An Act To Encourage a Vote-by-Mail System in Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1436
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs
Sponsors: EDMONDS
Amends: 21-A MRSA §698, 21-A MRSA §754-A, 21-A MRSA §759, 21-A MRSA §760-A, 21-A MRSA §762, 21-A MRSA §763, 21-A MRSA §764, 21-A MRSA §780, 21-A MRSA §780-A, 21-A MRSA §791

Legislative Document 
No. 1436 
H.P.1000 
House of Representatives, March 22, 2005 
An Act To Encourage a Vote-by-Mail System in Maine 
Reference to the Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representati ve GLYNN of South Portland. 
Cosponsored by President EDMONDS of Cumberland. 
Printed on recycled paper 
!r/~ 
frl.7Iloc~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §698, sub-§2-A, as amended by PL 2003, c. 
447, §23, is further amended to read: 
2-A. 
Used ballots placed in tamper-proof containers. 
The 
election clerks shall place the used state ballots, including 
spoiled ballots, defective ballots, void ballots, used absentee 
ballots, used absentee envelopes wi~a-~ae-a~~li€aBle-a~~liea~ieBs 
a~~aeaeQ, envelopes containing challenge certificatesT and the 
official tally tape from the electronic tabulating system in one 
or more tamper-proof ballot containers. 
The ballot containers 
must 
be 
furnished 
by 
the 
Secretary of 
State. 
Ballots 
and 
election materials for municipal elections conducted at the same 
time as a state election must be sealed separately from state 
ballots and other state election materials. 
If municipalities 
wish to use tamper-proof containers to seal municipal election 
materials, they must obtain the containers and locks at their own 
expense. 
If 
a 
state-supplied 
tamper-proof 
container 
or 
lock 
becomes 
defective, lost or destroyed, the clerk must apply in writing to 
the Secretary of State for another. 
The Secretary of State shall 
supply 
or 
approve 
a 
replacement 
at 
the 
expense 
of 
the 
municipality. 
A tamper-proof ballot container must be locked and sealed with a 
numbered seal before leaving the precinct. 
The lock and seal 
numbers must correlate with a certificate identifying the person 
sealing the container and the time of the sealing. 
The locks, 
seals 
and identifying certificates must 
be 
furnished by the 
Secretary of State. 
A. 
Transfer 
and 
resealing 
of 
the 
ballots 
to 
containers for permanent storage must be done 60 or 
days following the election. 
The municipal clerk shall 
the transfer in the presence of one or more witnesses. 
containers must be securely sealed. 
other 
more 
make 
The 
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §698. sub-§5. as amended by PL 2003, c. 584, 
§10, is further amended to read: 
5. 
Two or more votinq districts. 
In municipalities having 
or more voting districts where absentee ballots are counted at 
a place other than the voting district, all absentee ballots T 
aFFliea~ieBs and envelopes may be packed together in the same 
container, which saall must then be sealed publicly. 
A. 
The portions of subsections 2-A and 2-B that deal with 
absentee ballots do not apply to municipalities with 2 or 
Page l-LR0266(1) 
a 
more voting districts where absentee ballots are counted 
separately. 
Sec. 3. 21·A MRSA §753·A, as amended by PL 2003, 
c. 447, 
§§28 and 29, is repealed. 
Sec. 4. 21·A MRSA §753·B, as amended by PL 2003, c. 447, §§30 
and 31, is further amended to read: 
§153-B. Procedure for issuing absentee ballot 
1. Mail delivery; 30 days prior to election. 
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ef-~-~~~~~~~~~r-w£i~~en-~~--eF-~e~epa~e-~~~~-feF 
aa-~~-&~~~&-~~--~&-a€€e~ee-~r~-~e-~~-1e~-AT 
'=He 
The clerk shall immeaia,=e±y issue an absentee ballot and 
return envelope by mail 
eF--i.fl--pe-r~-&G--'=He-a~-i€a.fl~--o-r--&G--'=He 
immeaia,=e--~am~~y-~-~--~e--a--~FG-~~-~~~--i.fl--a 
wFi,=,=ea--aFF~i€a~-ien--~--~~-~-~--&a&--ye,=eF to 
each 
registered voter 30 days prior to an election. 
The clerk shall 
verify the address of each registered voter prior to mailing out 
absentee ballots as prescribed b~J~ The clerk shall type or 
write in ink the name and the residence address of the voter in 
the designated section of the return envelope. 
The Secretary of 
State shall provide a return envelope that moves free of postage 
under federal law. 
A voter who registers to vote after ballots 
have been mailed may request a ballot be sent by mail or may 
receive a ballot in person at the municipal clerk's office. 
The 
Secretary 
of 
State 
shall 
adopt 
rules 
to 
implement 
this 
subsection. 
Rules 
adopted 
pursuant 
to 
this 
subsection 
are 
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, 
chapter 
375. 
subchapter 2-A. 
I-A. 
Request for ballot: ballot not delivered by mail. 
A 
person who is a registered voter but did not receive an absentee 
ballot and return envelope as required under this section or is a 
uniformed service voter or an overseas voter may: 
A. 
Make a written request by mail. in person or facsimile. 
Such a request must include: 
(1) 
The voter's name and birth date; 
(2) 
The voter's residence address or other address 
sufficient to identify the voter; and 
(3) 
The signature of the voter; or 
B. 
Make a telephone request. 
The clerk shall ask the voter 
for 
the 
information 
required 
in paragraph 
A. 
with 
the 
exception of the voter's s_ignature. 
The clerk shall verify 
that it is the voter 
who 
is 
requesting 
the ballot by 
confirming the voter's residence address and birth date with 
the information in the voter's record. 
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4. 
Duplicate ballots. 
The clerk may issue a 
2nd state 
absentee ballot to 
aR--aw~J.€aRt a voter if the 
a~~~ieaRt voter 
requests one by an acceptable method outlined in this subchapter 
and+ the voter states good cause, including, but not limited to, 
loss of, spoiling of or damage to the first absentee ballot. 
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The clerk may also issue a 2nd state absentee ballot to a voter 
from whom the clerk has received a return envelope apparently 
containing a state absentee ballot when the State has provided 
the clerk with replacement ballots to reflect the removal of a 
candidate's name or the addition of a new candidate's name or the 
correction of an error. 
When 
a 
2nd state absentee ballot is 
issued to a voter under this section, the clerk must write the 
words "second ballot issued" on the return envelope. 
.. 
5. 
Al ternate method of balloting by residents of certain 
licensed facilities. 
The municipal clerk shall designate one or 
more times during the 30-day period prior to an election during 
which the municipal clerk shall be present in each licensed 
nursing home subject to the provisions of Title 22, chapter 405; 
licensed residential care facility subject to the provisions of 
Title 22, chapter 1664; and assisted housing program subject to 
the provisions of Title 22, chapter 1664, in the municipality for 
the purpose of conducting absentee voting by residents of these 
facilities. 
The licensed residential care facilities referred to 
in this subsection are those that are licensed as Level II 
facilities. 
The 
clerk shall designate which areas 
in these 
facilities constitute the voting place, the voting booth and the 
guardrail enclosure. 
Sections 681 and 682 apply to voting in 
these facilities within the areas designated by the clerk. 
6. 
Clerk to list. 
The clerk shall keep an alphabetical 
list, by district, of the persons who 
~e~~es~ee-e~ were furnished 
absentee ballots, including the persons who voted in the presence 
of the clerk under subsection 8 
aRe--t-he--pe~seRs-~-aa;b;be~s 
we~e-466~eQ-~~-~-Yr~~~-~~r-s~asee~iea-*. 
The clerk shall 
maintain a copy of the lists required under this subsection for a 
period of 2 years as a public record. 
A. 
The list of absentee voters must include each voter's 
name, 
residence 
address, 
voting 
district 
and 
party 
affiliation; the date and manner by which the ballot was 
~e~~esl:eQT issued and received; 
a notation of whether the 
app;bieal:ieR--and--l:ae ballot 
we~e ~ accepted or rejected; 
and 
a 
place 
for 
the 
registrar 
to 
certify 
the 
voter 
registration status of the absentee voters. 
The clerk must 
also indicate on the list when the absentee voter 
lS 
a 
uniformed service voter or overseas voter. 
B. 
The clerk shall submit this list of absentee voters to 
the registrar for certification of the registration status 
and, when applicable, the enrollment status of the voters. 
The registrar shall certify the list either before or as 
soon as possible after the ballot is issued to the voter. 
The certifications must be completed before the absentee 
ballots may be processed and cast on election day. 
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D. 
Within 20 days after each election, the clerk shall send 
a report to the Secretary of State stating the total number 
of 
absentee 
ballots 
issued 
to 
absentee 
voters 
in 
the 
municipality for that election. 
The report must further 
identify the number of ballots that were issued to uniformed 
service voters and overseas voters , respectively. 
For each 
category of absentee voters, 
the report must include the 
number of ballots that were returned by the voters and were 
processed and cast in the election. 
7. 
Registration verified. 
If 
the 
app~ieaR~ voter 
is 
registered and enrolled when necessary, the ballot must be sent 
to the 
app~ieaR~~. If the 
app~:i,eaR~ voter has registered 
and enrolled when necessary under section 155 and will attain 18 
years of age on or before the date of the election, the registrar 
or clerk shall 
se--€~-t-i.fy--on--t,ae.-app~iea~ieR send that person a, 
ballot and return envelope in accordance with subsection 1. 
l€ 
Re~ T - -tfie- -r-e-9"i-&t-r~- -<H"- -e-J:.e.F-JE. - sha~ ~ - w-£-i-t.e-...!'-n&t- -r-eg-i-s-t.-e-r-ed-'!... -G-F- - !!Re ~ 
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app~ieaR~-:i,R-w~i~:i,R~-e~-~he-~easeR-~e~-~Re-geR:i,a~T 
8. 
Absentee voting in presence of clerk. 
A person who 
wishes to vote by absentee ballot 
maYT--w-i-~--€~-et.-i~-aR 
app~iea~ieRT vote 
by absentee ballot in the presence of the 
clerk. 
The method of voting is otherwise as prescribed in this 
article. 
After the person has voted, the clerk shall sign the 
aff idavi t 
on the return envelope as a witness, indicate on the 
envelope that the voter voted in the presence of a clerk and 
ensure that the affidavit on the return envelope is properly 
completed by the voter. 
For the --4~-
1Q days preceding an 
election, during the hours when the clerk's office is open and 
may be conducting absentee voting, the display or distribution of 
any advertising material intended to influence a voter's decision 
regarding a candidate or ballot issue is prohibited wi thin the 
clerk's office and on public property within 250 feet of the 
entrance to the clerk's office. 
This subsection does not apply to the display or distribution of 
any campaign advertising material on private property that is 
within 250 feet of the entrance to the clerk's office. 
This subsection does not apply to campaign advertising material 
on automobiles traveling to and from the municipal office or 
parked on municipal property while the occupants are visiting the 
municipal office to conduct municipal business. 
It does not 
prohibit a person who is at the municipal office for the purpose 
of conducting municipal business or for absentee voting from 
• 
wearing 
a 
campaign button when 
the longest dimension of the 
button does not exceed 3 inches. 
Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §754-A, as amended by PL 1999, c. 645, §7, 
is further amended to read: 
§754-A. Method of voting 
Except 
as 
provided in section 753-B, 
subsection 
8, 
the 
method of voting by absentee ballot is as follows. 
1. 
Ballot delivered to voter. 
When a voter e~-aH-iffiffieaia~e 
Eaffii±l'-~--ef--a--ve~e~ obtains a ballot from the clerk in 
person or by mail and returns that ballot to the clerk in person 
or by mail and receives no assistance in marking the ballot, the 
following procedures apply. 
A. 
The voter shall mark that ballot according to section 
or 692 so that it is impossible for anyone present at 
the time to see how the voter voted. 
B. 
While the voter is marking the ballot, there may be no 
communication between the voter and any other individual as 
to the person or question for which the voter is to vote. 
C. 
After the voter has completed marking the ballot, the 
voter shall then seal the ballot in its return envelope and 
complete 
the 
affidavit 
on 
the 
envelope. 
No 
notary 
or 
witness certification is required. 
D. 
The voter or an immediate family member of the voter 
shall then mail or deliver in person the sealed envelope 
containing the voted ballot to the clerk of the municipality 
of which the voter is a resident. 
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E. 
If an immediate family member of the voter returns an 
absentee ballot that was requested by the voter 
e~--aRe~Re~ 
iffiffiesia~e--~ami±y-~--~--~Re--ye~eFT in writing or in 
person, the clerk shall accept the ballot. 
The clerk shall 
have the immediate 
family member who returned the ballot 
sign the application or written request and shall indicate 
that the ballot was returned by that person. 
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3. 
Assistance in reading or marking ballot. 
A voter who is 
unable to read or mark the ballot because of the voter's physical 
disability, illiteracy or religious faith must vote according to 
the procedures in this subsection instead of the procedures 
lD 
subsection 1 eF-6. 
A. 
A voter who needs assistance may request another person, 
other than the voter's employer or agent of that employer or 
officer or agent of the voter's union, to assist the voter 
in reading or marking the ballot. 
B. 
The 
presence 
clerk 
of 
voter or the aide must mark 
the ballot in the 
of one of the following witnesses: 
Notary public, 
a 
municipality, 
clerk 
of 
courts 
or 
another 
individual. 
C. 
The voter or the aide, before marking the ballot, must 
show it to the witness who must examine it to be certain it 
is unmarked. 
• 
• 
D. 
While the voter or the aide is marking the ballot, there 
may 
be 
no 
communication 
between 
the 
voter 
and 
any 
individual, other than the aide who must mark the ballot as 
the voter indicates, as to the person or question for which 
the voter is to vote. 
E. 
The voter or the aide must mark the ballot according to 
section 691 or 692 so that it is impossible for anyone else 
present to see how the voter voted, then seal the ballot in 
its return envelope. 
The voter, or the aide at the voter's 
request, 
shall 
complete 
and 
sign 
the 
affidavit 
in 
the 
presence 
of 
the 
witness, 
who 
shall 
sign 
the 
witness 
certification. 
The 
aide 
must 
complete 
and 
sign 
the 
certification for aides on the outside of the envelope. 
F. 
The voter or the aide must then complete the address on 
the envelope and mail or deliver it personally eF-By-~he-~Fe 
peFseB-wae-~-~~~-~-~&&-appliea~ieB to the clerk of 
the municipality of which the voter is a 
resident. 
The 
voter must send a completed voter registration eF--a£-seBt.ee 
Ba~~e~-app~iea~ieBT-iE-BeeessaFYT in a separate envelope. 
Sec. 6. 21-AMRSA§756, as amended by PL 2003, c. 447, §§32 
and 33, is further amended to read: 
§756. Procedure on receipt 
When 
the 
clerk 
receives 
a 
return 
envelope 
apparently 
containing an absentee ballot, -£e-
the clerk shall observe the 
following procedures. 
1. 
Time of receipt noted. 
--Me-
The clerk shall note the 
date and time of delivery on each return envelope. 
On request, 
he-
the !;;lerk shall give the person who delivers the ballot a 
receipt, stating the exact time of delivery. 
2. 
Clerk 
to 
examine affidavit. 
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The clerk shall 
examine the affidavit on the return envelopeT--~~-~~-&i~Ba~aFes 
appeaF-~e-£-a¥e-~~~-~&&-same-peFseB and if the affidavit 
is properly completed, -.£e-
the clerk shall write "OK" and his 
the clerk's 
initials on the return envelope. 
G~heEwise7--he 
sha±~-Be~e-aBy-eiseFepaBey-eB-~he-Ee~aEB-eB¥elepeT 
The clerk may not open any return envelope. 
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5. 
Envelopes and lists delivered. 
On election day, 
the 
clerk 
shall 
deliver 
or 
have 
delivered 
the 
return 
envelopes 
prescr ibed by section 752, subsection 3 T--w-i-t-b--t;.he.-app±~eat~eRsT 
wReR--Fe~H~FeaT--a&taeReG and 
a 
copy of 
the list required by 
section 753-B, subsection 6 T to the warden of the voting district 
in which the voter is registered, except in those municipalities 
where the clerk or the clerk's designee processes the absentee 
ballots centrally. 
In those municipalities where the absentee 
ballots are processed centrally, the clerk shall deliver or have 
delivered the materials described in this 
subsection to 
the 
person authorized by the clerk to process absentee ballots at the 
designated 
central 
location. 
After 
processing 
the 
absentee 
ballots, the warden or the clerk shall attach the copy of the 
list of absentee voters to the incoming voting list and seal it 
as provided in section 698. 
6. 
Procedure when duplicate envelopes received from same 
voter. 
If more than one return envelope is received from the 
same voter who was authorized to receive a 
2nd state absentee 
ballot pursuant to section 753-B, then the clerk or warden shall 
process and count the ballot from the envelope marked "second 
ballot issued" or bearing the latest date and time and shall 
reject and keep sealed the first absentee envelope. 
If more than 
one return envelope is received from the same voter who was not 
authorized to receive a 
2nd state absentee ballot pursuant to 
section 753-8, then the clerk or warden shall process and count 
the ballot from the envelope bearing the earliest date and time, 
If only one return envelope is received from a voter who was 
authorized to receive a 
2nd state absentee ballot pursuant to 
section 753-8, then the clerk or warden shall process and count 
that ballot for all offices or questions for which the voter was 
entitled to vote. 
Sec. 7. 21-A MRS A §759, sub-§l, as amended by PL 1995, c. 459, 
§76, is further amended to read: 
1. 
Warden to review notes of clerk. 
Unless a request to 
inspect app±~ea~ieRs-aRa envelopes is made pursuant to subsection 
8, the warden shall review the notes of the clerk on each return 
envelope according to the schedule posted under subsection 7. 
• 
.. 
Sec. 8. 21-A MRSA §759. sub-§2, as amended by PL 1995, c. 459, 
§77, is further amended to read: 
2. 
Accepted if correct. 
If the warden finds that the 
affidavit is properly completedT-~Aa~-~~~~~~-~~~~ieG-~aa~ 
~ae--&~aa~~Fe-~a-~~-~1~-~~-~~-6~~Ra~~~e--eR--~ae 
app~iea~ieR--whe-r~-appli,ea:eleT and that the person is registered 
and enrolled where necessary, the warden shall then examine the 
incoming voting list to determine whether the voter voted in 
person at the election. 
The warden shall then announce the name 
of each absentee voter who has not voted at the election and 
remove 
each ballot 
from its envelope without destroying the 
envelope or unfolding the ballot. 
After having an election clerk 
from a political party different from that of the warden mark the 
letters 
"AV" 
beside the 
name 
of each absentee voter on the 
incoming voting lists, the warden shall accept the ballot. 
Sec. 9. 21-A MRS A §759, sub-§3, 1JA, as amended by PL 1999, c. 
645, §9, is repealed. 
Sec. 10. 21-A MRSA §759. sub-§8. as repealed and replaced by 
PL 1999, c. 645, §10, is amended to read: 
8. 
Inspection of absentee envelopes before processing. 
If 
a candidate or the candidate's representative notifies the clerk 
before 5 p.m. on the day before election day that the candidate 
or 
the 
candidate's 
representative wishes 
to 
inspect absentee 
ballot appli,ea~i~a&-aBe envelopes before they are processed, the 
warden or clerk shall allow the candidate or representative to 
inspect the appliea~i,eB&-aBe envelopes of ballots before they are 
processed or for 
minutes after the time specified in the 
notice 
for 
processing 
on 
election 
day. 
The 
warden 
may 
immediately proceed to process the ballots after the candidate or 
representative has completed the review. 
If the municipality processes absentee ballots only after the 
polls 
close 
on 
election 
day, 
then 
the 
candidate 
or 
the 
candidate's representative must notify the warden by 5 p.m. on 
election day that the candidate or the candidate's representative 
wishes 
to 
inspect absentee ballot 
appliea~ieR6--aBe envelopes 
after the polls close. 
The warden shall allow the candidate or 
representative to inspect the 
applieat:-~as--aRe envelopes for 30 
minutes 
after 
the 
polls 
close. 
The 
warden 
may 
irr~ediately 
proceed 
to 
process 
the 
ballots 
after 
the 
candidate 
or 
representative has completed the review. 
Sec. 11. 21-A MRSA §760-A. sub-§l. as amended by PL 2001, c. 
310, §57, is further amended to read: 
1. 
Envelopes retained. 
The clerk shall retain possession 
of 
return absentee 
envelopes 
witR--tRe--a~~~ieatieas--attaeResT 
wReFe--~eEj\i4~eST 
and 
the 
list 
required 
by 
section 
753-B, 
subsection 6. 
Sec. 12. 21-A MRSA §762. first 1[. as enacted by PL 1985, c. 
161, §6, is amended to read: 
An absentee ballot may not be rejected for any immaterial 
irregularity in completing the 
app~ieatl,o.n.-eF affidavit on the 
return 
envelope. 
The 
following 
information 
must 
be 
on 
the 
envelope for the ballot to be accepted: 
Sec. 13. 21-A MRSA §763. as amended by PL 1999, c. 645, §ll, 
is further amended to read: 
§763. Return of election materials 
As soon as the ballots have been counted, the app±ieatieasT 
wReFe---H~Ej\i4~eST 
absentee 
ballots, 
return 
envelopes, 
lis ts 
required by sections 753-B and 756 and other election materials 
must be repacked, in accordance with section 698, and returned to 
the clerk. The clerk shall keep them in the clerk' s office for 
the time required by section 23. 
Sec. 14. 21-A MRSA §764. as amended by PL 1997, c. 436, §1l5, 
is further amended to read: 
§764. Envelopes as public records 
Absentee 
ballot app±ieatieas--aas--aaseatee--aa±±et return 
envelopes 
are 
public 
records 
until 
the 
close 
of 
voting 
on 
election day, 
or 
until 
the 
ballots 
have 
been 
processed 
on 
election day, 
if the municipality processes 
absentee ballots 
before 8:00 p.m. 
After that time, except as provided in section 
759, subsection 8, the ap.f'l±ieatiea&-aas envelopes are not public 
records and may be inspected only in accordance with this Title. 
Sec. 15. 21-A MRSA §780. as repealeci and replaced by PL 2003, 
c. 407, §31, is amended to read: 
§780. Absentee ballots 
A uniformed service voter or an overseas voter may request 
an absentee ballot as provided in section +e~-A 753-B, subsection 
I-A or by submitting a federal application or form requesting an 
absentee ballot. 
With 
respect 
to 
any 
election 
for 
federal 
office, a clerk may not refuse to accept or process any otherwise 
Page ll-LR0266(l) 
" 
valid 
voter 
registration 
application 
or 
absentee 
ballot 
a~~±ieatien request submitted by a uniformed service voter or an 
overseas 
voter 
on 
the 
grounds 
that the voter 
submitted 
the 
a~~±ieatien request more than 3 months before the election for 
which 
the 
a~~±ieatien request will 
be 
used. 
--An 
A federal 
application or request for an absentee ballot for 
a 
uniformed 
service voter or overseas voter that is accepted 
~QF6QaR~--te 
see~ien--+§~-A-
remains 
valid 
through 
the 
next 
regularly 
scheduled general elections for federal office and entitles the 
voter to receive absentee ballots for all elections during that 
period. 
Sec. 16. 21-A MRSA §780-A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 407, 
§32, is amended to read: 
§780-A. Use of blank write-in absentee ballot 
Prior 
to 
the 
time 
when 
regular 
absentee 
ballots 
are 
available or sent to voters, if aa-aFF~,ieaat a voter requests a 
blank write-in absentee ballot or indicates that it takes more 
than 
weeks 
to receive 
and return mail 
to 
the 
a~~±ieaat~s 
voter's location, the clerk shall send a blank write-in absentee 
ballot to the voter. 
Once the regular absentee ballots become 
available, the clerk shall issue a 
regular absentee ballot in 
response to any request under this section. 
If the clerk has 
issued a blank write-in absentee ballot to a voter before the 
regular absentee ballots become available, the clerk may send a 
regular absentee ballot to the voter, following the procedures 
for issuing a 2nd absentee ballot under section 753-B. 
Sec. 17. 21-A MRS A §781-A, as enacted by PL 
2003, c. 407, 
§34, is repealed. 
Sec. 18. 21-A MRSA §791, sub-§l, as amended by PL 1999, c. 
645, §12, is repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
1. 
Class E crime. 
A municipal clerk commits 
a 
Class E 
cr ime if that clerk, when a person has voted by absentee ballot 
in the clerk's presence under section 753-B, subsection 8, signs 
the clerk's name to an affidavit on the absentee ballot return 
envelope and the affidavit is not properly completed. 
SUMMARY 
This bill 
amends 
the 
current absentee voting 
system to 
enhance voting by mail as follows: 
1. 
It repeals the application process for absentee voting; 
Page l2-LR0266(1) 
2. 
It requires municipal clerks to mail ballots and return 
envelopes to registered voters 30 days before an election; 
3. 
It requires the municipal clerk to verify the addresses 
of registered voters prior to mailing out ballots as provided in 
rules; 
4. 
It allows persons who register after absentee ballots 
were mailed out to request a ballot by mail or receive one in 
person from the municipal clerk; 
5. 
It provides a process for requesting an absentee ballot 
if that person was not automatically mailed one by the clerk or 
if that person is a uniformed service voter or an overseas voter; 
and 
6. 
It repeals provisions that allow 3rd-party or immediate 
family participation in voting by absentee ballot. 
.,.