, and whether a simple statutory change in one county would force statewide changes. When the committee voted, members recorded four affirmative votes; the motion did not reach the threshold required for passage out of committee.
