HB398 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arnold Mooney Representative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Relating to absentee voting; to amend Sections 17-9-30, 17-11-2, 17-11-4, 17-11-5, 17-11-11, and Section 17-11-18, Code of Alabama 1975; to require photo identification to be submitted with the absentee ballot rather than the absentee ballot application; to prohibit the absentee election manager and circuit clerk from extending hours of operation outside of its normal business hours during an election year; to require the absentee election manager to submit a report to the Secretary of State and Attorney General relating to certain absentee ballot requests; to require the absentee election manager to record certain activities relating to each absentee ballot and to post a copy of the list of voters who have requested an absentee ballot each day on the regular bulletin board or other public place in the county courthouse; to require that each absentee ballot have an identifying tracking number; to increase the number of poll watchers; to observe counting of absentee ballots in certain circumstances; and to provide that any absentee ballot received by mail a certain number of calendar days after the election shall be deemed a provisional ballot.

Description

Under existing law, voters requesting an absentee ballot must submit photo identification with the absentee ballot application.

Under existing law, the absentee election manager is required to be open on the days and during the hours as that of the circuit clerk.

Under existing law, the list of electors voting by absentee ballot is confidential until the day following an election.

Under existing law, a person or organization authorized by law may appoint one poll watcher to be present for the counting of absentee ballots.

Under existing law, an absentee ballot, except one cast pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), cannot be counted unless received by mail or hand delivery no later than noon on election day.

This bill would require that the photo identification be submitted with the absentee ballot rather than the absentee ballot application.

This bill would prohibit the absentee election manager and circuit clerk from extending its hours of operation outside of its normal business hours during an election year.

HB398 INTRODUCED This bill would require the absentee election manager to submit a report to the Secretary of State and Attorney General listing the names of any voters who requested that an absentee ballot be mailed to an address where a number of absentee ballots were requested and the names of any voters who requested an absentee ballot in a county other than the county in which the voter is registered to vote.

This bill would require the absentee election manager to record the name, voting place of the applicant, date the application was received, date the ballot was sent, and date the ballot was returned on a list of absentee voters and to post a copy of the list of voters who have requested an absentee ballot each day on the regular bulletin board or other public place in the county courthouse.

This bill would require that each absentee ballot have an identifying tracking number.

This bill would increase the number of poll watchers when a certain amount of absentee ballots have been received.

This bill would also provide that any absentee ballot received by mail a certain number of calendar days after the election shall be deemed a provisional ballot.

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