Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/bill_status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=HB3065%20intr.htm&yr=2012&sesstype=RS&i=3065
Timestamp: 2018-01-23 20:09:23
Document Index: 679785902

Matched Legal Cases: ['§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§1973', '§1973', '§1', '§1973']

(By Delegates Miley and Poore)
A BILL to repeal §3-3-3a of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend and reenact §3-3-1, §3-3-2, §3-3-2b, §3-3-3, §3-3-4, §3-3-5, §3-3-5a, §3-3-5b, §3-3-5c and §3-3-6 of said code, all relating to the eligibility requirements, processes, and assistance of absentee voting, and early in person voting.
That §3-3-3a of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be repealed; and that §3-3-1, §3-3-2, §3-3-2b, §3-3-3, §3-3-4, §3-3-5, §3-3-5a, §3-3-5b, §3-3-5c and §3-3-6 of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
(b) Registered voters and other qualified voters in the county are authorized to vote an absentee ballot by mail. in the following circumstances:
(3)Any voter absent from the county throughout the period and available hours for voting in person and who is an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter, as defined by 42 U.S.C. §1973, et seq., the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986, including members of the uniformed services on active duty, members of the merchant marine, spouses and dependents of those members on active duty and persons who reside outside the United States and are qualified to vote in the last place in which the person was domiciled before leaving the United States is authorized to vote an absentee ballot by mail.
(5) Any voter for whom the designated area for absentee voting within the county courthouse or annex of the courthouse and the voter’s assigned polling place are inaccessible because of his or her physical disability.
(1) The completed application is to be on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State and is to contain the name, date of birth and in the case of a primary political affiliation of the voter, residence address within the county, the address to which the ballot is to be mailed, the authorized reason, if any, for which the absentee ballot is requested and, if the reason is illness or hospitalization, the name and telephone number of the attending physician, the signature of the voter to a declaration made under the penalties for false swearing as provided in section three, article nine of this chapter that the statements and declarations contained in the application are true, any additional information which the voter is required to supply, and any affidavit which may be required; and an indication as to whether it is an application for voting in person or by mail; or
(2) For any person authorized to vote an absentee ballot under the provisions of 42 U.S.C. §1973, et seq., the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986, the completed application may be on the federal postcard application for absentee ballot form issued under authority of that act, submitted by mail or electronically; or on the federal write-in absentee ballot;
(3) For any person unable to obtain the official form for absentee balloting at a reasonable time before the deadline for an application for an absentee ballot by mail is to be received by the proper official, the completed application may be in a form set out by the voter, provided all information required to meet the provisions of this article is set forth and the application is signed by the voter requesting the ballot.
(b) The application is to be on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State which is to include the voter's name and signature, residence address, and a statement that the voter is permanently and totally physically disabled and would be unable to vote in person at the polls in any election. a description of the nature of that disability, and a statement signed by a physician to that effect.
(c) Upon receipt of a properly completed application, the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting shall enter the name on the special absentee voting list, which is to be maintained in a secure and permanent record. The person's name will remain active on the list until: (1) The person requests in writing that his or her name be removed; (2) the person removes his or her residence from the county, is purged from the voter registration books or otherwise becomes ineligible to vote; (3) a ballot mailed to the address provided on the application is returned undeliverable by the United States postal service; or (4) the death of the person.
(d) The official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting shall mail an application for an absentee ballot by mail to each person active on the special absentee voting list not later than forty-six days before each election.
(a) The voting period for early in-person voting is to be conducted during regular business hours beginning on the twentieth day before the election and continuing through the third day before the election. For any election held on a Tuesday, the early voting period for in-person voting is to be available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the two Saturdays prior to the election.
(b) Any person desiring to vote during the period of early in-person voting shall, upon entering the election room, clearly state his or her name and residence to the official or representative designated to supervise and conduct early-in-person absentee voting. If that person is found to be duly registered as a voter in the precinct of his or her residence, he or she shall be required to sign his or her name in the space marked “signature of voter” on the pollbook. If the voter is unable to sign his or her name due to illiteracy or physical disability, the person assisting the voter and witnessing the mark of the voter shall sign his or her name in the space provided. No ballot may be given to the person until he or she signs his or her name on the pollbook or the voter’s mark is duly witnessed.
(c) When the voter’s signature or mark is properly on the pollbook, two qualified representatives of the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting shall sign their names in the places indicated on the back of the official ballot. Provided, That if the ballot is provided electronically, the requirement for the signature of two qualified representatives shall be waived.
(2) (3) In counties using optical scan systems, one of each type of official absentee ballot the voter is eligible to vote, prepared according to law, and a secrecy sleeve; or
(3) (4) For direct recording election systems, access to the voting equipment in the voting booth.
(4) Due to the reenactment of this section by the Legislature in the two thousand three regular session removing authorization for early in-person voting on the Monday prior to a Tuesday election, to assure notice to all persons that voted on the Monday before the Tuesday election day of the two thousand two general election are made aware of this change, the clerk of each county shall, for the primary election of the year two thousand four, include along with the sample ballots published in local newspapers as required by this chapter a notice to voters that Monday in-person voting will no longer be available.
(b) Any voter who requests assistance in voting an absent voter's ballot but who is determined by the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting not to be qualified for assistance under the provisions of this section and section thirty-four, article one of this chapter may vote a challenged absent voter's ballot with the assistance of any person authorized to render assistance pursuant to this section. The official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting shall in this case challenge the absent voter's ballot on the basis of If in his or her determination that the voter is not qualified for assistance, the official designated to supervise and conduct early in-person voting shall challenge the voter’s ballot.
(d) Before entering the voting booth or compartment, the person who intends to provide a voter assistance in voting shall make an affidavit, the form of which is to be prescribed by the Secretary of State, that he or she will not in any manner request or seek to persuade or induce the voter to vote any particular ticket or for any particular candidate or for or against any public question and that he or she will not keep or make any memorandum, image or recording, or entry of anything occurring within the voting booth or compartment and that he or she will not, directly or indirectly, reveal to any person the name of any candidate voted for by the voter or which ticket he or she had voted or how he or she had voted on any public question or anything occurring within the voting booth or compartment or voting machine booth, except when required pursuant to law to give testimony as to the matter in a judicial proceeding.
(e) In accordance with instructions issued by the Secretary of State, the official designated to supervise and conduct early-in-person absentee voting shall provide a form entitled “List of Assisted Voters”. The form of which is to be prescribed by the Secretary of State. The which list is to be divided into two parts. : Part A is to be entitled “Unchallenged Assisted Voters” and Part B is to be entitled “Challenged Assisted Voters”. Under Part A, the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting shall enter the name of each voter receiving unchallenged assistance in voting an absent voter's ballot, the address of the voter assisted, the nature of the disability which qualified the voter for assistance in voting an absent voter's ballot, the name and address of the assisted voter, the name of the person providing assistance, and an indication of the person providing the voter with assistance in voting an absent voter's ballot, the fact that the person rendering the assistance has completed the affidavit as prescribed in subsection (c) in voting made and subscribed to the oath required by of this section and the signature of the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting certifying to the fact that he or she had determined that the voter who received assistance in voting an absent voter's ballot was qualified to receive the assistance under the provisions of this section. Under Part B shall also include a description of the reason for the challenge issued by the official designated to supervise and conduct early-in-person absentee voting. shall enter the name of each voter receiving challenged assistance in voting, the address of the voter receiving challenged assistance, the reason for the challenge and the name of the person providing the challenged voter with assistance in voting. At the close of the period provided for early-in-person voting, an absent voter's ballot by personal appearance the official designated to supervise and conduct early-in-person absentee voting shall make and subscribe to an oath on the list that the list is correct in all particulars; if no voter has been assisted in voting an early-in-person absent voter's ballot as provided in this section, the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting shall make and subscribe to an oath of that fact on the list. The “List of Assisted Voters” is to be available for public inspection in the office of the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting during regular business hours throughout the period provided for early-in-person voting an absent voter's ballot by personal appearance and, unless otherwise directed by the Secretary of State, or a court of competent jurisdiction the official shall retain this transmit the list, together with the affidavits of early-in-person voters assistants and other related records for a period of twenty-two months or, if under order of the court, until their destruction or other disposition is authorized or directed by the court. During the time the “List of Assisted Voters” shall remain available for public inspection. applications and absent voters' ballots, to the precincts on election day.
(f)Following the election, the affidavits required by this section from persons providing assistance in voting, together with the “List of Assisted Voters”, are to be returned by the election commissioners to the clerk of the county commission, along with the election supplies, records and returns, who shall make the oaths and list available for public inspection and who shall preserve the oaths and list for twenty-two months or, if under order of the court, until their destruction or other disposition is authorized or directed by the court.
(g) (f) Any person making an affidavit required under the provisions of this section who knowingly swears falsely in the affidavit or any person who counsels or advises, aids or abets another in the commission of false swearing under this section, or who renders assistance in the voting an early-in-person ballot when not qualified or permitted under this section to provide assistance is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than §1,000 or confined in jail for a period of not more than one year, or both.
(i) (g) Any official designated to supervise and conduct early-in-person absentee voting, election commissioner or poll clerk who authorizes or allows a voter to receive or to have received unchallenged assistance in voting an early-in-person absent voter's ballot when the voter is known to the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting or election commissioner or poll clerk not to be or have been authorized by the provisions of this section to receive or to have received assistance in voting is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned in jail for a period of not more than one year, or both.
(h) “Physical Disability” or “Physically Disabled” shall mean blindness or a degree of blindness as will prevent a person from seeing any form, posting, document, ballot, or other writing set forth in this chapter, whether presented on paper or electronically; or any physical condition, whether chronic or temporary, which results in substantial impairment or the person’s ability to conduct any action prescribed by this chapter.
(3) (4) The applicant is not making his or her first vote after having registered by postcard registration or, if the applicant is making his or her first vote after having registered by postcard registration, the applicant is exempt from these requirements if they are physically disabled, a uniformed and overseas voter or attend school out of state; and
(d) If the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting determines that the required conditions have been met, two representatives that are registered to vote with not the same different political party designation affiliations shall sign their names in the places indicated on the back of the official ballot. If the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting determines the required conditions have not been met, or has evidence that any of the information contained in the application is not true, the official shall give notice to the voter that the voter's absentee ballot will be challenged as provided in this article and shall enter that challenge.
(e) (1) Within one day after the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting has both the completed application and the ballot, the official shall provide mail to the voter at the address given on the application the following items as required and as prescribed by the Secretary of State:
(E) (F) Notice that a list of write-in candidates is available upon request; and
(F) (G) Any other notice supplies required for voting in the particular voting system.
(D) Statement of the voter affirming the voter’s current name and address and whether or not he or she received assistance in voting.
(1) The official shall first enter the name of the applicant in the permanent absentee voter's record for each election for which a ballot is requested, make a photocopy of the application for each election for which a ballot is requested and place the separate copies in secure files to be maintained for use in the various elections. Unless otherwise specified by the voter, the application shall serve for any federal, state or local election held during the calendar year. Voters must indicate a political party preference on the FPCA or, if not affiliated with a political party as defined in section eight, article one of this chapter, must specifically request the ballot of a political party in order to receive a primary election ballot, provided the political party has elected to allow unaffiliated voters to participate in that party’s primary election.
(2) The official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting shall determine if the applicant is registered to vote at the residence address listed in the voting residence section of the application. If the applicant is not registered, or not registered at the address given, the official shall deliver the original FPCA to the clerk of the county commission for processing, and the clerk of the county commission shall process the application as an application for registration and, if the application is received after the close of voter registration for the next succeeding election, the official shall challenge the absentee ballot for that election. up to and including the final day to accept an application for an absentee ballot prior to any election.
(3) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this section, the federal application for an absentee ballot received from a person qualified to use the application as provided in section two of this article is to be processed as all other applications and the ballot or ballots for each election for which ballots are requested by the applicant is to be mailed provided to the voter on the first day on which both the application and the ballot are available.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, a person qualified to vote an absentee ballot in accordance with subdivision (3), subsection (d b), section one of this article may apply not earlier than January 1 of an election year for a special federal write-in absentee ballot for a primary or general election, in conjunction with the application for a regular absentee ballot or ballots. If the application is received after the forty-ninth day preceding the election, the The official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting shall honor only the application for local, state and federal offices in general, special and primary elections.
(b) The application for a special federal write-in absentee ballot may be made on the federal postcard application form write-in absentee ballot at the time the federal write-in absentee ballot is submitted.
(c) In order to qualify for a special federal write-in absentee ballot, the voter must state that he or she is unable to vote by regular absentee ballot or in person due to requirements of military service, or due to living in isolated areas or extremely remote areas of the world, or due to other circumstances making standard absentee voting impracticable or impossible. The federal write-in absentee ballot may be used as a failsafe voting mechanism in the case of a qualified voter who has not timely received a previously requested absentee ballot. This statement may be made on the federal postcard application or on a form prepared approved by the Secretary of State and supplied and returned submitted with the special federal write-in absentee ballot.
(d) Upon receipt of the application request of a qualified voter within the time required, the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting shall issue provide the special federal write-in absentee ballot which is to be the same ballot issued under the provisions of 42 U.S.C. §1973, et seq., the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986. The ballot is to permit the elector to vote in a primary election by indicating his or her political party affiliation and the names of the specific candidates for each office, and in a general election by writing in a party preference for each office, the names of specific candidates for each office, or the name of the person whom the voter prefers for each office.
(e) When a special federal write-in absentee ballot is received by the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting from a voter: (1) Who mailed the write-in ballot from any location within the United States county of residence; or (2) who is not a qualified voter as defined in accordance with subdivision (3), subsection (b), section one of this article, who did not apply for a regular absentee ballot; (3) who did not apply for a regular absentee ballot by mail; or (4) whose application for a regular absentee ballot by mail was received less than thirty days before the election the write-in ballot may not be counted.
(f) Any write-in absentee ballot must be received by the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting prior to the close of the polls on election day or it may not be counted as provided in subsection (g), section five of this article.
(d) Upon request of the voter or a member of the voter's immediate family or, when the county commission has adopted a policy to provide emergency absentee voting services to nursing home residents within the county, upon request of a staff member of the nursing home, the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting, upon receiving a proper request for voting an emergency absentee ballot no earlier than the seventh day next preceding the election and no later than noon of election day shall supply to the emergency absentee ballot commissioners the application for voting an emergency absentee ballot and the balloting materials. The emergency absentee ballot application is to be prescribed by the Secretary of State and is to include the name, residence address and political party affiliation of the voter, the date, location and reason for confinement in the case of an emergency, and the name of the attending physician if any.
Upon receipt of an absent voter's ballot by mail, the voter who requires assistance in voting such ballot and who has indicated he or she requires such assistance and the reasons therefor on the application may select any eligible person to assist him or her in voting as defined in section three, article three, of this chapter.
The person providing assistance in voting an absent voter's ballot by mail shall make an affidavit on a form as may be prescribed by the Secretary of State, that he or she will not in any manner request, or seek to persuade, or induce the voter to vote any particular ticket or for any particular candidate or for or against any public question, and that he or she will not keep or make any memorandum or entry of anything occurring within the voting booth or compartment, and that he or she will not, directly or indirectly, reveal to any person the name of any candidate voted for by the voter, or which ticket he or she had voted, or how he or she had voted on any public question, or anything occurring within the voting booth or compartment or voting machine booth, except when required pursuant to law to give testimony as to such matter in a judicial proceeding.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to eliminate noncompliance with federal law; to remove restrictions on absentee ballots; and to remove obsolete and outdated code language.