2. Don't Threaten. Massachusetts law permits a family member to return an absentee ballot on behalf of a voter. "You can come to any of our in-person absentee voting locations and drop off your ballot; if you have any disabilities that would prevent you from coming here, you can have someone else drop it . Dropboxes are set up by your county and are a safe, secure, and convenient way to return your mail-in ballot. By: Henry Redman - July 8, 2022 9:47 am. That election was overturned. Oregon law permits a person to return mail ballots on behalf of voters. (g) An offense under Subsection (f) is a Class A misdemeanor unless the defendant possessed the ballot or carrier envelope without the request of the voter, in which case it is a felony of the third degree. Laws in seven states and D.C. only allow another person to return a voter's ballot if that voter meets specific criteria, such as having a disability or qualifying for an emergency ballot. However, in 2020, when the use of drop boxes spiked because of the coronavirus pandemic, some criticized the practice. An absentee ballot shall be cast at a primary, election or referendum only if: (1) It is mailed by (A) the ballot applicant, (B) a designee of a person who applies for an absentee ballot because of illness or physical disability, or (C) a member of the immediate family of an applicant who is a student, so that it is received by the clerk of the municipality in which the applicant is qualified to vote not later than the close of the polls; (3) it is returned by a designee of an ill or physically disabled ballot applicant, in person, to said clerk not later than the close of the polls on the day of the election, primary or referendum; (4) it is returned by a member of the immediate family of the absentee voter, in person, to said clerk not later than the close of the polls on the day of the election, primary or referendum; A person returning an absentee ballot to the municipal clerk pursuant to subdivision (3) or (4) of this subsection shall present identification and, on the outer envelope of the absentee ballot, sign his name in the presence of the municipal clerk, and indicate his address, his relationship to the voter or his position, and the date and time of such return. 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. Tom Wolf on Tuesday revealed his wife, First Lady Frances Wolf, dropped his mail ballot off for him, a violation of Pennsylvania election law. The law states the following: H. A person who knowingly collects voted or unvoted early ballots from another person is guilty of a class 6 felony. Return My Ballot. (b)An agent of the voter under this section: (2)may not be a candidate on that ballot; (3)shall be designated in a writing signed by the voter under penalty of perjury; and. For example, some states only allow caregivers, family members or household members to drop off your ballot for you. The ballot must reach the clerk or an authorized assistant of the clerk before the close of the polls on election day. Drop boxes are frequently placed intentionally in public, high-traffic spaces. 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 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; The oath shall be upon a voter assistance form prescribed by the State Board of Elections. And a few states explicitly prohibit dropping off someone elses ballot. Each drop box location . ", 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. 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. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Other states dont have laws on ballot collection at all. The AP is answering your questions about elections in this series. In that instance, the authorized messenger shall personally deliver the absentee ballot to the precinct superintendent of the voter's home precinct. In most states, the answer is yes but there might be restrictions. 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. Mail ballots take the form of absentee ballots and ballots cast in vote-by-mail states. The provisions of this Article do not apply to polling places. Only an immediate family member may hand-deliver more than one ballot. business manager of the school district, as the case may be, authorization in writing The bearer, by signing the certification provided for in section 12 of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-12), certifies that he or she received a mail-in ballot directly from the voter, and no other person, and is authorized to deliver the ballot to the appropriate board of election or designee on behalf of the voter.". The AP is answering your questions about elections in this series. 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) Except as provided in subsection (2), a person may not knowingly collect a voter's voted or unvoted ballot. Operations: Meghann Olshefski Mandy Morris Kelly Rindfleisch It says the following: "The elector shall mail the identification envelope to the director from whom it was received in the return envelope, postage prepaid, or the elector may personally deliver it to the director, or the spouse of the elector, the father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother, or sister of the whole or half blood, or the son, daughter, adopting parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece of the elector may deliver it to the director.". The clerk may not issue an absentee ballot: New Hampshire law specifies that a voter's absentee ballot may be returned by a family member (defined by the law), nursing home administrator or staff member, or residential care facility administrator or staff member. (b) "Collects" means to gain possession or control of an early ballot. The law also specifies that an individual assisting a voter who is blind or has a disability may return an absentee ballot upon signing a statement on the affidavit envelope and that such individual may not return more than four ballots unless they are a family member, nursing home administrator/staff, or residential care facility administrator/staff. Am I allowed to drop off a ballot for someone else? 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. Illinois law states the voter must do the following after sealing their absentee ballot in the return envelope: The voter shall then endorse his certificate upon the back of the envelope and the envelope shall be mailed in person by such voter, postage prepaid, to the election authority issuing the ballot or, if more convenient, it may be delivered in person, by either the voter or by any person authorized by the voter, or by a company licensed as a motor carrier of property by the Illinois Commerce Commission under the Illinois Commercial Transportation Law, which is engaged in the business of making deliveries. Step 4: Return Your Absentee Ballot. Alabama law allows only a voter to return their absentee ballot. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. The law states the following: The applicant must then return the return-addressed envelope to the board of voter registration and elections by mail, by personal delivery, or by authorizing another person to return the envelope for him. 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. A delivery agent cannot more than two completed absentee/mail-in ballots per election.[8]. the ballot to the applicant or the applicant's agent, which agent may not, at that time, (1) To vote an absent voter ballot at a meeting or gathering at which other people are voting absent voter ballots. The representative shall deliver the ballot and voter certificate to an election official not later than 8:00 p.m. Alaska time on election day. (B) Clerk shall print the authorized agent's name and address beside the voter's name on a register; If an authorized representative is not available, a deputy sheriff or constable may deliver and return the emergency ballot. A voter, caregiver to that voter or member of that voter's immediate family may deliver that voter's absentee ballot to the county clerk in person or by mail; provided that the voter has subscribed the official mailing envelope of the absentee ballot. the county clerk by United States mail or by depositing the ballot at the office of the county clerk, at signature by mark. [3], [An Arizona law stating that only family members, caregivers, and household members may return someone's ballot] burdens communities that have traditionally relied on ballot collection, such as the elderly, differently-abled, Native American, and Latino communities, by preventing them from casting a ballot in the manner that is easiest for them.[3]. Especially consider how many ballots likely got dropped off, maybe ended up being a messy pile in the collection box, so it then needs to get organized before processing. Allegheny County voter turnout rises with a boost from mail-in voting, Rep. Barbara Lee joins race for California U.S. Senate seat, Nikki Haley announces presidential campaign, challenging Trump, Westmoreland Republicans back incumbent office holders, Westmoreland gears up for 2023 election, first batch of ballot applications mailed, GZA, Donnie Iris, John Mayer among top concerts to see around Pittsburgh in March. (A) A designated bearer may obtain ballots for no more than two (2) voters per election; (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. November 1, 2022, at 5 p.m. is the deadline to vote early in-person by mail ballot at your county's designated location for the November 8, 2022, general election. 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