Source: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2008/bills/intro/S-116.HTM
Timestamp: 2018-07-15 23:05:57
Document Index: 721433379

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 2370', '§ 2402', '§ 2471', '§ 2472', '§ 2473', '§ 2479', '§ 2493', '§ 2556', '§ 2587', '§ 2590', '§ 2593', '§ 2681', '§ 2602', '§ 2682']

Subject: Elections; nominations; conduct of elections; local elections
Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to: (1) prohibit public officials who accept primary petitions from accepting a petition that is not accompanied by a consent form; (2) simplify and standardize the ballot design for all ballots in Vermont’s primary and general elections; (3) permit election workers to count by name only those write-in candidates who have filed declaration of candidacy forms; (4) eliminate the requirement that town clerks and presiding officers return receipts for ballots received by them; (5) require the secretary of state to conduct voting machine audits in the same manner as ballots are counted on election night; (6) allow provisional voters to be given ballots that include federal and state offices; (7) permit town clerks to open a sealed ballot bag under certain circumstances; (8) require town clerks to enter the participation of each voter onto the statewide checklist; (9) require a court to order the town clerk to appoint two local election officials to transmit ballots to the county clerk for a recount; and (10) permit a candidate for justice of the peace or local office to withdraw his or her candidacy to avoid a runoff election.
AN ACT RELATING TO MISCELLANEOUS ELECTION LAW AMENDMENTS
Sec. 3. 17 V.S.A. § 2370 is amended to read:
(a) A write-in candidate shall not have his or her name listed and votes counted unless the candidate has filed a declaration of candidacy form with the official where nominating petitions must be filed for the office at least 24 hours prior to election day. The declaration of candidacy form shall contain the same information as the candidate consent form. Votes for write-in candidates who have not filed a declaration of candidacy shall be counted as “write-in” votes but shall not be listed by name.
(b) A write-in candidate shall not qualify as a primary winner unless he or she receives at least one-half the number of votes required for his the candidate’s office on a primary petition, except that if a write-in candidate receives more votes than a candidate whose name is printed on the ballot, he or she may qualify as a primary winner. The write-in candidate who qualifies as a primary winner under this section must still be determined a winner under section 2369 of this title before he or she becomes the party’s candidate in the general election.
Sec. 4. 17 V.S.A. § 2402(d) is amended to read:
Sec. 5. 17 V.S.A. § 2471 is amended to read:
Sec. 6. 17 V.S.A. § 2472 is amended to read:
Sec. 7. 17 V.S.A. § 2473(b) is amended to read:
Sec. 8. 17 V.S.A. § 2479 is amended to read:
Sec. 9. 17 V.S.A. § 2493(a)(2) is amended to read:
Sec. 10. 17 V.S.A. § 2556(b) is amended to read:
Sec. 11. 17 V.S.A. § 2587(e) is amended to read:
(e) In the case of “write-in” votes, the act of writing in the name of a candidate, or pasting a label containing a candidate’s name upon the ballot, without other indications of the voter’s intent, shall constitute a vote for that candidate, even though no cross is placed after such name. The election officials counting ballots and tallying results must shall list every each person who receives a “write-in” vote if that person filed a declaration of candidacy pursuant to subsection 2370(a) of this title and the number of votes received. On each tally sheet, the counters shall add together the names of candidates that are clearly the same person, even though a nickname or last name is used. Names of persons who did not file a declaration of candidacy and fictitious persons shall not be listed, but votes for these persons shall be counted as “write-in” votes.
Sec. 12. 17 V.S.A. § 2590 is amended to read:
(c) The presiding officer shall return all sealed containers to the town clerk, who shall safely store them, and shall not permit them to be removed from his or her custody or tampered with in any way. In the event that a ballot bag or container breaks, splits, or opens through handling, or in the event the entrance checklist was inadvertently sealed in a ballot bag or container, the town clerk shall notify the secretary of state in writing, and the secretary of state shall order the town clerk in the presence of two town election officials to open the bag to remove the entrance checklist or to move the entire contents to new bags or containers, affix new seals, and transmit the new seal numbers. Ballot bags or containers shall not be removed or tampered with in any other way, except under court order, or by order of any authorized committee of the general assembly. If necessary for safe storage of the containers, the town clerk may store them in a bank vault or other secure place, within or without the town, provided that access to them cannot reasonably be had without the town clerk’s consent.
Sec. 13. 17 V.S.A. § 2593 is added to read:
Sec. 14. 17 V.S.A. § 2681a is amended to read:
Sec. 15. 17 V.S.A. § 2602(c) is amended to read:
(c) The superior court shall set an early date for the recount, notifying all candidates at least five days in advance. The court shall order the town clerk or clerks having custody of the ballots to be recounted to surrender them to the state police, appoint two election officials who shall transport them to the county clerks of their respective counties before the day set for the recount. County clerks shall store all ballots, still in their sealed containers, in their vaults until the day of the recount. The court shall appoint a sufficient number of impartial voters as a committee to recount the votes. Committee members shall be paid by the state at the rate of $25.00 per day plus necessary expenses.
Sec. 16. 17 V.S.A. § 2682(e) is amended to read: