SB 606 - Under current law, if the statement on any absentee ballot envelope has not been completed, the absentee ballot is required to be rejected. Under this act, the election authority is required to notify the voter that the envelope is missing information by all means reasonably calculated to make contact with the voter. The voter must be permitted an opportunity to supply the missing information by completing a new statement and delivering it to the election authority by any means authorized by law for delivering absentee ballots. The Secretary of State is responsible for developing an affidavit form to be used for such purposes. The act expressly prohibits changing any selections made on the ballot contained within the ballot envelope.Only the office of the election authority is permitted to contact voters pursuant to this act.
Voters have until the close of polls on election day to supply missing information on the absentee ballot envelope. If a voter fails to supply the missing information prior to that time, the absentee ballot shall be rejected.
Current law permits election authorities to prepare absentee ballots for tabulation not earlier than the fifth day prior to the election. This act repeals the five day limitation and permits preparation of absentee ballots for tabulation upon receipt.
The act repeals a provision stipulating that absentee ballots that are received by an LEA in person are deemed cast when received prior to election day and absentee ballots that are received through a common carrier are deemed cast when received prior to the closing of polls. Furthermore, the repealed provision provides that absentee ballots received by the LEA through a common carrier such as the United States Postal Service are required to be received prior to the time fixed by law for the closing of polls on election day.
This act is substantially similar to SB 210 (2023), HB 1184 (2023) and similar to SB 149 (2023), HB 864 (2023), SB 900 (2022), and SB 266 (2021).
SCOTT SVAGERA