SB 1246

Abstract

Absentee voting; mandatory processing of returned absentee ballots before election day; central absentee voter precinct in the office of the general registrar. Requires certain actions to be taken to process absentee ballots that are returned by mail before election day. The general registrar is required to (i) examine the ballot envelopes to verify completion of the required voter affirmation; (ii) mark the pollbook, or the absentee voter applicant list if the pollbook is not available, that the voter has voted; and (iii) direct the officers of election at a central absentee precinct to open the sealed ballot envelopes and insert the ballots in optical scan counting equipment or other secure ballot container without initiating any ballot count totals. Under current law, the general registrar is required to conduct preprocessing of absentee ballots before election day only as needed. To facilitate preprocessing as provided in the bill, the bill requires a central absentee voter precinct to be established and maintained in each locality. Additional central absentee voter precincts may be established at the discretion of the governing body.

Absentee voting; mandatory processing of returned absentee ballots before election day; central absentee voter precinct in the office of the general registrar. Requires certain actions to be taken to process absentee ballots that are returned by mail before election day. The general registrar is required to (i) examine the ballot envelopes to verify completion of the required voter affirmation; (ii) mark the pollbook, or the absentee voter applicant list if the pollbook is not available, that the voter has voted; and (iii) direct the officers of election at a central absentee precinct to open the sealed ballot envelopes and insert the ballots in optical scan counting equipment or other secure ballot container without initiating any ballot count totals. Under current law, the general registrar is required to conduct preprocessing of absentee ballots before election day only as needed. To facilitate preprocessing as provided in the bill, the bill requires a central absentee voter precinct to be established and maintained in each locality. Additional central absentee voter precincts may be established at the discretion of the governing body.

Absentee voting; mandatory processing of returnedabsentee ballots before election day; central absentee voter precinctin the office of the general registrar. Requires certain actionsto be taken to process absentee ballots that are returned by mailbefore election day. The general registrar is required to examinethe ballot envelopes to verify completion of the required voter affirmation;mark the pollbook, or the absentee voter applicant list if the pollbookis not available, that the voter has voted; and open the sealed ballotenvelopes and insert the ballots in optical scan counting equipmentor other secure ballot container without initiating any ballot counttotals. Under current law, it is only required that the general registrarundertake at least one such activity before election day. To facilitatethis preprocessing, the bill requires a central absentee voter precinctto be established in the office of the general registrar. Additionalcentral absentee voter precincts may be established at the discretionof the governing body.