Authority: Title 24.2, Chapter 1, Code of Virginia.

A.1.a. In determining the salary and normal days of service per week for each general registrar, the State Board of Elections shall use the most recent population estimate from the United States Bureau of the Census or the Center for Public Service of the University of Virginia. The State Board of Elections shall adjust such population estimate, where applicable, for any annexation or consolidation order by a court when such order becomes effective. There shall be no reduction in salary or normal days of service per week by reason of a decline in population during the terms in which the incumbent general registrar remains in office.

b. The annual salaries of general registrars authorized to work five normal days of service per week in accordance with the provisions of § 24.2-111, Code of Virginia shall be as hereinafter prescribed.

c. The annual salaries of general registrars authorized to work three normal days of service per week shall be fixed at 60 percent of the salary prescribed above for the population range in which the locality falls.

d. Any locality required to supplement the salary of a general registrar on June 30, 1981, shall continue that supplement at the identical annual amount as paid in FY 1981-82. This supplement shall continue as long as the incumbent general registrar on July 1, 1982, continues in office. Further, any locality may supplement the annual salary of the general registrar by an amount up to 10 percent of the annual compensation set for the general registrar pursuant to this act. There shall be no reimbursement out of the state treasury for such supplements.

e. Normal days of service per week for each general registrar shall be fixed on July 1 each year by the State Board of Elections as hereinafter prescribed.

No general registrar's normal days of service per week shall be less than that which was previously authorized as of June 1, 1981.

f. All general registrars whose normal days of service are less than five days per week shall be required to be open five days a week during August, September, October, November, and December of each year. Such registrars shall be compensated accordingly.

2. General registrars in the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William and the Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park shall receive a cost of competition supplement equal to 15 percent of the salaries authorized in paragraph A1a. The cost of this supplement shall be paid out of the general fund of the state treasury.

B.1.a. The State Board of Elections shall set the annual compensation for secretaries and members of local electoral boards on July 1 of each year. In determining such compensation, the State Board of Elections shall use the most recent population estimate from the United States Bureau of the Census. However, should more recent population estimates from the Center for Public Service of the University of Virginia indicate that the population of any county or city has, since the last United States census, increased so as to entitle such county or city to be placed in a higher compensation bracket, such county or city shall be considered as being within the higher bracket for the purpose of fixing the annual compensation.

b. The annual compensation of the secretary of each local electoral board shall be as hereinafter prescribed, except that the secretary of an electoral board in any county with election responsibilities for more than seven towns shall receive, in addition to the annual compensation listed below, $50 per year for each town over seven.

No Towns

1 Town

2 or More Towns

Cities

c. The annual compensation of other members of local electoral boards shall be fixed at one-half the annual compensation provided to the secretary of the board.

d. The governing body of any county or city may pay to a full-time secretary of an electoral board such supplemental compensation as it deems appropriate. There shall be no reimbursement out of the state treasury for such supplements.

2. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the governing body of any county or city from paying the secretary of its electoral board such additional allowance for expenses as it deems appropriate but there shall be no reimbursement out of the state treasury for such expenses.

3. As authorized by § 24.2-108, Code of Virginia, each county and city shall be reimbursed for mileage paid to members of electoral boards. Mileage reimbursements shall be limited to the extent that funds are available in this act and shall be paid by the State Board of Elections only after submission of satisfactory evidence that such expenses were actually incurred and paid by a local governing body.

C. Included in the appropriation for this Item is $30,900 the first year and $30,900 the second year from the general fund to provide temporary full-time status for part-time general registrars. Such temporary full-time status may be granted by the Board of Elections, upon request of the Local Electoral Board, in recognition of temporary or permanent increases in workload. In making its determination, the Board of Elections shall consider elections, if any, required to be conducted by the locality during January through July, and evidence submitted by the Local Electoral Board to document increases in workload. Such evidence shall include specific data with comparisons, by transaction type and by month experienced, of past and present workloads. Temporary full-time status, if granted, may include all or part of the time normally worked on a part-time basis.

D. This appropriation includes $150,000 the first year for a study to determine the best option for replacement of the current Virginia Voter Registration System (VVRS). The study shall consider, at a minimum, the following options:

1. A redesigned, modern mainframe system;

2. A stand-alone VVRS option;

3. Development of an "VVRS application" using "off-the-shelf" software; or

4. A vendor maintained system operating under license to the State Board of Elections.

The State Board of Elections shall appoint a study committee composed of: a private consultant(s) with demonstrated expertise in this area; a member of the staff of the State Board of Elections with appropriate expertise; a local election official, and a private citizen(s). The committee shall submit a report and recommendations to the Secretaries of Administration and Finance by October 1, 1998.

E. This appropriation includes $980,000 the first year for computer equipment upgrades for the general registrar offices. Prior to any expenditure of these funds the State Board of Elections is required to submit a plan incorporating this equipment into the redesign of the Virginia Voter Registration System to the Secretaries of Administration and Technology for their approval.

F. The appropriation in this Item includes $250,000 in the second year to continue systems development initiatives to replace the Virginia Voter Registration System with technology which does not rely on Unisys-based programming and an increase of $250,000 in the second year to support agency staff reorganization and training initiatives.

G. The Secretary of Technology is herewith directed to assist the Board in all matters related to systems development. As part of the plan for replacement of local registrars' personal computers, the Board shall consider a revolving lease program in addition to purchase or lease-purchase options.