For example, some states only allow caregivers, family members or household members to drop off your ballot for you. In most states, you can drop off a ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions. That election was overturned. It shall be unlawful for any person not the voter or a person authorized by the voter to take the ballot and ballot envelope of a voter for deposit into the mail unless the ballot has been issued pursuant to application by a physically incapacitated elector under Section 3-3 or a hospitalized voter under Section 19-13, in which case any employee or person under the direction of the facility in which the elector or voter is located may deposit the ballot and ballot envelope into the mail. Purpose. All rights reserved. More than half of states have laws that explicitly allow a third party to return a voted ballot. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) The Associated Press. For example, some states only allow caregivers, family members or household members to drop off your . And those counties saw the number of drop boxes decline precipitously after the law took effect from 107 to 25. DATES AND DEADLINES. (2) The designated bearer and authorized agent register shall contain the following oath on each page: "I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ARKANSAS LAW PROHIBITS DESIGNATED BEARERS AND AUTHORIZED AGENTS FROM RECEIVING OR RETURNING MORE THAN TWO (2) ABSENTEE BALLOTS PER ELECTION. Submit a completed absentee ballot on behalf of a voter other than for himself or herself.". In most states, you can drop off a ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions. 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. Verify your completed ballot was received by tracking your 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. In Nevada, a person authorized by the voter may return a mail ballot at the request of a voter. Your county MAY have a ballot drop box, not all counties do. However, in 2020, when the use of drop boxes spiked because of the coronavirus pandemic, some criticized the practice. How Vote By Mail Works in Pennsylvania. (B) Absentee ballots may be delivered to the county clerk in person by the administrator or by mail. The following quotes briefly summarize some of the most prevalent arguments for and against restricting who may return mail ballots. ballot by mail, the elector must provide the postage. (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. A person in a healthcare facility may return it to the election official who delivered the ballot or, at the clerk's discretion, to an individual designated in writing who is not a candidate. In Indiana, an absentee ballot may be returned by a voter's household member or attorney in fact. Former President Donald Trump and others argued that ballot collection, often pejoratively called ballot harvesting," increased the risk that someone would try to illegally vote on someone elses behalf or coerce them to vote a certain way. 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. Election Day is six weeks away, and mail-in ballots are already arriving for Pennsylvania voters. A few states require designated agents to sign a document confirming they have the authority to deliver someones ballot. (D) Possession of an absentee ballot with the intent to defraud a voter or an election official is a felony under 7-1-104. Can I still drop off my mail-in ballot at a drop box? 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 says the following: [A] person other than the voter may return the advance voting ballot by personal delivery or mail if authorized by the voter in writing except that a written designation shall not be required from a voter who has a disability preventing the voter from writing or signing a written designation. 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. 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. [1], Vermont law does not specify whether someone may return mail ballots on behalf of voters.[1]. Ballot collection prohibited -- exceptions. (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. 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. 20130. FILE - A county worker collects a mail-in ballots in a drive-thru mail-in ballot drop off area at the Clark County Election Department in Las Vegas, Nov. 2, 2020. I HAVE COMPLIED WITH THE ARKANSAS LAW. In North Dakota, an absentee voter can name an agent in a written authorization. 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. "The surest way for a voter to guarantee their ballot is returned on time is drop it in an official drop box by 8 p.m. Election Day, but if they choose to entrust a stranger with their ballot, we . More than half of states have laws that explicitly allow a third party to return a voted ballot. ", 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. Voters may return their mail-in or absentee ballot at their county election board's designated drop box (es) or drop-off location. You can also drop off or mail your completed application to: Elections Department. In most states, the answer is yes but there might be restrictions. Election security experts say that voter fraud is rare among all forms of voting, including by mail and at drop boxes. A voter places a ballot in a drop box outside the Denver Elections Division headquarters easrly Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in downtown Denver. The law states that a voter may do the following after sealing their absentee envelope: Deliver the envelope to a member of the voter's household or a person designated as the attorney in fact for the voter under IC 30-5 for delivery to the county election board: (i)in person; Other states dont have laws on ballot collection at all. Learn more about voting by mail. A few states require designated agents to sign a document confirming they have the authority to deliver someones ballot. The voter must sign the form, or in the event the voter cannot write because of a physical handicap or illiteracy, the voter must make his mark and have the mark witnessed by someone designated by the voter. See the state-by-state details section below to learn more about your state's mail ballot laws. receive compensation, including money, goods, or services, for acting as an agent for GENERAL ELECTION DAY, Tuesday, November 8, 2022: Completed mail-in ballots must be received by your county election office by 8 p.m. Postmarked is not enough. a tally from the National Conference of State Legislatures, when a Republican political operative and his staff illegally gathered ballots, legally dropping off ballots of family members, Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff, King asks Duke and Duchess of Sussex to move out of Frogmore so Prince Andrew can move in, Biden Mocks Marjorie Taylor Greene With 1 Simple Hand Gesture, A Nebraska high-school cheerleader competed on her own after the rest of her squad quit. Heres how to double check your registration status before you head to the polls. See below for additional details. The auditor or business manager of the school district, as the case (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. Ballotpedia features 395,403 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. signature by mark. By Associated Press | Oct. 17, 2022, at 12:41 p.m. ; Step 2: Complete and return your ballot ASAP. 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. The clerk may not issue an absentee ballot: She said the support she got from other teams was 'overwhelming. 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. Upon a determination that the elector is a qualified absentee elector under section 1301, the judge shall issue an absentee ballot to the elector. State law provides crime classifications for different types of violations. (c) Scott Van Blarcom - Stock.Adobe.com. The person designated shall return the ballot in person, or put the ballot in the mail, no later than three days after receiving it from the voter or before the close of the polls on election day, whichever time period is shorter. A violation could land you a misdemeanor with up to a year in jail or as much as a $1,000 fine. (a) The voter's spouse, parent, sibling, child, grandchild, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, stepparent, stepchild; or And a few states explicitly prohibit dropping off someone elses ballot. For the purposes of this paragraph: (a) "Caregiver" means a person who provides medical or health care assistance to the voter in a residence, nursing care institution, hospice facility, assisted living center, assisted living facility, assisted living home, residential care institution, adult day health care facility or adult foster care home. Other states dont have laws on ballot collection at all. (6) When the ballots are returned by the administrator in person or by mail, the county clerk shall write or stamp the word "ADMINISTRATOR" and write the administrator's name on the voter's absentee ballot return envelope. The provisions of this Article do not apply to polling places. (1) An authorized agent may deliver applications for absentee ballots to the county clerk and obtain absentee ballots from the county clerk for not more than two (2) voters per election who cannot cast a ballot at the appropriate polling place on election day because the voter is a patient in a hospital or long-term care or residential care facility licensed by the state. ", Mississippi law does not specify whether someone may return absentee ballots on voters' behalf.[1]. A collection of moments during and after Barack Obama's presidency. Any person registered and otherwise qualified to vote who becomes incapacitated on or after the seventh day preceding an election may request at any time prior to 2:00 p.m. on the day preceding the election that an emergency absentee ballot application be delivered to him. The ballot must reach the clerk or an authorized assistant of the clerk before the close of the polls on election day. Be Truthful. Upon receipt of an application for an official ballot properly filled out and duly signed, Permanent laws in 26 states allow voters to designate someone elsea spouse, neighbor, caregiver, etc.to return a ballot on their behalf, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). The commission's three Republican members voted in favor of a motion to draft regulations around absentee ballot return, and the three Democratic members voted against it. Former President Donald Trump and others argued that ballot collection, often pejoratively called ballot harvesting," increased the risk that someone would try to illegally vote on someone elses behalf or coerce them to vote a certain way. 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 . (a) A voter who receives the ballot by mail, as provided in subsection (a) of section ninety-one B, may return it by mail to the city or town clerk in the envelope provided pursuant to subsection (d) of section eighty-seven, or such voter or a family member may deliver it in person to the office of the city or town clerk. As stated on Pennsylvanias official voting website, The only exceptions are if you are a voter with a disability and have designated someone, in writing, to deliver your ballot, or if you need an emergency absentee ballot., Those with mail-in ballots are asked to return your own ballot as soon as you receive it. The AP is answering your questions about elections in this series. (5) For a person other than the absent voter; a person listed in these instructions; or a person whose job it is to handle mail before, during, or after being transported by a public postal service, express mail service, parcel post service, or common carrier, but only during the normal course of his or her employment to be in possession of a voted or unvoted absent voter ballot. The voter's employer, an agent of the voter's employer, or an officer or agent of the voter's union may not act as a representative for the voter. State law currently prohibits, in . election.[3]. (d) "Household member" means a person who resides at the same residence as the voter. It states that "the voter shall seal his or her ballot in the plain envelope, place that plain envelope inside the affidavit envelope, complete the affidavit, have a notary public (or other officer authorized to acknowledge oaths) or two witnesses witness his or her signature to the affidavit, and forward it by United States mail to the absentee election manager or hand it to him or her in person.". [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.". In a 6-3 ruling, the court held that the law did not violate the Voting Rights Act and was not enacted with a racially discriminatory purpose. (A) A designated bearer may obtain ballots for no more than two (2) voters per election; A candidate for office at an election may not act as a representative for a voter in the election.". Your Voice. In most states, you can drop off a ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions. In the Memo, in paragraph 2 you say: Ballots can be returned to the clerks office, an in-person absentee (or early voting) site or the voters polling on election day. (3) Inability to travel to the polls if the voter is a resident of a coastal island ward or precinct; or State election laws are changing. It establishes the collection of early ballots by anyone outside those groups as a class 6 felony. 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. Former President Donald Trump and others argued that ballot collection, often pejoratively called ballot harvesting," increased the risk that someone would try to illegally vote on someone elses behalf or coerce them to vote a certain way. (iii)by a bonded courier company. In most states, you can drop off a ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions. The following map provides a summary of who was permitted to collect and return mail ballots by state as of August 2020. 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. (e) A ballot must be received at the office of the For example, some states only allow caregivers, family members or household members to drop off your ballot for you. I. Subsection H of this section does not apply to: A family member, household member or caregiver of the voter. 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. 1 City Hall Square, Room 241. (1) Unexpected absence from the municipality during the entire time the polls are open on election day; You'll notice that . Don't Threaten. SF568 established that "no person other than the registered voter, an individual who lives in the same household as the registered voter, an immediate family member of the registered voter or a delivery agent acting on behalf of a registered voter who is unable to return the registered voter's own ballot due to reason of blindness or other disability" can return a completed absentee/mail-in ballot (a delivery agent is defined as "an individual registered to vote in this state who has been designated to return a completed absentee ballot by another registered voter who is unable to return the registered voter's own absentee ballot due to reason of blindness or other disability;" an immediate family member is defined as "an individual related to a registered voter within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity"). Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are crucial swing states that allow mail-in . A voter places a ballot in a drop box outside the Denver Elections Division headquarters easrly Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in downtown Denver. Thirteen states do not have laws specifying whether someone may return ballots on behalf of voters. In the case of voters who are physically incapacitated or hospitalized, an employee of the facility the voter is in may place the ballot in the mail. Your absent voter ballot will then be picked up by the clerk or an election assistant sent by the clerk. 2)A vote by mail voter who is unable to return the ballot may designate another person to return the ballot to the elections official who issued the ballot, to the precinct board at a polling place or vote center within the state, or to a vote by mail ballot dropoff location within the state that is provided pursuant to Section 3025 or 4005 . Giving third parties who have a stake in the outcome of an election access to voters and their absentee ballots in an unsupervised setting is not wise, and is a proven threat to the integrity of the election process. In most states, the answer is yes but there might be restrictions. 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.". Can someone else drop off my ballot for me? 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. 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. 11 states specified who may return ballots (i.e., household members, caregivers, and/or family members) in most cases. !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data["datawrapper-height"]){var t=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var a in e.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r
