Co-sponsored by Sen. Rogers, this bill restricts the return of early ballots, making it likely that many voters would not have their voted early ballots
counted. For an early ballot to be counted and valid, the early ballot would have to be (1) delivered to the county recorder or elections official by 7:00 pm on the Friday before election day; (2) deposited by the voter at a polling place after 7:00 pm on the Friday before election day after presenting valid identification and signing the signature roster or electronic pollbook; (3) tabulated on-site; or (4) received by the recorder or elections official by mail by 7:00 pm on election day.
If a voter appearing at a polling place or voting center on election day without valid identification, the voter would be required to surrender his or her early ballot and instead, vote a provisional ballot. For ballots delivered by a voter’s agent (defined as the voter’s family member, household member, or
caregiver), the voter must provide valid identification to the recorder or elections official by the fifth business day after a primary, general, or special election if the election includes a federal office or on the third business day after any other election.
By requiring that early ballots be delivered or mailed to
county recorders and/or election officials, this bill also implicitly bans the use of ballot drop boxes. Bad news for rural residents; voters with busy work, school, and caregiving schedules; voters with long drives to recorder and election offices; and voters relying on a voter’s agent but having limited technological ability to transmit their identification records to the recorder or elections official. Expect confusion, long lines, and frustration as voters have their voted early ballots rejected.
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