Signed by Governor Kim Reynolds

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires bar codes on absentee ballots to determine time of mailing.

Highlights:

• Specifies that when the U.S. post office is closed due to a federal holiday and is not delivering mail on the 29th day before the election, the 1st day to mail absentee ballots is the next business day on which mail delivery is available (Sec. 31). 

• Specifies that the absentee ballot, if mailed by the voter’s designee, must be mailed within 72 hours of retrieval from the voter, or, if applicable, to have the postal service barcode traced to a date of entry into the federal mail system no later than the day before the election (Sec. 64). 

• Requires the return envelope to be received before the polls close on election day or be clearly postmarked by an officially authorized postal service barcode traceable to a date of entry into the federal mail system in order for the ballot to be counted (Sec. 65).

Full Bill Text