Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes electronic delivery of ballots and balloting material to be given to the blind and visually impaired.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a registered voter who swears or affirms that the voter is physically unable to vote in person at the voter's precinct on the day of the election because the voter is blind or visually impaired to request that an accessible absentee ballot be delivered to the voter electronically in a manner prescribed by the Secretary of the State Election Board (Sec. 1.A-1).

• Requires an accessible absentee voting packet for blind or visually impaired voters, which will include all necessary materials except the absentee ballot, to be prescribed by the Secretary of the State Election Board. The accessible absentee voting packet may be delivered to the voter by United States mail or electronically (Sec. 1.A-2).

• Requires the electronic delivery system to provide the voter the opportunity to use the voter's personal computer to mark an accessible absentee ballot privately and independently and then print the marked ballot (Sec. 1.B-1).

• Requires the absentee ballot to be accompanied by an absentee ballot affidavit, which will be executed in the same manner as provided for affidavits (Sec. 1.B-2).

• Requires the voter to return the absentee ballot and executed affidavit to the secretary of the county election board in the same manner provided under Oklahoma Statutes. Nothing in this law will allow for an absentee ballot to be returned to the county election board electronically, and no absentee ballot returned electronically shall be eligible to be counted by a county election board (Sec. 1.B-3).

• Authorizes a registered voter who is blind or visually impaired to choose to request the assistance of another person to complete any requirements of this law (Sec. 1.C).

• Requires the secretary of the county election board to cause an absentee ballot to be processed in the same manner as prescribed by law for other absentee ballots upon its return (Sec. 1.D).

• Establishes any person who is not blind or visually impaired according to state law, but who applies for an absentee ballot described in this law, will be deemed guilty of a felony (Sec. 1.E).

Full Bill Text