2008 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 413<br /> – Election, absentee voter, permanent

HOUSE BILL NO. 413

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Bill Status



H0413......................................................by STATE AFFAIRS
ELECTIONS - ABSENTEE VOTERS - Amends existing law relating to elections to
provide for application by a qualified school elector for status as a
permanent absentee voter; to provide for written application by any
registered elector to the county clerk for status as a permanent absentee
voter; to provide for validation, process and tabulation of ongoing
absentee ballots; to provide for termination of permanent absentee voter
status; and to provide for any registered municipal elector to submit an
application to the county clerk for status as a permanent voter.

01/24    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/25    Rpt prt - to St Aff

Bill Text




                                                                       
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-ninth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2008

                                                                       

                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 413

                                 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO ELECTIONS; AMENDING SECTION 33-406, IDAHO  CODE,  TO  PROVIDE  FOR
  3        APPLICATION BY A QUALIFIED SCHOOL ELECTOR FOR STATUS AS A PERMANENT ABSEN-
  4        TEE VOTER AND TO PROVIDE FOR PROCESSING OF SUCH APPLICATION; AMENDING SEC-
  5        TION 34-1002, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE FOR WRITTEN APPLICATION BY ANY REGIS-
  6        TERED  ELECTOR  TO  THE  COUNTY  CLERK  FOR STATUS AS A PERMANENT ABSENTEE
  7        VOTER, TO PROVIDE FOR VALIDATION, PROCESS AND TABULATION OF ONGOING ABSEN-
  8        TEE BALLOTS, TO PROVIDE FOR TERMINATION OF PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTER STATUS
  9        AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS;  AND  AMENDING  SECTION  50-443,  IDAHO
 10        CODE, TO PROVIDE FOR WRITTEN APPLICATION BY ANY REGISTERED MUNICIPAL ELEC-
 11        TOR  TO  THE  CITY CLERK FOR AN OFFICIAL BALLOT, TO PROVIDE FOR ANY REGIS-
 12        TERED MUNICIPAL ELECTOR TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE COUNTY  CLERK  FOR
 13        STATUS  AS  A PERMANENT VOTER PURSUANT TO IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE FOR PROC-
 14        ESSING OF SUCH APPLICATION AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.

 15    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

 16        SECTION 1.  That Section 33-406, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
 17    amended to read as follows:

 18        33-406.  ABSENTEE  VOTING.  For  the  purposes  of  this  section the term
 19    "clerk" shall mean the clerk of the board of county commissioners whenever  an
 20    election involves changing the boundaries of school districts, or the creation
 21    of  new  school  districts by consolidation of districts or division of a dis-
 22    trict. In all other school elections the term "clerk" shall mean the clerk  of
 23    the board of trustees of the school district.
 24        In  any school election, a qualified school elector may vote in such elec-
 25    tion by absentee ballot in the manner  herein  provided.  A  qualified  school
 26    elector may apply to the county clerk for status as a permanent absentee voter
 27    pursuant to section 34-1002(2), Idaho Code, and such application will be proc-
 28    essed in accordance with section 34-1002(1), Idaho Code.
 29        Any such elector may make written application to the clerk for a ballot or
 30    ballots  of  the kind or kinds to be voted on at such election, which applica-
 31    tion shall contain the name of the elector, the trustee zone of  the  district
 32    in  which  he  resides, and his present address. The application for an absent
 33    elector's ballot shall be filed with the clerk not later than 5:00 p.m. of the
 34    day before the election.
 35        The clerk receiving such application shall,  not  more  than  twenty-eight
 36    (28)  days prior to the day of the election, deliver to said applicant elector
 37    personally or by mail to the mailing address given in the application, postage
 38    prepaid, a ballot or ballots, one (1) of each kind thereof, to be voted on  in
 39    the election, and a form of oath of qualification.
 40        The  elector  shall vote in secret and shall enclose his ballot or ballots
 41    in an envelope to be supplied by the clerk and  seal  the  same.  The  elector
 42    shall  then place the secrecy envelope in a return envelope, together with the
 43    form of oath of qualification executed  by  him,  and  address  and  mail,  or

                                       2

  1    deliver,  the  same  to the clerk. The absentee ballot must be received by the
  2    clerk, not later than 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election, before such ballot
  3    may be counted.
  4        Any elector physically unable to mark his own ballot  may  receive  assis-
  5    tance  in  marking his ballot from the officer delivering same or an available
  6    person of his own  choosing. In the event the officer is requested  to  render
  7    assistance  in marking an absent elector's ballot, the officer shall ascertain
  8    the desires of the elector and shall vote the applicant's ballot  accordingly.
  9    No  election  officer  or  any  other  person assisting a disabled voter shall
 10    attempt to influence the vote of such elector in any manner.
 11        The written applications shall be kept by the  clerk  as  a  part  of  the
 12    records  of  the  election and he shall, on the day of the election and before
 13    the polling places are closed, deliver to the proper  board  of  election  all
 14    such  envelopes together with a list, compiled and signed by him, of the elec-
 15    tors making application to vote in absentia.
 16        The board of election shall verify all return envelopes delivered to it by
 17    the clerk against the names appearing on the said list, open the return  enve-
 18    lopes  and  examine the elector's oath. If these are found to be in order, the
 19    ballots shall remain in the secrecy envelopes and be placed in the ballot  box
 20    in  the  same manner as though the elector were personally present and voting;
 21    and the voter's name shall thereupon be subscribed  in  any  polling  book  or
 22    other record kept at such election.

 23        SECTION  2.  That  Section 34-1002, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 24    amended to read as follows:

 25        34-1002.  APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT. (1)  Any registered elector may
 26    make written application to the county clerk, or other proper officer  charged
 27    by  law  with  the  duty of issuing official ballots for such election, for an
 28    official ballot or ballots of the kind or kinds to be voted at the election.
 29        (a)  The application shall contain the  name  of  the  elector,  his  home
 30        address, county, and address to which such ballot shall be forwarded.
 31        (b)  The  application  for an absent elector's ballot shall be signed per-
 32        sonally by the applicant.
 33        (c)  The application for a mail-in absentee ballot shall  be  received  by
 34        the  county  clerk  not  later  than 5:00 p.m. on the sixth day before the
 35        election.
 36        (d)  An application for in person absentee voting at the absent  elector's
 37        polling  place described in section 34-1006, Idaho Code, shall be received
 38        by the county clerk not later than 5:00 p.m. on the day before  the  elec-
 39        tion.
 40        (e)  Application  for  an absentee ballot may be made by using a facsimile
 41        machine.
 42        (f)  In the event a registered elector is unable to vote in person at  his
 43        designated  polling  place  on the day of election because of an emergency
 44        situation which rendered him physically unable, he may nevertheless  apply
 45        for  an  absent  elector's  ballot on the day of election by notifying the
 46        county clerk. No person, may, however, be entitled to vote under an  emer-
 47        gency  situation  unless  the  situation  claimed  rendered him physically
 48        unable to vote at his designated polling  place  within  forty-eight  (48)
 49        hours prior to the closing of the polls.
 50        (2)  Any  registered  elector  may  make written application to the county
 51    clerk for status as a permanent absentee voter. The county clerk shall  notify
 52    each  political  subdivision  of  an  elector's status as a permanent absentee
 53    voter pursuant to section 34-1408, Idaho Code. Each qualified registered  per-

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  1    manent absentee voter applicant shall automatically receive an absentee ballot
  2    for  each election for which the elector is entitled to vote and need not sub-
  3    mit a separate request for each election.
  4        (a)  Ballots received from permanent absentee voters shall  be  validated,
  5        processed and tabulated in the same manner as other absentee ballots.
  6        (b)  Status  as a permanent absentee voter shall be terminated upon any of
  7        the following events:
  8             (i)   The written request of the voter;
  9             (ii)  The death or disqualification of the voter;
 10             (iii) The cancellation of the voter's registration record; or
 11             (iv)  The return of an ongoing absentee ballot as undeliverable.
 12        (3)  A person may make application for an absent elector's ballot  by  use
 13    of  a  properly  executed  federal postcard application as provided for in the
 14    laws of the United States known as Uniformed and  Overseas  Citizens  Absentee
 15    Voting Act (UOCAVA, 42 U.S.C. 1973ff, et seq.).
 16        (a)  A   properly   executed   federal   postcard  post  card  application
 17        (F.P.C.A.), shall be considered as a request for an absent elector's  bal-
 18        lot  through  the  next  two (2) regularly scheduled general elections for
 19        federal office following receipt of the application.
 20        (b)  The issuing officer shall keep as a part of the records of his office
 21        a list of all applications so received and  of  the  manner  and  time  of
 22        delivery or mailing to and receipt of returned ballot.
 23        (c)  The  county  clerk shall, not later than seventy-five (75) days after
 24        the date of each general election, submit a report  to  the  secretary  of
 25        state  containing  information  concerning  absentee voters as required by
 26        federal law.

 27        SECTION 3.  That Section 50-443, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
 28    amended to read as follows:

 29        50-443.  APPLICATION  FOR  ABSENTEE  BALLOT.  (1) Any registered municipal
 30    elector may make written application to the city clerk for an official  ballot
 31    or ballots of the kind or kinds to be voted at the election.
 32        (a)  The  application  shall  contain  the  name  of the elector, his home
 33        address and address to which such ballot shall be forwarded.
 34        (b)  The application for an absent elector's ballot shall be  signed  per-
 35        sonally by the applicant.
 36        (c)  The  application  for  a mail-in absentee ballot shall be received by
 37        the city clerk not later than 5:00 p.m. on the sixth day before the  elec-
 38        tion.
 39        (d)  An  application for in person absentee voting at the absent elector's
 40        polling place described in section 50-448, Idaho Code, shall  be  received
 41        by the city clerk not later than 5:00 p.m. on the day before the election.
 42        (e)  Application  for  an absentee ballot may be made by using a facsimile
 43        machine.
 44        (f)  In the event a registered elector is unable to vote in person at  his
 45        designated  polling  place  on the day of election because of an emergency
 46        situation which rendered him physically unable, he may nevertheless  apply
 47        for  an  absent  elector's  ballot on the day of election by notifying the
 48        city clerk. No person, may, however, be entitled to vote  under  an  emer-
 49        gency  situation  unless  the  situation  claimed  rendered him physically
 50        unable to vote at his designated polling  place  within  forty-eight  (48)
 51        hours prior to the closing of the polls.
 52        (2)  Any  registered  municipal  elector  may submit an application to the
 53    county clerk for status as a permanent  absentee  voter  pursuant  to  section

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  1    34-1002(2),  Idaho  Code, and such application will be processed in accordance
  2    with section 34-1002(1), Idaho Code.
  3        (3)  A person in the United States service may  make  application  for  an
  4    absent  elector's ballot by use of a properly executed federal postcard appli-
  5    cation as provided for in the laws of the United States known as "Federal Vot-
  6    ing Assistance Act of 1955." Uniformed and Overseas Citizens  Absentee  Voting
  7    Act  (UOCAVA,  42 U.S.C. 1973ff, et seq.). The issuing officer shall keep as a
  8    part of the records of his office a list of all applications so  received  and
  9    of  the manner and time of delivery or mailing to and receipt of returned bal-
 10    lot.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                            RS 17435C1

The purpose of this legislation is to give absentee voters the option of
applying for status as a permanent absentee voter in all elections for which
they are qualified. The current procedure for making application as an
absentee voter will not be altered, except for an additional box on the
application that can be marked indicating the voter's desire to seek permanent
absentee voting status. The county clerk will inform all applicable taxing
districts as to the voter's status to ensure they receive the proper ballots.
All returned ballots will be processed in the same manner as absentee ballots
are today. The voter loses his status as a permanent absentee voter upon his
request, death, disqualification, cancellation of voter registration, or when
a ballot is returned as undeliverable. In addition, the legislation also
codifies access to absentee ballots by military servicemen and women.

Exercising this option is voter driven and initiated. The voter request an
application and return it to the county clerk before receiving any ballots.
This measure will better serve those voters who must or choose to always vote
absentee. 


                           FISCAL NOTE

There will be no fiscal impact to the state's general fund. For those taxing
districts experiencing an increase in absentee ballot requests, there will be
some increases in postage and printing costs. Future cost savings may be
realized as the election process is streamlined. 




Contact:
Daniel G. Chadwick, Idaho Association of Counties
Tony Poinelli, Sharon Burke, Kerry Ellen Elliott 
Phone: (208)345-9126

Sponsors:
Rep Carol Bilbao (208)332-1000
Rep Branden Durst (208)332-1000


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                                       H 413