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Committee approves House Bill 52 to fund hand-count recounts with $200,000 appropriation
Summary
The Select Water Committee voted 7-0 to pass House Bill 52, creating a $200,000 general fund election recount account to reimburse local clerks for hand recount costs; committee discussion noted clerks estimate roughly $5,000 for a single-race hand recount in large districts and smaller amounts in small municipalities.
The Select Water Committee voted 7-0 to pass House Bill 52, which establishes a $200,000 general fund appropriation to create an election recount account intended to offset local costs when hand recounts are required.
Representative Harrelson, who led the committee through the rereferral, told members the fiscal note attached to the bill is $200,000 and that the appropriation would seed an account to reimburse clerks and municipalities for recount costs. “In here, the fiscal note is a $200,000 fiscal note,” he said, describing the account as a mechanism to help offset costs for local clerk offices conducting recounts.
Committee members focused on a threshold in the bill stating that if the actual cost of conducting a recount exceeds $5,000, the excess would be reimbursed. Representative Sherwood asked for the history of the $5,000 amount. Harrelson replied that under current law recounts are machine retabulations with minimal labor costs, but the proposed statutory change would require hand recounts and clerks had estimated a single-race hand recount in the largest districts would cost “roughly around $5,000.” He added that smaller jurisdictions could face much lower costs — for example, a municipality in Guernsey, Wyoming might see a $200–$500 hand count — and that if a discrepancy were found the jurisdiction would receive full reimbursement.
The chair opened the floor to public comment; no one in the room or online testified. Chairman Bair moved that the committee report the bill as "do pass," Representative Angelos seconded, and the committee took a roll call vote. The clerk recorded ayes from Representatives Aleman, Angelos, Harrelson, Sherwood, Chairman Bair, Vice Chair Pendergraft, and an aye recorded for Representative Smith via absentee. The chair announced "7 aye," and the bill was reported as passed by the committee.
The committee adjourned following the vote. The committee’s action sends House Bill 52 forward with the committee’s recommendation; further steps in the legislative process were not discussed during the meeting.
