Submit them at: FactCheck@AP.org. This can be a positive development given the pandemic. 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. It's OK to drop off a signed return envelope with the ballot inside on behalf of someone else. The authorization must be given in writing on a form prescribed by the State Election Commission and must be turned in to the board of voter registration and elections at the time the envelope is returned. In Indiana, an absentee ballot may be returned by a voter's household member or attorney in fact. The following quotes briefly summarize some of the most prevalent arguments for and against restricting who may return mail ballots. In total, more than half of states have laws that explicitly allow a third party to return a completed ballot, according to a tally from the National Conference of State Legislatures. (b) Deliver the envelope personally to the office of the clerk, to the clerk, or to an authorized assistant of the clerk. To an immediate family member or to a 3rd person if the absentee ballot was requested by telephone or by electronic means; [2011, c. 534, 17 (AMD).] Illinois law allows vote-by-mail ballots to be delivered in person by any person the voter authorizes or by a company licensed as a motor carrier of property by the state. For example, some states only allow caregivers, family members or household members to drop off your ballot for you. 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. Florida law allows a person of the voter's choiceexcept for an employer, an agent of the employer, or a union officer or agentto assist in casting mail ballots of voters needing assistance due to blindness, disability, or inability to read or write. That election was overturned. Oklahoma law does not specify whether someone may return mail ballots on behalf of voters. On July 1, 2021, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a ruling in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. (e) Carrier envelopes may not be collected and stored at another location for subsequent delivery to the early voting clerk. 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. Maine law says that a third person may obtain and return absentee ballots for voters, but that the third person may not be a candidate or an immediate family member of a candidate. In most states, you can drop off a ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions. (c) "Family member" means a person who is related to the voter by blood, marriage, adoption or legal guardianship. The law says, "If delivered by other than the voter, a commercial courier, or the United States Postal Service, the registrar shall require that the person making such delivery sign a statement, prepared by the secretary of state, certifying that he has the authorization and consent of the voter to hand deliver the marked ballot. be a candidate for any office to be voted upon by the absent voter. As used in this section, "delivery agent" means: (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. Alabama law allows only a voter to return their absentee ballot. . Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. Other terms used to reference this practice include ballot collection, community ballot collection, ballot gathering, third-party possession of another's ballot, and ballot return. Michigan law permits a household member or a family member (defined by law), or an election official if those options are not available, to return a voter's absentee ballot. a. Depositing it in a United States postal mailbox, thereby mailing it to the Department; or For purposes of this section, "incapacitated" means hospitalized, ill and confined to his residence, bereaved by the death of a spouse, child, or parent, or otherwise incapacitated by an emergency which is found by the general registrar to justify providing an emergency ballot application; and "hospital" means a hospital as defined in 32.1-123 or 37.2-100 and any comparable hospital in the District of Columbia or any state contiguous to Virginia. The AP is answering your questions about elections in this series. Laws allowing ballot collection are designed to make voting more convenient, and to make it possible for people who cant travel to deliver a ballot on their own. In most states, the answer is yes but there might be . Application or written request received. 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. Tech: Matt Latourelle Nathan Bingham Ryan Burch Kirsten Corrao Beth Dellea Travis Eden Tate Kamish Margaret Kearney Eric Lotto Joseph Sanchez. It could help. No. On June 8, 2020, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) submitted a rules petition to the Wisconsin Elections Commission asking it to issue a rule stating that only a voter may return their absentee ballot as opposed to a third party. (2) an inability to read the language in which the ballot is written. Upon a determination that the elector is a qualified absentee elector under section 1301, the judge shall issue an absentee ballot to the elector. Voters can return those ballots by mail, drop them off at one of the 131 designated drop-boxes in San Diego County or drop them off at polling places before they close at 8 p.m. on Sept. 14. (A) Authorized agent shall show some form of current photographic identification to the clerk; Most states have laws permitting someone besides a voter to return the voter's mail ballot. An election official, a United States postal service worker or any other person who is allowed by law to transmit United States mail is deemed not to have collected an early ballot if the official, worker or other person is engaged in official duties. An Associated Press survey in May 2022 found that among states that used drop boxes in the 2020 presidential election, none reported instances of drop boxes being involved in fraud that could have affected the results. Ballotpedia features 395,443 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. In South Carolina, an absentee ballot may be returned by someone authorized by the voter to do so. The law places restrictions on who can assist eligible voters. The deadline to drop off your ballot or vote in Colorado is 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. There is a provision in the Elections Code for a voter who, because of illness or other physical disability, is unable to return his or her ballot. days after receiving the ballot. I UNDERSTAND THAT IF I PROVIDE FALSE INFORMATION ON THIS FORM, I MAY BE GUILTY OF PERJURY AND SUBJECT TO A FINE OF UP TO TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($10,000) OR IMPRISONMENT FOR UP TO TEN (10) YEARS, OR BOTH, UNDER FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS.". In Texas, a household member, relative (defined by the law) or person lawfully assisting a voter eligible for assistance due to disability or inability to read the ballot may return their mail ballot. the county clerk by United States mail or by depositing the ballot at the office of the county clerk, at The application shall be on a form prescribed by the State Board and shall require the applicant (i) to state the cause of his incapacity, (ii) to state that he is unable to be present at the polls on election day, and that he was either incapacitated on or after the seventh day preceding the election or hospitalized on or after the fourteenth day preceding the election and unable to request the application earlier than the seventh day preceding the election, (iii) to designate a representative to receive, deliver and return the ballot, and (iv) to provide other information required by law for an absentee ballot application. 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The messenger may not be a candidate and can return no more than three voters' ballots. There have been a number of states that have limited the use of ballot drop boxes since the 2020 election. 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. 1 views, 0 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Scooter: Haunted Explorations - Overnight Challenge - Exploring With Josh!! Laws in seven states and D.C. only allow another person to return a voter's ballot if that voter meets specific criteria, such as having a disability or qualifying for an emergency ballot. Copyright 2022 TheAssociated Press. Submit a completed absentee ballot on behalf of a voter other than for himself or herself.". Laws allowing ballot collection make voting more convenient, but they have been criticized by some who say they increase risk of voter fraud. (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. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy. It states the following. ", On May 6, 2021, Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed SB90 into law, establishing that "any person who distributes, orders, requests, collects, delivers, or otherwise physically possesses more than two vote-by-mail ballots per election in addition to his or her own ballot or a ballot belonging to an immediate family member, except as provided in ss. In most states, you can drop off a ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions. ", Hawaii law does not specify whether someone may return a mail ballot on behalf of someone else. For those who wanna know - PEFM interview vir Nadia Jacobs about Vistarus Mission Station #findoutthings #LifeRecoveryProgram #LiveLearnWorkWorship Vistarus Mission Station Other states allow you to give your ballot to anyone you choose. In King County, voting centers will offer a drive-up service for people dropping off ballots. (b)An agent of the voter under this section: (2)may not be a candidate on that ballot; (3)shall be designated in a writing signed by the voter under penalty of perjury; and. In Georgia, a voter with a physical disability may have their absentee ballot returned by a family member (defined by the law) or a household member. Can I drop off someone else's completed mail-in ballot? Are people really confused about what's a ballot box, and what isn't? (d) You may request by telephone that the clerk who issued the ballot provide assistance in returning the ballot. State election laws are changing. (7) The county clerk shall write or stamp the words "AUTHORIZED AGENT" and the agent's name and address on the voter's absentee ballot return envelope. (b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, any person who, having procured an absent voter's official ballot or ballots, shall willfully neglect or refuse to return the same as provided in article three of this chapter, or who shall otherwise willfully violate any of the provisions of said article three of this chapter, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $250, or confined in jail for not more than three months. California law states that a person voting by mail ballot may designate another person to return the ballot if the voter cannot do so themselves and that those who return ballots on behalf of others may not receive compensation based on the number of ballots returned. You can return your ballot to a drop-off location at your local registrar's office, found here, or at any satellite location in your city or county. State laws vary not only by who may return mail ballots but by the conditions they do or do not set around the practice and whether they specify who may not return another's ballot. All rights reserved. Here's why. 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. A delivery agent cannot more than two completed absentee/mail-in ballots per election.[8]. To any 3rd person who is a candidate or a member of a candidate's immediate family; [2011, c. 399, 23 (NEW).] 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. (c) The ballot must be returned in the return 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. Deadline to Vote Early In-Person by Mail Ballot. For each state below, you will find a brief summary of key points of mail ballot return laws, direct quotes from state laws with more detail, and links to the full laws, where available. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. [3], Rhode Island law does not specify whether someone may return mail ballots on behalf of voters.[1]. (b) "Collects" means to gain possession or control of an early ballot. [3], Arkansas law permits a designated bearer to return absentee ballots for up to two voters, an authorized agent to return ballots for up to two voters who are "in a hospital or long-term care or residential care facility licensed by the state," and an administrator to return ballots for "any voter who is a patient of a long-term care or residential care facility licensed by the state and who authorizes the administrator to obtain an absentee ballot on his or her behalf.". WARNING Colorado law states that a voter may deliver "the ballot to any person of the elector's own choice or to any duly authorized agent of the county clerk and recorder or designated election official for mailing or personal delivery; except that no person other than a duly authorized agent of the county clerk and recorder or designated election official may receive more than ten mail ballots in any election for mailing or delivery.". According to the law, "The voter may designate an agent to deliver in person the sealed absentee ballot return envelope to the county auditor or municipal clerk or to deposit the return envelope in the mail. Once your ballot is in the mail, you may not vote in person at the polls. The representative must complete a statement, in which false statement is considered a felony. The best way to do that is through the campaign's legal challenge. 100% remote. The written requirement is waived for voters with a disability preventing them from writing. "An authorized messenger shall deliver the absentee ballot to the person in charge of the election unless there is not sufficient time for the person in charge of the election to transmit the absentee ballot to the voter's home precinct. (C) A designated bearer shall not deliver ballots to the county clerk for more than two (2) voters per election; and 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. In Maryland, an authorized agent designated in writing by a voter may pick up and return their absentee ballot. The below map features the location of all drop boxes (board of elections offices) around Ohio: Athens County: 15 S. Court St., Athens (drop boxes located at front and back entrances) Cuyahoga County: 2925 Euclid Ave., Cleveland; 2nd ballot drop-off site located nearby at 3100 Chester Ave., Cleveland. An Associated Press survey in May 2022 found that among states that used drop boxes in the 2020 presidential election, none reported instances of drop boxes being involved in fraud that could have affected the results. Can I drop off someone else's ballot in a ballot drop box (such as my spouse or friend's ballot)? A few states require designated agents to sign a document confirming they have the authority to deliver someones ballot. county clerk, at the designated place of deposit or Voters may return their mail-in or absentee ballot at their county election board's designated drop box (es) or drop-off location. "Massive . (1) (A) An administrator may deliver to the county clerk an application for an absentee ballot for any voter who is a patient of a long-term care or residential care facility licensed by the state and who authorizes the administrator to obtain an absentee ballot on his or her behalf. (2) For a person who is assisting an absent voter in marking the ballot to suggest or in any manner attempt to influence the absent voter on how he or she should vote. (2) A candidate for office at such election and any person serving on a campaign committee for such a candidate shall not act as an agent for any registered voter requesting a ballot pursuant to this section unless such person is a member of the registered voter's family. A. If the health care facility is outside the city or town and no such family member is available for such purpose, the ballot need not be delivered in person, but may be mailed.". (iii)by a bonded courier company. In Louisiana, someone who signs a statement that they have the authorization of the voter to hand-deliver the voter's absentee ballot may do so. ), it is unlawful to do any of the following: (a) Vote or attempt to vote more than once in any election; or, (b) Purloin or secret any of the votes cast in any election.[3]. B. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, but registered voters in Colorado began receiving mail-in ballots after Oct. 9. South Dakota law states that an authorized messenger may deliver a voter's absentee ballot and that a messenger for more than one voter must notify the person in charge of the election of all voters they are the messenger for. Since the vote was tied, the motion failed. Ballot harvesting (ballot collection) laws by state, Someone chosen by voter may return ballot, Supreme Court of the United States upholds Arizona ballot collection law (July 2021), Group asks Wisconsin Elections Commission for absentee ballot rule (June 2020), Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker. Justice Elena Kagan filed a dissenting opinion, joined by Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor. In the event any elector otherwise qualified who becomes so physically disabled or ill between five o'clock P.M. on the first Friday preceding any primary or election and eight o'clock P.M. on the day of any primary or election that he is unable to appear at his polling place or any elector otherwise qualified who because of the conduct of his business, duties or occupation will necessarily be absent from the municipality of his residence on the day of the primary or election, which fact was not and could not reasonably be known to said elector prior to five o'clock P.M. on the first Friday preceding any primary or election, the elector shall be entitled to an absentee ballot if the elector completes and files with the court of common pleas in the county in which the elector is qualified to vote an Emergency Application or a letter or other signed document, which includes the same information as is provided on the Emergency Application. 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