AB262 - Revises provisions relating to elections. (BDR 24-362)

- 83rd Session (2025) Assembly Bill No. 262–Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections CHAPTER.......... AN ACT relating to elections; authorizing officers and trainees appointed for certain elections to choose to work as volunteers who receive no compensation; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Existing law requires the county clerk of each county and the city clerk of each city to appoint and notify registered voters to act as election board officers for: (1) the various polling places in the county and city, respectively; and (2) the mail ballot central counting board in such numbers determined to be required by the volume of mail ballots required to be sent to each active registered voter in the county or city, respectively. (NRS 293.217, 293.269929, 293C.220, 293C.26329) Existing law further requires the compensation of voting board officers, counting board officers, specially appointed deputy sheriffs, election board officers and other employees to be fixed by county or city ordinance, resolution or order. (NRS 293.460) Existing law further authorizes a county or city clerk to: (1) appoint certain pupils as trainees for the position of election board officer; and (2) compensate such trainees for service at the same rate fixed for election board officers generally. (NRS 293.2175, 293C.222) Sections 1, 2 and 5 of this bill authorize a trainee, voting board officer, counting board officer or election board officer to choose to work as a volunteer who receives no compensation. Sections 6-8 of this bill amend the Las Vegas City Charter, the Airport Authority Act for Battle Mountain and the Airport Authority Act for Carson City to similarly provide that an officer appointed for certain special elections may choose to work as a volunteer who receives no compensation. (Las Vegas City Charter § 5.130; Airport Authority Act for Battle Mountain § 21; Airport Authority Act for Carson City § 15) EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. NRS 293.2175 is hereby amended to read as follows: 293.2175 1. The county clerk may appoint a pupil as a trainee for the position of election board officer. To qualify for such an appointment, the pupil must be: (a) A United States citizen, a resident of Nevada and a resident of the county in which the pupil serves; (b) Enrolled in high school; and (c) At the time of service, at least 16 years of age. 2. The county clerk may only appoint a pupil as a trainee if: (a) The pupil is appointed without party affiliation; – 2 – - 83rd Session (2025) (b) The county clerk sends the pupil a certificate stating the date and hours that the pupil will act as a trainee; (c) At least 20 days before the election in which the pupil will act as a trainee, the principal of the high school or the pupil’s assigned school counselor receives the county clerk’s certificate and a written request signed by the pupil’s parent or guardian to be excused from school for the time specified in the certificate; (d) The principal of the high school or the assigned school counselor of the pupil approves the pupil’s request; and (e) The pupil attends the training class required by NRS 293B.260. 3. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the county clerk may assign a trainee such duties as the county clerk deems appropriate. The county clerk shall not require the trainee to perform those duties later than 10 p.m. or any applicable curfew, whichever is earlier. 4. The county clerk may compensate a trainee for service at the same rate fixed for election board officers generally [.] unless the trainee chooses to perform the duties described in this section as a volunteer who receives no compensation. Sec. 2. NRS 293.460 is hereby amended to read as follows: 293.460 1. The compensation of voting board officers, counting board officers, specially appointed deputy sheriffs, election board officers and other employees must be fixed by county or city ordinance, resolution or order. 2. A voting board officer, counting board officer or election board officer who is eligible to receive compensation fixed pursuant to this section may choose to work in such a position as a volunteer who receives no compensation. Secs. 3 and 4. (Deleted by amendment.) Sec. 5. NRS 293C.222 is hereby amended to read as follows: 293C.222 1. The city clerk may appoint a pupil as a trainee for the position of election board officer. To qualify for such an appointment, the pupil must be: (a) A United States citizen, a resident of Nevada and a resident of the city in which the pupil serves; (b) Enrolled in high school; and (c) At the time of service, at least 16 years of age. 2. The city clerk may only appoint a pupil as a trainee if: (a) The pupil is appointed without party affiliation; (b) The city clerk sends the pupil a certificate stating the date and hours that the pupil will act as a trainee; – 3 – - 83rd Session (2025) (c) At least 20 days before the election in which the pupil will act as a trainee, the principal of the high school or the assigned school counselor of the pupil receives the city clerk’s certificate and a written request signed by the pupil’s parent or guardian to be excused from school for the time specified in the certificate; (d) The principal of the high school or the assigned school counselor of the pupil approves the pupil’s request; and (e) The pupil attends the training class required by NRS 293B.260. 3. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the city clerk may assign a trainee such duties as the city clerk deems appropriate. The city clerk shall not require the trainee to perform those duties later than 10 p.m., or any applicable curfew, whichever is earlier. 4. The city clerk may compensate a trainee for service at the same rate fixed for election board officers generally [.] unless the trainee chooses to perform the duties described in this section as a volunteer who receives no compensation. Sec. 6. Section 5.130 of the Charter of the City of Las Vegas, being chapter 517, Statutes of Nevada 1983, at page 1417, is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 5.130 Special elections: Consolidation of voting precincts; qualification of voters; costs. 1. The City Clerk may consolidate or otherwise modify voting precincts for any special municipal election and shall designate the polling places, appoint the officers of the election for each precinct in such number as he or she may determine, and fix the respective duties and compensation of those officers. 2. Any qualified elector who is properly registered is qualified to vote at the special election. 3. The costs of any special election must be paid by the City. 4. An officer of the election who is eligible to receive compensation fixed pursuant to subsection 1 may choose to work in such a position as a volunteer who receives no compensation. Sec. 7. Section 21 of the Airport Authority Act for Battle Mountain, being chapter 458, Statutes of Nevada 1983, at page 1214, is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 21. 1. Subject to the provisions of NRS 350.011 to 350.0165, inclusive, whenever the Board determines, by resolution, that the interest of the Authority and the public – 4 – - 83rd Session (2025) interest or necessity demand the issue of general obligation bonds to purchase, construct, or otherwise acquire, maintain, improve or equip airports, the Board shall order the submission of the proposition of issuing such bonds to the registered voters of the Authority at an election held for that purpose in the manner provided by NRS 350.020 to 350.070, inclusive. 2. Any such election may be held separately, or may be consolidated or held concurrently with any other election authorized by law. 3. The declaration of public interest or necessity required by this section and the provision for the holding of such election may be included within one and the same resolution, which resolution, in addition to the declaration of public interest or necessity, must: (a) Recite the objects and purposes for which the indebtedness is proposed to be incurred, the estimated cost of the works or improvements, as the case may be, the maximum amount of principal of the indebtedness to be incurred therefor, and the maximum rate of interest to be paid on the indebtedness. (b) Fix the date upon which the election will be held and the manner of holding it and the method of voting for or against the incurring of the proposed indebtedness. (c) Fix the compensation to be paid the officers of the election, designate the polling place and appoint, for each polling place from the electors of the Authority, three officers of the election, one of whom shall act as clerk. 4. An officer of the election who is eligible to receive compensation fixed pursuant to paragraph (c) of subsection 3 may choose to work in such a position as a volunteer who receives no compensation. Sec. 8. Section 15 of the Airport Authority Act for Carson City, being chapter 844, Statutes of Nevada 1989, as amended by chapter 345, Statutes of Nevada 1993, at page 1094, is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 15. 1. Subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors and the provisions of NRS 350.011 to 350.0165, inclusive, whenever the Board determines, by resolution, that the public interest or necessity requires the issuance of general obligation bonds to purchase, construct, acquire, maintain, improve or equip an airport, the Board shall submit the proposition to the voters at a special election or the next – 5 – - 83rd Session (2025) primary or general election held pursuant to NRS 350.020 to 350.070, inclusive. 2. A special election may be held only if the Board of Supervisors determines, by a unanimous vote, that an emergency exists. The determination made by the Board of Supervisors is conclusive unless it is shown that the Board of Supervisors acted with fraud or a gross abuse of discretion. An action to challenge the determination made by the Board of Supervisors must be commenced within 15 days after the Board’s determination is final. As used in this subsection, “emergency” means any unexpected occurrence or combination of occurrences which requires immediate action by the Board of Supervisors to prevent or mitigate a substantial financial loss to the Authority or Carson City or to enable the Board of Supervisors to provide an essential service to the residents of Carson City. 3. The declaration of public interest or necessity required by this section and the provision for holding the election may be included in one resolution which, in addition to the declaration of public interest or necessity, must: (a) Recite the objects and purposes for which the indebtedness is proposed to be incurred, the estimated cost of the works or improvements, the maximum amount of principal of the indebtedness and the maximum rate of interest to be paid. (b) Include the date upon which the election will be held and describe the method of voting for or against the proposed indebtedness. (c) Fix the compensation to be paid the officers of the election, designate the polling place and appoint, for each polling place from the registered voters of Carson City, three officers of the election, one of whom shall act as clerk. 4. An officer of the election who is eligible to receive compensation fixed pursuant to paragraph (c) of subsection 3 may choose to work in such a position as a volunteer who receives no compensation. Sec. 9. This act becomes effective on July 1, 2025. 20 ~~~~~ 25