We walk you through those steps in our guide to voting in the 2020 Election. Here's How Mail-In and Absentee Ballots Are Verified, Your Choice. For example, some states only allow caregivers, family members or household members to drop off your ballot for you. State law also lays out crime classifications and penalties for different types of behavior related to absentee ballots. (1) The county clerk shall keep a register of designated bearers and authorized agents. be a candidate for any office to be voted upon by the absent voter. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. 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. [3], [An Arizona law stating that only family members, caregivers, and household members may return someone's ballot] burdens communities that have traditionally relied on ballot collection, such as the elderly, differently-abled, Native American, and Latino communities, by preventing them from casting a ballot in the manner that is easiest for them.[3]. Laws in the following nine states name specific groups of individuals who may not return mail ballots, such as employers, union agents, candidates, and campaign workers. A voter to whom a ballot was delivered in person at the office of the clerk as provided in said subsection (a) of said section ninety-one B shall return it without removing the ballot from such office. Return of ballot by 3rd person. TV Q&A: Is a Pittsburgher writing for CBSs East New York? (1) To vote an absent voter ballot at a meeting or gathering at which other people are voting absent voter ballots. Approximately 22,000 Lehigh County voters used mail . WHYY's Billy Penn has a map of drop boxes in Philly . 100% remote. Drop boxes are frequently placed intentionally in public, high-traffic spaces. (a) Any person who, with the intent to commit fraud, obtains, removes, or disseminates an absent voters ballot, intimidates an absent voter, or completes or alters an absent voters ballot, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $10,000 nor more than $20,000, imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less than one nor more than five years, or both fined and imprisoned. Mail it or deliver it in person to your county board of elections office or other official location designated by your county board of elections.. According to an NPR analysis, over half of the 550,000 Georgia voters who used drop boxes in 2020 lived in four Atlanta-area counties. (1)Except for those voters who have been certified as requiring assistance in voting on a permanent or annual basis, any person voting by means of an absentee ballot by mail or on the voting machine in the county clerk's office or other place designated by the county board of elections, and approved by the State Board of Elections, as provided in this chapter who receives assistance in voting shall be required to complete the voter assistance form required by KRS 117.255 . Especially consider how many ballots likely got dropped off, maybe ended up being a messy pile in the collection box, so it then needs to get organized before processing. Election security experts say that voter fraud is rare among all forms of voting, including by mail and at drop boxes. Missouri law states that "each absentee ballot that is not cast by the voter in person in the office of the election authority shall be returned to the election authority in the ballot envelope and shall only be returned by the voter in person, or in person by a relative of the voter who is within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, by mail or registered carrier or by a team of deputy election authorities; except that covered voters, when sent from a location determined by the secretary of state to be inaccessible on election day, shall be allowed to return their absentee ballots cast by use of facsimile transmission or under a program approved by the Department of Defense for electronic transmission of election materials.". Arguments for and against restricting who may return mail ballots, Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, Election Administration Legislation Tracker, Election legislation tracking: weekly digest, Election legislation tracking: list of sub-topics, Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy, https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Ballot_harvesting_(ballot_collection)_laws_by_state&oldid=9078999, Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022, Special Congressional elections (2023-2024), 2022 Congressional Competitiveness Report, State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2022, State Legislative Competitiveness Report, 2022, Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections, Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments, We translate bill text into summaries that are easy-to-digest everyday language, And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan. ", Hawaii law does not specify whether someone may return a mail ballot on behalf of someone else. The law says that absentee ballots "shall be transmitted by mail or by commercial courier service, at the voter's expense, or delivered in person, or by the voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian and received by the county board not later than 5:00 p.m. on the day of the statewide primary or general election or county bond election. ballot by mail, the elector must provide the postage. In most states, the answer is yes but there might be restrictions. (b) "Collects" means to gain possession or control of an early ballot. 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. Pa. Gov. Restrictions on issuing ballot. A few states require designated agents to sign a document confirming they have the authority to deliver someones ballot. However, in 2020, when the use of drop boxes spiked because of the coronavirus pandemic, some criticized the practice. To learn which states fall into each category, see the map below. Justice Neil Gorsuch filed a concurring opinion, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas. "[11], On June 17, the Wisconsin Elections Commission approved the letter that accompanied absentee ballot applications that went to most voters ahead of the general election. The film also pointed to cellphone geolocation data, which experts say is not precise enough to identify whether someone used a drop box or simply traveled near it. In Kentucky, any person helping a voter cast their absentee ballot must complete a voter assistance form stating that the voter requires assistance due to disability, blindness, or inability to read English. 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. Nebraska allows a voter to appoint an agent to obtain and return their mail ballot. It is a class I felony for anyone else to return absentee ballots on behalf of others. As a result, election officials were barred from enforcing these requirements. (b) A voter to whom an election official delivered the ballot in person at a designated health care facility, as provided in subsection (b) of section ninety-one B, shall return it to such election official, who shall return it in his custody to the office of the city or town clerk. In most states, the answer is yes but there might be restrictions. As court debates student loans, borrowers see disconnect, Vento's Pizza, home of 'Franco's Italian Army,' to close, Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. It must be . Other states, like California, allow for a ballot to submitted by anyone chosen by the voter as long as they are not paid per ballot they collect. Be Nice. To vote on Nov. 8, you must be at least 18 years old on or before the election, be a U.S. citizen for at least 30 days before Election Day, and live in . Step 1: Request your ballot NOW. (C) Authorized agent shall sign the register under oath indicating delivery of the voter's ballot; and And no matter where you are in the Susquehanna Valley, you can drop off your mail-in ballot in person at your county's election office. In most states, the answer is yes but there might be restrictions. (C) A designated bearer shall not deliver ballots to the county clerk for more than two (2) voters per election; and 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. Your Vote: Tell Us What's at Stake for You This Midterm, From Haiti Through Liberty City to Top Federal Prosecutor in South Florida: the Unlikely Story of Markenzy Lapointe, Biochemist Accused of Drugging, Sexually Battering Multiple Women in Luxury Miami Beach Condo, Pompano Beach Pastor Accused of Defrauding Church to Support Drug Habit, Teen in Vicious Attack on Florida Teacher's Aide to Be Charged as Adult, Given $1M Bond. (g) An offense under Subsection (f) is a Class A misdemeanor unless the defendant possessed the ballot or carrier envelope without the request of the voter, in which case it is a felony of the third degree. Am I allowed to drop off a ballot for someone else? has been prepared, the county auditor, city auditor, or business manager of the school Am I Allowed to Drop off a Ballot for Someone Else? [14], WILL's website says it seeks "to advance the public interest in the rule of law, individual liberty, constitutional government, and a robust civil society."[15]. A candidate for office at an election may not act as a representative for a voter in the election.". The law specifies that the agent may not be a candidate or member of a campaign committee unless they are a member of the voter's family. [3], The following household family members may assist an absentee voter in returning his or her ballot: spouse, parent, father-in-law, mother-in-law, child, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece. See our page, Arguments for and against restricting who may return mail ballots, for detailed support and opposition arguments from a variety of sources. The law states the following: "Any elector applying to cast a vote-by-mail ballot in the office of the supervisor, in any election, who requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write may request the assistance of some person of his or her own choice, other than the electors employer, an agent of the employer, or an officer or agent of his or her union, in casting his or her vote-by-mail ballot. Election security experts say that voter fraud is rare among all forms of voting, including by mail and at drop boxes. Out of the 40 states not sending voters a ballot in . 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. The question is simple, yet often asked: Am I allowed to drop off a ballot for someone else? 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. 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. The only exceptions to this are for voters with a disability who . or to take advantage of a ballot drop-off location. The incapacitated voter shall vote the absentee ballot as provided by law and mark it in the presence of the designated representative. The AP is answering your questions about elections in this series. ], 3. Only a voter can mail their ballot or return it in person, unless they have a disability and officially designate someone to do it for them. 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. A. You can also mail your ballot back. 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. More than half of states have laws that explicitly allow a third party to return a voted ballot. It states the following. Application or written request received. ", State law further says, "If a person is an authorized messenger for more than one voter, he must notify the person in charge of the election of all voters for whom he is a messenger. ), 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]. A few states require designated agents to sign a document confirming they have the authority to deliver someones ballot. the political subdivision conducting the election, one official ballot, or personally deliver The film also pointed to cellphone geolocation data, which experts say is not precise enough to identify whether someone used a drop box or simply traveled near it. All of the following actions are violations of the Michigan election law and are illegal in this state: [12], On June 22, Vebber sent a letter to the election commission stating, "I am writing to you regarding the Absentee Ballot Return Options Memo you sent to municipal clerks dated March 31, 2020. In Pennsylvania, a voter who qualifies for an emergency absentee ballot may authorize in writing a representative to return their ballot. However, in 2020, when the use of drop boxes spiked because of the coronavirus pandemic, some criticized the practice. (3) The agent shall pick up the ballot before one hour prior to the closing of the polls on election day and deliver the ballot to the registered voter. Surveys after the 2020 election found that voters who cast ballots for President Joe Biden were far more likely to report voting by mail than voters for Trump. You can check your voter registration status online.You can also contact your county's election and voter registration officials, or call 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772). The law places restrictions on who can assist eligible voters. (D) The county clerk shall not accept an absentee ballot from an authorized agent who does not sign the register under oath. election.[3]. Massachusetts law permits a family member to return an absentee ballot on behalf of a voter. It says that a person who is not an election official cannot collect ballots within a certain distance of an election office and must display a sign at such collection site noting that it is not an official dropoff site. Other states allow you to give your ballot to anyone you choose. One state specifies that only the voter may return their mail ballot. 2. (b) If a voter is assisted by election officers in the general election for state and county officers, each officer must be aligned with a different political party unless there are not two or more election officers serving the polling place who are aligned with different parties. Whether states should restrict who may return mail ballots is the subject of debate. (c) Scott Van Blarcom - Stock.Adobe.com. We're now less than a month away from the Nov. 3 general election, but t here's still time to register to vote or to request an absentee or mail-in ballot. 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. Click here for more on support and opposition arguments. A few states require designated agents to sign a document confirming they have the authority to deliver someones ballot. Most states have laws permitting someone besides a voter to return the voter's mail ballot. Monday, October 24, 2022: Last day to register to vote. 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. They point to a 2018 congressional election in North Carolina, when a Republican political operative and his staff illegally gathered ballots and forged signatures, as one of the few instances of voter fraud related to ballot collection. Click on a state in the following menu to see its laws, or scroll down to peruse laws by state. ', Greece's worst-ever rail crash kills dozens, crushes cars, End to extra COVID food aid affects more than a million Massachusetts residents, Two people dead, one injured in Dundalk house fire. b. Delivering it, or causing it to be delivered, to the Department before the polls close on the day of the election.". Other states, like California, allow for a ballot to submitted by anyone chosen by the voter as long as they are not paid per ballot they . election.[3]. In most states, you can drop off a ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions. State law establishes that tampering with a ballot or failing to immediately deliver the ballot is a misdemeanor. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Read More A voter places a . Drop boxes special containers for voters to drop off absentee ballots in sealed envelopes have become more commonplace in the last decade, and are an efficient and secure way to return . Submit them at: FactCheck@AP.org. Oklahoma law does not specify whether someone may return mail ballots on behalf of voters. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. 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. (3)A person in charge of a vote by mail ballot and who knowingly and willingly engages in criminal acts related to that ballot as described in Division 18 (commencing with Section 18000 ), including, but not limited to, fraud, bribery, intimidation, and tampering with or failing to deliver the ballot in a timely fashion, is subject to the appropriate punishment specified in that division.[3]. (d) "Household member" means a person who resides at the same residence as the voter. 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Filed a concurring opinion, joined by justice Clarence Thomas the voter 's mail ballot see its laws, scroll! More than half of the coronavirus pandemic, some states only allow caregivers family... A map of drop boxes spiked because of the 40 states not sending voters a ballot drop-off location country including! That only the voter may return their mail ballot say that voter fraud rare! Election policy around the country, including by mail and at drop boxes in public, spaces! Is a Pittsburgher writing for CBSs East New York voted ballot states require designated agents to sign a document they! Family member to return absentee ballots are Verified, your Choice `` household member means... And authorized agents different types of behavior related to absentee ballots are Verified, Choice! Ballot for someone else eligible voters voting in the election. `` return mail ballots is subject! A voted ballot here 's How Mail-In and absentee ballots lays out crime classifications and for!
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