Signed by Governor Phil Scott

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that extends the policy of mailing "live" ballots to all active voters permanently.

Highlights:

• Specifies if a candidate wishes to use a nickname, the format on the ballot to be the candidate’s first name, the nickname set off in quotations and the candidate’s last name. The ballot must comply with the following requirements (Sec. 1-2):

• A nickname of one or two words by which the candidate has been commonly known for at least three years preceding the election may be used in combination with a candidate’s name. A nickname that constitutes a slogan or otherwise indicates a political, economic, social, or religious view or affiliation may not be used; and

• A nickname may not be used unless the candidate executes and files with the application for a place on the ballot an affidavit indicating that the nickname complies with this subsection.

• Requires ballots to be mailed not less than 20 days before the election, or as soon as they are available (Sec. 3-3).

• Authorizes the town clerk to, upon application, issue a duplicate early voter absentee ballot if the original ballot is lost or not received by the voter within a reasonable period after it is mailed to the voter by the town clerk or by the Secretary of State’s office (Sec. 4-1.A).

• Authorizes a voter to do the following (Sec. 6-3):

• Mark his or her ballots, place them in the envelope, sign the certificate, and return the ballots in the envelope containing the certificate to the town clerk or an assistant town clerk without leaving the office of the town clerk; or

• Take the ballots and return them to the town clerk in the same manner as if the ballots had been received by mail.; or

• If the board of civil authority has voted to allow it, mark the ballots and deposit them directly into the vote tabulator or ballot box.

• Requires the Secretary of State’s office to mail a general election ballot to all active voters on the statewide voter checklist for every general election (Sec. 7.a).

• Specifies if a voter transfers his or her registration from another town or city in the state following the mailing of ballots to all active voters by the Secretary of State’s office before issuing an absentee ballot the clerk to confirm the status of the ballot that was previously mailed to that voter by the Secretary of State and proceed as follows for every general election (Sec. 8-3.A):

• If the voter has voted and returned the ballot issued to the voter by the Secretary of State to the town in which they were previously registered, the voter will not be issued a ballot nor be allowed to cast another ballot in the same general election and shall be registered following the election;

• If the voter did not receive or did not return the ballot that was previously sent to the voter by the Secretary of State, the voter may be issued another ballot for the general election if:

• The voter returned the unvoted ballot that was previously issued to the voter; or

• The voter signs an affidavit stating that the voter has not previously cast a ballot in that general election.

• Requires the Secretary of State’s office to provide drop boxes to a town or city upon request following a vote of the board of the civil authority. The maximum number of drop boxes that the Secretary of State’s office will provide in any town or city shall be as follows (Sec. 11.f):

• Up to 5,000 registered voters, one;

• Between 5,000 and 10,000 registered voters, two;

• Between 10,000 and 15,000 registered voters, three;

• Between 15,000 and 20,000 registered voters, four; and

• Over 20,000 registered voters, five.

• A town or city may have several secure drop boxes equal to the number of representative districts in that town or city, with one drop box located in each district, if that number is greater than the number allowed based on that town or city’s number of registered voters.

Full Bill Text