Allowing voters to automatically receive absentee ballots for every election, eliminating the indefinitely confined voter status for receiving absentee ballots, and providing a penalty. (FE)

This bill eliminates the process for voting as an indefinitely confined voter beginning on January 1, 2029. However, the bill allows a voter to file a written application with the municipal clerk of the municipality where the voter resides to request that the clerk automatically send to the voter an absentee ballot for every election that is held in the municipality. The bill requires the voter to provide proof of identification in order to automatically receive absentee ballots for every election. The bill also requires that the voter notify the municipal clerk if the voter no longer resides at the same address that is indicated on the voter’s application or if the voter no longer wishes to automatically receive absentee ballots for every election.

The bill requires municipal clerks to notify all voters who are automatically receiving absentee ballots as indefinitely confined voters that they will not be able to receive ballots pursuant to that beginning on January 1, 2029, but may automatically receive absentee ballots as provided under the bill if they submit valid proof of identification to the municipal clerk before that date.

Under the bill, the municipal clerk must retain in the statewide voter registration system an electronic copy of the proof of identification received from a voter until the voter is no longer receiving absentee ballots as provided under the bill or until the proof of identification has expired. If the voter’s proof of identification has expired, the municipal clerk must notify the voter that the voter needs to submit a valid proof of identification in order to continue automatically receiving absentee ballots. The bill defines the “statewide voter registration system” as the election administration software application provided by the Elections Commission to enable local election officials to register voters, track absentee voting, and administer elections.

Finally, the bill allows an authorized disability advocate to assist a voter with a disability in transmitting of copy of the voter’s proof of identification to the municipal clerk for purposes of filing a request to automatically receive absentee ballots. The bill defines an “authorized disability advocate” as an employee of a nonprofit disability rights organization or a licensed caregiver. Under the bill, an authorized disability advocate who knowingly transmits to a municipal clerk a fraudulent proof of identification is guilty of a Class I felony.