AB 177

Under current law, a voter may return his or her absentee ballot by mailing it

or delivering it in person to the municipal clerk. Under this bill, a voter may return

his or her absentee ballot by mailing it or delivering it in person to the office of the

municipal clerk, except that the voter may return it to a drop box authorized by the

municipal clerk that is attached to a building where the municipal clerk's office is

permanently located. The bill prohibits the use of any other drop box for the delivery

of an absentee ballot.

Under the bill, if the municipal clerk authorizes the use of a drop box, the drop

box must be tamper-resistant and moisture-resistant, include a slot that is only

large enough to allow for the insertion of an absentee ballot, satisfy the accessibility

requirements under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, and be emptied

once each day at 9 a.m. by the clerk or deputy clerk in public view. Finally, the clerk

must publish notice of the location of the drop box and the days on which it is

available for receiving absentee ballots.