Text: HF02022 Text: HF02024 Text: HF02000 - HF02099 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 49.25, subsection 3, Code Supplement 1 2 1997, is amended to read as follows: 1 3 3. The commissioner shall furnish to each precinct where 1 4 voting is to be by paper ballot, special paper ballot, or 1 5 ballot card, rather than by voting machine, the necessary 1 6 ballot boxes, suitably equipped with seals or locks and keys, 1 7 and voting booths. The voting booths shall be approved by the 1 8 board of examiners for voting machines and electronic voting 1 9 systems and shall provide for voting in secrecy. At least one 1 10 voting booth in each precinct shall be equipped with lights 1 11 and shall be accessible to persons with disabilities and to 1 12 persons who are blind and casting a special paper ballot. If 1 13 the lighting in the polling place is inadequate, the voting 1 14 booths used in that precinct shallincludebe equipped with 1 15 lights. Ballot boxes shall be locked or sealed before the 1 16 polls open and shall remain locked or sealed until the polls 1 17 are closed, except as provided in sections 51.7 and 52.40, or 1 18 to provide necessary service to a malfunctioning portable vote 1 19 tallying device. If a ballot box is opened prior to the 1 20 closing of the polls, two precinct election officials not of 1 21 the same party shall be present and observe the ballot box 1 22 being opened. 1 23 Sec. 2. Section 49.57, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 1 24 Supplement 1997, is amended to read as follows: 1 25 Ballots shall be prepared as follows, except as otherwise 1 26 provided in section 49.90: 1 27 Sec. 3. Section 49.90, Code 1997, is amended by adding the 1 28 following new unnumbered paragraph: 1 29 NEW UNNUMBERED PARAGRAPH. In lieu of receiving assistance 1 30 at the polling place, for any election held in the county, a 1 31 voter who is blind may request, in writing, that the 1 32 commissioner of elections prepare a special paper ballot for 1 33 the voter to mark on election day at the polling place. The 1 34 entire ballot shall be printed in capital letters of uniform 1 35 size in not less than fourteen point type or shall be printed 2 1 in braille. The written request shall specify whether the 2 2 voter wishes to have the ballot printed in large type or in 2 3 braille. The written request must be received in the office 2 4 of the county commissioner no later than five p.m. on the 2 5 eighty-ninth day before the date of the election for which the 2 6 special paper ballot is requested. The special paper ballot 2 7 shall be handled by election officials in the same manner as a 2 8 ballot voted with assistance pursuant to this section. 2 9 Sec. 4. Section 53.2, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2 10 Supplement 1997, is amended to read as follows: 2 11 Any registered voter, under the circumstances specified in 2 12 section 53.1, may on any day, except election day, and not 2 13 more than seventy days prior to the date of the election, 2 14 apply in person for an absentee ballot at the commissioner's 2 15 office or at any location designated by the commissioner, or 2 16 make written application to the commissioner for an absentee 2 17 ballot. However, a person who is blind and who is requesting 2 18 a special absentee ballot must submit a written request for 2 19 the special absentee ballot pursuant to this section no later 2 20 than five p.m. on the eighty-ninth day before the date of the 2 21 election. The state commissioner shall prescribe a form for 2 22 absentee ballot applications. However, if a registered voter 2 23 submits an application that includes all of the information 2 24 required in this section, the prescribed form is not required. 2 25 Absentee ballot applications may include instructions to send 2 26 the application directly to the county commissioner of 2 27 elections. However, no absentee ballot application shall be 2 28 preaddressed or printed with instructions to send the 2 29 applications to anyone other than the appropriate 2 30 commissioner. 2 31 Sec. 5. Section 53.2, Code Supplement 1997, is amended by 2 32 adding the following new unnumbered paragraph: 2 33 NEW UNNUMBERED PARAGRAPH. A voter who is blind and who 2 34 requests an absentee ballot may, at that time, also request, 2 35 in writing, that the commissioner of elections prepare a 3 1 special absentee ballot for the voter to mark. The ballot and 3 2 the affidavit that accompanies the ballot shall be printed in 3 3 capital letters of uniform size in not less than fourteen 3 4 point type or shall be printed in braille. The written 3 5 request shall specify whether the voter wishes to have the 3 6 special absentee ballot printed in large type or in braille. 3 7 Sec. 6. Section 53.15, unnumbered paragraph 2, Code 1997, 3 8 is amended to read as follows: 3 9 Registered voters who are blind, cannot read, or because of 3 10 any other physical disability, are unable to mark their own 3 11 absentee ballot, may have the assistance of any person the 3 12 registered voter may select. Registered voters who are blind 3 13 may also request a special absentee ballot provided for in 3 14 section 53.2. 3 15 EXPLANATION 3 16 This bill allows a voter who is blind to request a special 3 17 paper ballot printed in large type or printed in braille. The 3 18 written request for a special paper ballot must be made to the 3 19 county commissioner of elections at least 89 days before the 3 20 date of the election for which the special paper ballot is 3 21 requested. An absentee ballot may be requested in this manner 3 22 also. 3 23 LSB 3101YH 77 3 24 sc/jl/8
Text: HF02022 Text: HF02024 Text: HF02000 - HF02099 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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