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Registrar urges higher pay for parish commissioners who tabulate absentee votes
Summary
Steve Rayburn, East Baton Rouge registrar, told the House Governmental Affairs Committee that parish board commissioners who tabulate absentee and early ballots need higher pay as long workdays and upcoming increases in recounts make the current $100 rate inadequate.
Steve Rayburn, registrar of voters in East Baton Rouge Parish, told the House Committee on Governmental Affairs that parish board commissioners who assist with tabulating absentee and early votes need an increase in pay. "It's a very long day for $100," Rayburn said, describing shifts that can run from early morning into the evening and noting some commissioners even pay for downtown parking out of the stipend.
Rayburn said a 2012 amendment allowed the secretary of state to approve up to $100, but the base rate dates back decades. He added that changes to voting systems that give every ballot a paper component will increase the number and length of recounts, creating additional hours of work for the commissioners.
Committee members clarified that this bill targets commissioners who work with parish boards to tabulate absentee ballots and early voting, distinct from polling‑place commissioners covered by another bill. Representative Billings moved to report House Bill 550 favorable as amended; with no objection the committee granted a favorable report as amended.
The committee did not record a roll‑call vote for HB550 on the floor of the committee; the measure was reported favorable as amended and will proceed to the next stage of consideration.
