S.F. 328 Section 1. Section 53.17, subsection 2, Code 2015, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 2. In order for the ballot to be counted, the return 3 envelope must be received in the commissioner’s office before 4 the polls close on election day or must be clearly postmarked 5 by an officially authorized postal service not later than the 6 day before the election and received by the commissioner not 7 later than noon on the Monday following the election or must 8 be clearly postmarked by received by the commissioner through 9 an officially authorized postal service not later than 5:00 10 p.m. on the day before after the election and received by the 11 commissioner not later than noon on the Monday following the 12 election . 13 EXPLANATION 14 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 15 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 16 This bill relates to absentee ballot deadlines. Under 17 current law, an absentee ballot received by a county 18 commissioner of elections is valid if it is received by the 19 commissioner before the polls close on election day or if it is 20 clearly postmarked by an officially authorized postal service 21 not later than the day before the election and is received by 22 the commissioner not later than noon on the Monday following 23 the election. Under the bill, for an absentee ballot to be 24 counted it must be received in the commissioner’s office 25 before the polls close on election day or it must be clearly 26 postmarked not later than the day before the election and be 27 received by the commissioner by noon on the Monday following 28 the election or it must be received by the commissioner through 29 an officially authorized postal service not later than 5:00 30 p.m. on the day after the election. 31 -1- LSB 2058SV (2) 86 aw/sc 1/ 1