Requirements for electors who vote by absentee ballot

Current law defines a "military elector" as: 1) a member of a uniformed service; 2) a member of the merchant marine of the United States; 3) a civilian employee of the United States or civilian officially attached to a uniformed service who is serving outside the United States; 4) a peace corps volunteer; or 5) a spouse or dependent of any of those listed in the above categories residing with or accompanying him or her.

An individual who is not a civilian employee of the United States need not be located outside the United States to be considered a "military elector." Current law also defines an "overseas elector" as a U.S. citizen: 1) who is not disqualified from voting;

2) who has attained or will attain the age of 18 by the date of an election at which the citizen proposes to vote and who does not qualify as a resident of this state, but who was last domiciled in this state or whose parent was last domiciled in this state immediately prior to the parent's departure from the United States; and 3) who is not registered to vote or voting in any other state, territory, or possession.

The bill also deletes a requirement that every absentee voter must certify that he or she is unable or unwilling to appear at the polling place for his or her residence on election day or has changed his or her residence within the state within ten days of the election and, if a city resident, must certify the aldermanic district in which he or she resides and replaces it with a requirement that every absentee elector must certify that he or she is eligible to vote absentee.