House State Affairs backs bill to publish precinct committee election results

The House State Affairs Committee voted to recommend SB151, a bill sponsored by Sen. Amber Hulse, that would require county officials to publish the results of precinct committee-man and -woman elections statewide.

Hulse, a state senator from District 30, told the committee she struggled to find a central record of who holds precinct party offices while running for a party position and urged lawmakers to make the information publicly available. “I think it's important that the public know who their precinct men and committee women are,” she said, arguing the change would help voters and candidates contact local party representatives.

County auditors who testified supported the bill as an administrative cleanup. Mannehaha County Auditor Leah Anderson said counties already enter candidates into the state’s total-vote system and that publishing a report would be a straightforward step. Rep. Rebecca Reimer offered brief support during the hearing.

After brief committee discussion, members moved a due-pass recommendation. The committee secretary recorded the vote as 12 ayes and 1 excused; the chair announced SB151 goes to the floor with a due-pass recommendation.

The bill contains an emergency declaration; sponsors said the timing is to ensure the requirement is in place before the upcoming convention season. The committee did not take additional substantive amendments at the hearing.