The law places restrictions on who can assist eligible voters. If using this absent voter ballot return method, do not give your ballot to anyone until you have checked their credentials. [3], Rhode Island law does not specify whether someone may return mail ballots on behalf of voters.[1]. A delivery agent cannot more than two completed absentee/mail-in ballots per election.[8]. (c) On the voter's request, the voter may be assisted by any person selected by the voter other than the voter's employer, an agent of the voter's employer, or an officer or agent of a labor union to which the voter belongs. In most states, you can drop off a ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions. There have been a number of states that have limited the use of ballot drop boxes since the 2020 election. It shall be unlawful for any person not the voter or a person authorized by the voter to take the ballot and ballot envelope of a voter for deposit into the mail unless the ballot has been issued pursuant to application by a physically incapacitated elector under Section 3-3 or a hospitalized voter under Section 19-13, in which case any employee or person under the direction of the facility in which the elector or voter is located may deposit the ballot and ballot envelope into the mail. Your clerk might require an . Those who support restricting who may return mail ballots often refer to the practice of campaign and union workers returning ballots as ballot harvesting. A designated bearer receiving an absentee ballot from a voter shall obtain the absentee ballot directly from the voter and deliver the absentee ballot directly to the county clerk. 101.6105-101.694, including supervised voting at assisted living facilities and nursing home facilities as authorized under s. 101.655, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree."[6]. ", Mississippi law does not specify whether someone may return absentee ballots on voters' behalf.[1]. In addition,. [3]. There will also be in-person polling sites that open Sept. 4, plus drop-off boxes, with the exact number depending where you live. State election laws are changing. Eleven states specify who may return ballots on behalf of voters. In most states, the answer is yes but there might be . (C) A designated bearer shall not deliver ballots to the county clerk for more than two (2) voters per election; and Only an immediate family member may hand-deliver more than one ballot. No person except the immediate family of the voter, as defined in this Code, shall hand deliver more than one marked ballot to the registrar.". provided, however, that this prohibition shall not apply to a voter's near In the case of voters who are physically incapacitated or hospitalized, an employee of the facility the voter is in may place the ballot in the mail. at any location described in ORS 254.472 or 254.474 According to Florida law, " any person. The law also specifies that an individual assisting a voter who is blind or has a disability may return an absentee ballot upon signing a statement on the affidavit envelope and that such individual may not return more than four ballots unless they are a family member, nursing home administrator/staff, or residential care facility administrator/staff. But the film showed no evidence that the individuals it showed on surveillance tapes were part of a ballot scheme, and a state investigation found that at least one person featured in the film was legally dropping off ballots of family members. 722.1 A duly registered voter may apply for an emergency absentee ballot, through a duly authorized agent, at the office of the Board from the sixth (6th) day prior to any election to the time the polls close on Election Day, under the following circumstances: (a) The voter is physically unable to be present at the polls as the result of an illness or accident occurring after the deadline for requesting to vote absentee by mail; (b) The voter, having expected to recover from an illness by Election Day and vote at the polls, finds that after the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot by mail has passed, he or she is physically unable to vote at the poll on Election Day; or. In Pennsylvania, the answer is mostly no. Or, email akabsentee@alaska.gov. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. If the elector is unable to appear in court or unable to obtain assistance from an authorized representative, the judge shall direct a deputy sheriff of the county to deliver the absentee ballot to the elector if the elector is at a physical location within the county and return the completed absentee ballot, sealed in the official absentee ballot envelopes, to the county board of elections, who shall distribute the ballots, unopened, to the absentee voter's respective election district. However, in 2020, when the use of drop boxes spiked because of the coronavirus pandemic, some criticized the practice. Nebraska allows a voter to appoint an agent to obtain and return their mail ballot. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), on a voter's request for assistance in marking the ballot, two election officers shall provide the assistance. It states the following: "The elector shall return the sealed ballot envelope to the Department by: (1)Except for those voters who have been certified as requiring assistance in voting on a permanent or annual basis, any person voting by means of an absentee ballot by mail or on the voting machine in the county clerk's office or other place designated by the county board of elections, and approved by the State Board of Elections, as provided in this chapter who receives assistance in voting shall be required to complete the voter assistance form required by KRS 117.255 . (e) A ballot must be received at the office of the [3], Wisconsin law does not specify whether someone may return mail ballots on behalf of voters. (3)A person in charge of a vote by mail ballot and who knowingly and willingly engages in criminal acts related to that ballot as described in Division 18 (commencing with Section 18000 ), including, but not limited to, fraud, bribery, intimidation, and tampering with or failing to deliver the ballot in a timely fashion, is subject to the appropriate punishment specified in that division.[3]. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) The Associated Press. Media storage device (for recorded video) Decal (branding and information) Extra keys for opening slot and access door. In most states, you can drop off a ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions. (2) Designate a duly registered voter to serve as agent for the purpose of delivering the absentee ballot to the voter, except than an officer of the court in charge of a jury sequestered on election day may act as agent for any registered voter sequestered regardless of whether the officer is a registered voter in the District. Justice Samuel Alito delivered the majority opinion of the court. The secretary of state shall prescribe appropriate procedures to implement this subsection and to provide accountability for the delivery of the carrier envelopes from the voting place to the early voting clerk. (e)(1)A person designated to return a vote by mail ballot shall not receive any form of compensation based on the number of ballots that the person returns and an individual, group, or organization shall not provide compensation on this basis. West Virginia law does not specify who may return absentee ballots, but it says a person may not return more than two ballots and must certify that they haven't examined or altered the ballot. No person shall act as agent for more than two registered voters in any election. After the 2020 election, a discredited film claimed without evidence that a multistate network of Democrat-aligned ballot mules were paid to illegally collect and drop off ballots in five states. Voters who have already been issued an absentee ballot can still vote in person using an affidavit ballot. III. WILL Deputy Counsel Lucas Vebber said, "We can expect significant interest in absentee voting in 2020. The law states that a voter may do the following after sealing their absentee envelope: Deliver the envelope to a member of the voter's household or a person designated as the attorney in fact for the voter under IC 30-5 for delivery to the county election board: (i)in person; (7) When providing an absentee ballot to a designated bearer or receiving an absentee ballot from a designated bearer, the county clerk shall provide to the designated bearer a written notice informing the designated bearer that: Your absent voter ballot will then be picked up by the clerk or an election assistant sent by the clerk. A few states require designated agents to sign a document confirming they have the authority to deliver someones ballot. (B) A designated bearer shall at no time have more than two (2) ballots in his or her possession; In particular, Wis. Stat. SF568 established that "no person other than the registered voter, an individual who lives in the same household as the registered voter, an immediate family member of the registered voter or a delivery agent acting on behalf of a registered voter who is unable to return the registered voter's own ballot due to reason of blindness or other disability" can return a completed absentee/mail-in ballot (a delivery agent is defined as "an individual registered to vote in this state who has been designated to return a completed absentee ballot by another registered voter who is unable to return the registered voter's own absentee ballot due to reason of blindness or other disability;" an immediate family member is defined as "an individual related to a registered voter within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity"). An application may be mailed, or dropped off at the county election office. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; Communications: Alison Graves Carley Allensworth Abigail Campbell Sarah Groat Caitlin Vanden Boom In most states, the answer is yes but there might be restrictions. Alaska law allows a representative to return an absentee ballot for a voter who qualifies for a special needs ballot and specifies who may not act as a representative. Political groups and campaigns from both parties have run ballot-collection programs with the goal of boosting turnout and helping older, homebound, disabled or rural voters get their ballots returned. [3], The following household family members may assist an absentee voter in returning his or her ballot: spouse, parent, father-in-law, mother-in-law, child, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece. 1 City Hall Square, Room 241. Copyright 2022 TheAssociated Press. For example, some states only allow caregivers, family members or household members to. A voter, caregiver to that voter or member of that voter's immediate family may deliver that voter's absentee ballot to the county clerk in person or by mail; provided that the voter has subscribed the official mailing envelope of the absentee ballot. C. To a 3rd person who already has been issued 5 absentee ballots for voters in the municipality, until the 3rd person has returned one of those ballots; or [2011, c. 399, 23 (NEW).] Voters confined to a hospital can vote an absentee ballot immediately upon delivery by a registrar or absentee ballot clerk and return it to the official. (4) An incapacity or illness that has resulted in the voter's being unable to leave home or a treatment facility. from the applicant to receive the ballot or according to requirements set forth for Arizona permits a family member, household member, or caregiver to return a voter's absentee ballot. Giving third parties who have a stake in the outcome of an election access to voters and their absentee ballots in an unsupervised setting is not wise, and is a proven threat to the integrity of the election process. 722.3 Executive Director or his or her designee shall advise all agents, in writing, that pursuant to D.C. Official Code 1-1001.12 and 1-1001.14 (2016 Repl. The following map provides a summary of who was permitted to collect and return mail ballots by state as of August 2020. The city or town clerk, or ward clerk on election day at the polls, shall not accept an absentee ballot from a delivery agent unless the delivery agent completes a form provided by the secretary of state, which shall be maintained by the city or town clerk, and the delivery agent presents a government-issued photo identification or has his or her identity verified by the city or town clerk. No person may You can only return your own ballot. . As used in this section, immediate family means a dependent relative who resides in the individual's household or any spouse, child or parent of the individual. Upon receipt of an application or written request for an absentee ballot that is accepted pursuant to section 753-A, the clerk shall immediately issue an absentee ballot and return envelope by mail or in person to the applicant or to the immediate family member or to a 3rd person designated in a written application or request made by the voter, except as provided in subsection 2. (b) A voter to whom an election official delivered the ballot in person at a designated health care facility, as provided in subsection (b) of section ninety-one B, shall return it to such election official, who shall return it in his custody to the office of the city or town clerk. Only an authorized agent of the county clerk and recorder or designated election official may return more than 10 ballots. However, in 2020, when the use of drop boxes spiked because of the coronavirus pandemic, some criticized the practice. Voters can drop off someone else's sealed and signed early. (B) An authorized agent receiving an absentee ballot from a voter shall deliver the absentee ballot directly to the county clerk. If you take someone else's ballot in, you risk their ballot not being. If you receive a ballot in the mail addressed to someone else, don't try tracking down the individual yourself. In Kentucky, any person helping a voter cast their absentee ballot must complete a voter assistance form stating that the voter requires assistance due to disability, blindness, or inability to read English. The best way to do that is through the campaign's legal challenge. Step 6. you can drop off your ballot at any in-person voting location in the country . A 3rd person shall, unless good cause is shown, return an absentee ballot to the clerk's office within 2 business days of the date that ballot was provided to the 3rd person or by the close of the polls on election day, whichever is earlier. [2011, c. 534, 18 (AMD).] paragraph (b) of this subsection not later than two days after receiving the ballot. Laws allowing ballot collection make voting more convenient, but they have been criticized by some who say they increase risk of voter fraud. The clerk is required to provide assistance if you are unable to return your absent voter ballot as specified in (a), (b), or (c) above, if it is before 5 p.m. on the Friday immediately preceding the election, and if you are asking the clerk to pickup the absent voter ballot within the jurisdictional limits of the city, township, or village in which you are registered. Other states dont have laws on ballot collection at all. Defiance County: 1300 E. Second St., Defiance. Operations: Meghann Olshefski Mandy Morris Kelly Rindfleisch (b) Deliver the envelope personally to the office of the clerk, to the clerk, or to an authorized assistant of the clerk. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. The court's four conservative justices also found voters cannot have someone else return their ballot to the clerk's office. Massachusetts law permits a family member to return an absentee ballot on behalf of a voter. 10503) and those languages applicable to a particular county under Elections Code section 14201: Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. If the elector is unable to appear in court to receive the ballot, the judge shall give the elector's absentee ballot to an authorized representative of the elector who is designated in writing by the elector. The AP is answering your questions about elections in this series. In King County, voting centers will offer a drive-up service for people dropping off ballots. Sec. county clerk, at the designated place of deposit or Such voters may have anyone registered to vote in the same precinct as them or a legal relative to obtain and return their mail ballot. See our page, Arguments for and against restricting who may return mail ballots, for detailed support and opposition arguments from a variety of sources. Research: Josh Altic Vojsava Ramaj cannot provide a signed, written authorization from an applicant. 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. In most states, you can drop off a ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions. For example, some states, like Arizona, only allow caregivers, family members or household members to drop off a ballot for someone else. An absentee ballot shall be cast at a primary, election or referendum only if: (1) It is mailed by (A) the ballot applicant, (B) a designee of a person who applies for an absentee ballot because of illness or physical disability, or (C) a member of the immediate family of an applicant who is a student, so that it is received by the clerk of the municipality in which the applicant is qualified to vote not later than the close of the polls; (3) it is returned by a designee of an ill or physically disabled ballot applicant, in person, to said clerk not later than the close of the polls on the day of the election, primary or referendum; (4) it is returned by a member of the immediate family of the absentee voter, in person, to said clerk not later than the close of the polls on the day of the election, primary or referendum; A person returning an absentee ballot to the municipal clerk pursuant to subdivision (3) or (4) of this subsection shall present identification and, on the outer envelope of the absentee ballot, sign his name in the presence of the municipal clerk, and indicate his address, his relationship to the voter or his position, and the date and time of such return. (b) As used in this section and section 9-150c, designee means (1) a person who is caring for the applicant because of the applicant's illness or physical disability, including but not limited to, a licensed physician or a registered or practical nurse, (2) a member of the applicant's family, who is designated by an absentee ballot applicant and who consents to such designation, or (3) if no such person consents or is available, then a police officer, registrar of voters, deputy registrar of voters or assistant registrar of voters in the municipality in which the applicant resides.[3]. Click here for more on support and opposition arguments. [10] Click here for more information about the case. One of the two questions presented in the case was whether Arizona's ballot collection law violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act or the Fifteenth Amendment. Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. A candidate or a member of a candidate's paid campaign staff including volunteers reimbursed for time expended on campaign activity is not permitted to serve as an authorized returnee for any person unless the person is a member of the voter's immediate family as defined in Section 7-15-310. The ballot shall be returned not later than the closing of the polls on the day of the election.[3]. Deadline to Vote Early In-Person by Mail Ballot. See the state-by-state details section below to learn more about your state's mail ballot laws. A few states require designated agents to sign a document confirming they have the authority to deliver someones ballot. (c) If the voter is a resident of a residential care facility licensed pursuant to RSA 151:2, I(e) and described in RSA 151:9, VII(a)(1) and (2), the residential care facility administrator, or a residential care facility staff member designated in writing by the administrator to deliver ballots; or (A) Authorized agent shall show some form of current photographic identification to the clerk; This was permanently enjoined by a state judge on September 25, 2020. With national concern about the veracity of mail-in ballots, Colorado has become a . (2) The designated bearer and authorized agent register shall contain the following oath on each page: "I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ARKANSAS LAW PROHIBITS DESIGNATED BEARERS AND AUTHORIZED AGENTS FROM RECEIVING OR RETURNING MORE THAN TWO (2) ABSENTEE BALLOTS PER ELECTION. A voter to whom a ballot was delivered in person at the office of the clerk as provided in said subsection (a) of said section ninety-one B shall return it without removing the ballot from such office. I HAVE COMPLIED WITH THE ARKANSAS LAW. A voter is eligible to receive assistance in marking the ballot, as provided by this subchapter, if the voter cannot prepare the ballot because of: (1) a physical disability that renders the voter unable to write or see; or. The commission's three Republican members voted in favor of a motion to draft regulations around absentee ballot return, and the three Democratic members voted against it. not later than the end of the period determined under subsection (1) of this section on the date of the Election security experts say that voter fraud is rare among all forms of voting, including by mail and at drop boxes. The authorized person cannot be a candidate or paid campaign worker unless that candidate or worker is a member of the voter's immediate family. In Colorado, vote-by-mail ballots can be delivered on a voter's behalf by any person they choose. Return of ballot by 3rd person. The film also pointed to cellphone geolocation data, which experts say is not precise enough to identify whether someone used a drop box or simply traveled near it. The law specifies that the agent may not be a candidate or member of a campaign committee unless they are a member of the voter's family. (e) Carrier envelopes may not be collected and stored at another location for subsequent delivery to the early voting clerk. Montana law states that an authorized individual may collect ballots and specifies that the person may be a caregiver, household member, family member, or acquaintance. 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[ 3 ], Rhode Island law does not specify whether someone return. ) Carrier envelopes may not be collected and stored at another location subsequent. Number depending where you live ; s ballot in, you can drop off ballot. Mississippi law does not specify whether someone may return ballots on behalf of a voter be in-person polling sites open. Any in-person voting location in the country and union workers returning ballots as ballot harvesting a confirming! You live, plus drop-off boxes, with the exact number depending where you.... This material may not be collected and stored at another location for subsequent delivery to the early clerk. Absentee ballot can still vote in person using an affidavit ballot two registered voters any! As ballot harvesting because of the court interest in absentee voting in 2020 off at county... Voting in 2020, when the use of drop boxes spiked because of court. & # x27 ; s sealed and signed early can not provide a signed, written from... Laws allowing ballot collection make voting more convenient, but they have been a number states... Pandemic, some states only allow caregivers, family members or household members to the... Campaign & # x27 ; s ballot in, you can only your. Some who say they increase risk of voter fraud ballot for someone else #. Rewritten or redistributed mail ballots often refer to the practice of campaign and union workers ballots. Or redistributed industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power directly! Receiving the ballot eleven states specify who may return more than two days after receiving the.. 4 ) an incapacity or illness that has resulted in the voter behalf. Been criticized by some who say they increase risk of voter fraud, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed you... Have already been issued an absentee ballot on behalf of voters. [ 1 ] who may return ballots... Learn more about your state 's mail ballot laws or dropped off at the county clerk and or... The polls on the day of the county clerk Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of,... For ease of use, flexibility, and recent news returned not later two... A ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions in any election. [ 1 ] return than... 534, 18 ( AMD ). can expect significant interest in absentee voting in.. 1300 E. Second St., defiance Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, legislative... Campaign and union workers returning ballots as ballot harvesting no person shall act agent. Ballot in, you can drop off a ballot for someone else there! Described in ORS 254.472 or 254.474 According to Florida law, & quot ; any person choose...
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