Text: SF00283 Text: SF00285 Text: SF00200 - SF00299 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 53.2, Code 2001, is amended to read as 1 2 follows: 1 3 53.2 APPLICATION FOR BALLOT. 1 4Any registered voterAn eligible elector, under the 1 5 circumstances specified in section 53.1, may on any day, 1 6 except election day, and not more than seventy days prior to 1 7 the date of the election, apply in person for an absentee 1 8 ballot at the commissioner's office or at any location 1 9 designated by the commissioner, or make written application to 1 10 the commissioner for an absentee ballot. The state 1 11 commissioner shall prescribe a form for absentee ballot 1 12 applications. However, ifa registered voteran eligible 1 13 elector submits an application that includes all of the 1 14 information required in this section, the prescribed form is 1 15 not required. Absentee ballot applications may include 1 16 instructions to send the application directly to the county 1 17 commissioner of elections. However, no absentee ballot 1 18 application shall be preaddressed or printed with instructions 1 19 to send the applications to anyone other than the appropriate 1 20 commissioner. 1 21 No absentee ballot application shall be preaddressed or 1 22 printed with instructions to send the ballot to anyone other 1 23 than the voter. 1 24 This section does not require that a written communication 1 25 mailed to the commissioner's office to request an absentee 1 26 ballot, or any other document be notarized as a prerequisite 1 27 to receiving or marking an absentee ballot or returning to the 1 28 commissioner an absentee ballot which has been voted. 1 29 Each application shall containthe name and signature of1 30the registered voter, the address at which the voter is1 31registered to vote,all the information required in section 1 32 48A.11 and shall be sufficient to constitute voter 1 33 registration. The commissioner shall place the eligible 1 34 elector's name on the registration record as a registered 1 35 voter, if it does not already appear there. If the name 2 1 already appears on the registration record but any correction 2 2 is needed, the commissioner shall make such correction using 2 3 the information submitted on the application. The application 2 4 shall also containandthe name or date of the election for 2 5 which the absentee ballot is requested, and such other 2 6 information as may be necessary to determine the correct 2 7 absentee ballot for theregistered votereligible elector. If 2 8 insufficient information has been provided, the commissioner 2 9 shall, by the best means available, obtain the additional 2 10 necessary information. 2 11 An application for a primary election ballot which 2 12 specifies a party different from that recorded on the 2 13 registered voter's voter registration record shall be accepted 2 14 as a change or declaration of party affiliation. The 2 15 commissioner shall approve the change or declaration and enter 2 16 a notation of the change on the registration records. A 2 17 notice shall be sent with the ballot requested informing the 2 18 voter that the voter's registration record will be changed to 2 19 show that the voter is now affiliated with the party whose 2 20 ballot the voter requested. 2 21 If an application for an absentee ballot is received from 2 22 an eligible elector who is not a registered voter the 2 23 commissioner shall register the eligible elector as provided 2 24 in this sectionsend a registration form under section 48A.82 25and an absentee ballot to the eligible elector. If the 2 26 application is received so late thatit is unlikely thatthe 2 27 registrationform can be returned in time tocannot be 2 28 effectiveon election day, the commissioner shallenclose with2 29the absentee ballotsend a notice to that effect, informing 2 30 the voter of the registration time limits in section 48A.9. 2 31The commissioner shall record on the elector's application2 32that the elector is not currently registered to vote. If the2 33registration form is properly returned by the time provided by2 34section 48A.9, the commissioner shall record on the elector's2 35application the date of receipt of the registration form and3 1enter a notation of the registration on the registration3 2records.3 3A registered voter who has not moved from the county in3 4which the elector is registered to vote may submit a change of3 5name, telephone number, or address on the form prescribed in3 6section 48A.8 when casting an absentee ballot. Upon receipt3 7of a properly completed form, the commissioner shall enter a3 8notation of the change on the registration records.3 9 Sec. 2. Section 53.22, subsection 1, paragraph a, 3 10 unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2001, is amended to read as 3 11 follows: 3 12AAn eligible elector or registered voter who has applied 3 13 for an absentee ballot, in a manner other than that prescribed 3 14 by section 53.11, and who is a resident or patient in a health 3 15 care facility or hospital located in the county to which the 3 16 application has been submitted shall be delivered the 3 17 appropriate absentee ballot by two special precinct election 3 18 officers, one of whom shall be a member of each of the 3 19 political parties referred to in section 49.13, who shall be 3 20 appointed by the commissioner from the election board panel 3 21 for the special precinct established by section 53.20. The 3 22 special precinct election officers shall be sworn in the 3 23 manner provided by section 49.75 for election board members, 3 24 shall receive compensation as provided in section 49.20 and 3 25 shall perform their duties during the ten calendar days 3 26 preceding the election and on election day if all ballots 3 27 requested under section 53.8, subsection 3, have not 3 28 previously been delivered and returned. 3 29 Sec. 3. Section 53.22, subsection 1, paragraph c, Code 3 30 2001, is amended to read as follows: 3 31 c. The special precinct election officers shall travel 3 32 together in the same vehicle and both shall be present when an 3 33 applicant casts an absentee ballot. If either or both of the 3 34 special precinct election officers fail to appear at the time 3 35 the duties set forth in this section are to be performed, the 4 1 commissioner shall at once appoint some other person, giving 4 2 preference to persons designated by the respective county 4 3 chairpersons of the political parties described in section 4 4 49.13, to carry out the requirements of this section. The 4 5 persons authorized by this subsection to deliver an absentee 4 6 ballot to an applicant, if requested, may assist the applicant 4 7 in filling out the ballot as permitted by section 49.90. 4 8 After the eligible elector or registered voter has securely 4 9 sealed the marked ballot in the envelope provided and has 4 10 subscribed to the oath, the voted absentee ballots shall be 4 11 deposited in a sealed container which shall be returned to the 4 12 commissioner on the same day the ballots are voted. On 4 13 election day the officers shall return the sealed container by 4 14 the time the polls are closed. 4 15 Sec. 4. Section 53.22, subsection 4, Code 2001, is amended 4 16 to read as follows: 4 17 4. The commissioner shall mail an absentee ballot toaan 4 18 eligible elector or registered voter who has applied for an 4 19 absentee ballot and who is a patient or resident of a hospital 4 20 or health care facility outside the county in which the voter 4 21 is registered to vote. 4 22 EXPLANATION 4 23 This bill combines a voter registration form with a request 4 24 for an absentee ballot so that any request for an absentee 4 25 ballot is also treated as a request to register to vote. The 4 26 county commissioner shall use the information on the absentee 4 27 ballot application to register persons not already appearing 4 28 on the registration record, or to update registration 4 29 information for voters already appearing on the record. The 4 30 practice of sending a separate voter registration form along 4 31 with an absentee ballot is no longer needed. 4 32 LSB 2539SS 79 4 33 ta/pj/5
Text: SF00283 Text: SF00285 Text: SF00200 - SF00299 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
© 2001 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa
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