SPONSOR: Hovis
Currently, absentee ballots received by the election authority must be rejected if the statements on the ballot envelope have not been completed.
This bill creates a process for voters to provide missing information on an absentee ballot envelope received by an election authority prior to the date of the polls closing on election day in order to allow the voter's ballot to be counted.
The election authority must attempt to notify a voter of an incomplete absentee ballot envelope by all reasonable means. The notice will describe the missing information and instructions for how the voter can provide that information.
The election authority will allow the voter to provide the missing information by completing a new absentee voter statement and delivering it to the election authority.
Only an employee of the election authority can contact the voter about missing absentee ballot envelope information. A voter can provide the missing information only after the envelope has been received by the election authority.
If the voter provides the missing information before polls close on election day, the ballot will be accepted and counted. If not, the ballot will be rejected.
Currently, election authorities can begin preparation of absentee ballots for tabulation on election day no earlier than the fifth day prior to the election.
This bill would allow election authorities to begin preparation of absentee ballots upon receipt of the ballot.
Statutes affected: