SB1246
Absentee voting; mandatory processing of returned absentee ballots before election day.
Summary
As Passed Both Chambers. Absentee voting; mandatory processing of returned absentee ballots before election day; central absentee voter precinct in the office of the general registrar.
Requires certain actions to be taken to process absentee ballots that are returned by mail before election day. The general registrar is required to (i) examine the ballot envelopes to verify completion of the required voter affirmation; (ii) mark the pollbook, or the absentee voter applicant list if the pollbook ... (More) is not available, that the voter has voted; and (iii) direct the officers of election at a central absentee precinct to open the sealed ballot envelopes and insert the ballots in optical scan counting equipment or other secure ballot container without initiating any ballot count totals. Under current law, the general registrar is required to conduct preprocessing of absentee ballots before election day only as needed. To facilitate preprocessing as provided in the bill, the bill requires a central absentee voter precinct to be established and maintained in each locality. Additional central absentee voter precincts may be established at the discretion of the governing body. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/11/2021 - Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21100746D
- 01/11/2021 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
- 01/19/2021 - Senate: Impact statement from DPB (SB1246)
- 01/26/2021 - Senate: Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (15-Y 0-N)
- 01/26/2021 - Senate: Incorporates SB1376 (Saslaw)
- 01/26/2021 - Senate: Senate committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
- 01/26/2021 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 21103760D-S1
- 01/28/2021 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (38-Y 0-N)
- 01/29/2021 - Senate: Passed by for the day
- 02/01/2021 - Senate: Passed by for the day
- 02/01/2021 - Senate: Impact statement from DPB (SB1246S1)
- 02/02/2021 - Senate: Read second time
- 02/02/2021 - Senate: Reading of substitute waived
- 02/02/2021 - Senate: Committee substitute agreed to 21103760D-S1
- 02/02/2021 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB1246S1
- 02/02/2021 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)
- 02/02/2021 - Senate: Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)
- 02/07/2021 - House: Placed on Calendar
- 02/07/2021 - House: Read first time
- 02/07/2021 - House: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
- 02/08/2021 - House: Continued to Special Session 1 in Privileges and Elections
- 02/10/2021 - House: Assigned P & E sub: Election Administration
- 02/16/2021 - House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (8-Y 0-N)
- 03/01/2021 - House: Left in Privileges and Elections
