Panel approves changes to soil and water district election process after concerns about turnout and ballot access
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Summary
The committee approved amendments to HB847 to modernize how soil and water conservation district supervisors are nominated and elected, including requiring parish registrar certification of nominating petitions and allowing the secretary of state to oversee private elections. Members cited ballot shortages and partisan mobilization in a recent election as reasons to standardize procedures.
The House Committee on Agriculture moved forward March 26 with legislation to revise nomination and election procedures for soil and water conservation district supervisors.
Chairwoman Butler presented amendments to House Bill 847 designed to modernize processes that in recent elections led to printing many more ballots than voter turnout and logistical problems at local polling locations. Amendment language requires a parish registrar to certify that nominating petitions contain at least 25 qualified voters, removes repetitive statutory phrasing, and authorizes nominees’ names to be submitted for a private election to be held and administered by the secretary of state when applicable.
Representative Baham and other members described experiences from the recent election where some voting locations ran out of ballots and voters had to write names on a sheet of paper. Several members said the recent race drew intense partisan interest via social media and that bringing the secretary of state into the process should improve access and reduce ad hoc logistics.
Commissioner Strain explained the districts are constitutional, autonomous political subdivisions with technical ties to NRCS and noted the department does not run those elections; the proposed changes are to modernize administration and reduce costs when large numbers of ballots must be printed.
The committee adopted the amendments without objection and reported HB847 favorably with amendments.
