This bill modifies provisions relating to elections.
This bill:
- requires a county clerk to coordinate with local post offices to ensure the optimal handling of ballots;
- provides that a poll watcher may observe the signature-verification process for petitions to qualify a candidate for a primary election ballot;
- makes it unlawful for a poll watcher to reveal certain information observed during the process described in the preceding paragraph;
- requires an election officer to conduct an audit of signature comparisons made for petitions to qualify a candidate for a primary election ballot;
- requires an election officer who engages in the signature-verification process for petitions to qualify a candidate for a primary election ballot to certify a certain percentage of signatures submitted beyond the required signature-gathering threshold;
- establishes a chain of custody process for signature packets circulated to qualify a candidate for a primary election ballot;
- grants rulemaking authority to the director of elections within the Office of the Lieutenant Governor; and
- makes technical and conforming changes.

Statutes affected:
Substitute #1: 20A-9-403, 20A-9-408
Introduced: 20A-9-408