A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require reimbursement to counties for the cost of conducting statewide primaries, elections, and referenda, and to appropriate funds for that purpose.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 3 of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 163-25.1. State reimbursement of county boards of elections for cost of conducting statewide primaries, elections, and referenda.
The State Board of Elections shall reimburse each county board of elections for the cost of conducting each statewide primary, election, and referendum. State reimbursement shall be a pro rata share of the cost of conducting a primary, election, or referendum based on the portion of the ballot taken up with statewide contests. 'Cost of conducting a primary, election, or referendum' shall include, but not be limited to, the cost of printing ballots, programming computerized voting systems, and paying precinct officials. It shall not include costs of the county board of elections that would be the same were an election not being held, such as the salaries of permanent employees, building rent, and the portion of utility costs that is unaffected by the election."
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Elections the sum of two hundred twenty‑seven thousand five hundred dollars ($227,500) for the 2003‑2004 fiscal year and the sum of two hundred twenty‑seven thousand five hundred dollars ($227,500) for the 2004‑2005 fiscal year for the purpose of reimbursing county boards of elections for the cost of conducting statewide primaries, elections, and referenda, according to the provisions of Section 1 of this act.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2003.