This bill mandates that the outer envelope used for mailing a voted mail-in ballot must include prepaid postage, which will be covered by the county and subsequently reimbursed by the State. Currently, voters are responsible for affixing the appropriate postage to their mail-in ballots, but this legislation aims to alleviate that burden by requiring county clerks to provide outer envelopes with the necessary first-class or air-mail postage already affixed. The bill also specifies that the costs incurred by the counties for this postage will be reimbursed by the State, ensuring that counties are not financially burdened by this requirement.

In addition to the postage requirement, the bill amends several sections of existing law to clarify the procedures for mailing and returning mail-in ballots. It emphasizes that the outer envelope must be a postage prepaid return envelope and outlines the responsibilities of county clerks in providing voters with the necessary materials for voting by mail. The bill is designed to streamline the voting process and enhance accessibility for voters while ensuring that counties are compensated for the additional costs associated with these changes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 19:58-11, 19:58-22, 19:59-8, 19:59-10, 19:62-2, 19:62-8, 19:63-12