HB 528

Abstract

Absentee voting; unsolicited absentee ballotapplications; required information. Requires any individual ororganization sending an application for an absentee ballot to a registeredvoter that was not solicited or requested by the registered voterto include with the application instructions on completing the applicationand submitting it to the appropriate general registrar. The billrequires a statement that the application is not being sent by anystate or local government official or agency on the envelope containingthe application or on the first page of any enclosed materials. Suchindividuals and organizations are required to use the informationprovided in the list of registered voters acquired by such individualor organization from the Department of Elections pursuant to law, and a violation of this requirement is a Class 4 misdemeanor. Thebill requires the Department of Elections to ensure, when providingthe list of registered voters to such individual or organization for purposes of sending unsolicited absentee ballot applications, thatno voter is included on the list provided if such voter has appliedfor an absentee ballot on or before the date the list is requested.The bill also provides that no absentee ballot sent to a registeredvoter that was not solicited or requested by the registered votermay be pre-populated with information the applicant is required toprovide.