The bill amends existing laws regarding the conduct of elections and the handling of irregular ballots and write-in votes. It introduces a new section, 17-19-31, which requires the local board of canvassers to adjudicate each individual write-in vote cast for an office if the total number of write-in votes could affect the election outcome, including when the total falls within the margins for a valid recount request. The local board must report the total qualified write-in votes to the state board, which will notify the local boards when the total write-in votes in any contest may affect the outcome.

Additionally, the bill amends Section 17-22-7 to require the state board to publish images of all write-in votes cast for each particular office on its website, regardless of candidate eligibility or whether the votes may affect the election outcome. The state board must also report all write-in votes adjudicated by the local board and publish the overall total number of write-in votes cast for each office. The act will take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
5516: 17-19-31, 17-22-7
5516  SUB A: 17-19-31, 17-22-7
5516  SUB A as amended: 17-19-31, 17-22-7