This bill amends the absentee voting procedures in West Virginia to enhance the protection of voters' personal information and ensure the verification of absentee voters' identities. It introduces a requirement for absentee voters to include specific personally identifiable information on a form that must be inserted into the envelope with their returned absentee ballot. This information includes the voter's name, legal residence address, date of birth, a statement of eligibility, the last four digits of their social security number or driver's license number, and their signature or mark. The bill also mandates that election officials review this information against official registration records to confirm the voter's identity without exposing their personal details on the outside of the ballot envelope.

Additionally, the bill specifies the procedures for submitting absentee ballot applications and the timelines for acceptance, particularly for different categories of voters, including uniformed services and overseas voters. It outlines the process for handling ballots returned by mail, electronically, or in person, and establishes security measures for ballot storage and processing. The aim is to streamline absentee voting while safeguarding voter privacy and ensuring the integrity of the electoral process.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 3-3-5