Vetoed by Governor Larry Hogan, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that amends existing laws relating to ballot processing and procedures to include absentee and provisional ballots.

Highlights:

• Requires each local election board to meet after an election to canvass all absentee ballots cast in that election, and specifies that canvassing includes vote tallying, vote verification, and any other procedures particular to absentee ballots (Sec. 1, Pg. 3).

• Requires local election boards to review all received absentee ballot envelopes for voter signatures (Sec. 1, Pg. 3).

• Prohibits local boards from accepting, rejecting, opening, or processing any absentee ballots prior to 8 a.m. on the eighth day before the early voting period (Sec. 1, Pg. 3).

• Prohibits local boards from delaying the canvassing of absentee ballots in order to wait for late-arriving ballots (Sec. 1, Pg. 3).

• Specifies that absentee ballots received after the deadline established by the state will not be counted in the vote totals (Sec. 1, Pg. 4).

• Prohibits a local board or employee of the board from counting absentee ballot vote totals before the polls close on election day (Sec. 1, Pg. 4).

• Specifies that absentee ballots may be counted before the polls close only for the 2022 state primary elections (Sec. 2, Pg. 8).

• Specifies that the clarity of the intent of the voter is the overriding determination for the validity of the vote cast on an absentee ballot(Sec. 1, Pg. 4).

• Prohibits a local election board from rejecting an absentee ballot except by unanimous vote of the board, or if any of the following is the case (Sec. 1, Pg. 4):

• If the voter failed to sign the oath on the ballot envelope;

• If the board received two envelopes from the same voter for the same election; or

• If the envelope is clearly marked with the intent to make the ballot personally identifiable.

• Requires the state elections board to create regulations for notifying a voter if they failed to sign the ballot envelope and providing them with an opportunity to correct the omission (Sec. 1, Pg. 4).

• Authorizes voters to send a digital image of their signature to the state board via email, mail, in-person visit, online portal, or mobile phone text message (Sec. 1, Pg. 5).

• Requires local boards to release unofficial vote counts for absentee ballots at the end of each day of canvassing after the polls close (Sec. 1, Pg. 5).

• Prohibits local election boards from rejecting provisional ballots unless there is a unanimous vote by the board, or the board determines that the voter is either not qualified to submit a provisional ballot, did not sign the ballot correctly, or the ballot is clearly marked to make it personally identifiable (Sec. 1, Pg. 6).

• Specifies that if a local board receives more than one ballot in separate envelopes for the same voter, the board shall accept one and reject the other (Sec. 1, Pg. 7).

• Requires each local board of canvassers to release the results of each election after full vote count, and list the results of the early, absentee, and provisional ballot votes separately (Sec. 1, Pg. 7).

• Requires the boards to also make the results available electronically by precinct, including the early, absentee, and provisional ballot results (Sec. 1, Pg. 8).

• Specifies that this act takes effect upon enactment as an emergency (Sec. 3, Pg. 8).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that amends existing laws relating to ballot processing and procedures to include absentee and provisional ballots.

Highlights:

• Requires each local election board to meet after an election to canvass all absentee ballots cast in that election, and specifies that canvassing includes vote tallying, vote verification, and any other procedures particular to absentee ballots (Sec. 1, Pg. 3).

• Requires local election boards to review all received absentee ballot envelopes for voter signatures (Sec. 1, Pg. 3).

• Prohibits local boards from accepting, rejecting, opening, or processing any absentee ballots prior to 8 a.m. on the eighth day before the early voting period (Sec. 1, Pg. 3).

• Prohibits local boards from delaying the canvassing of absentee ballots in order to wait for late-arriving ballots (Sec. 1, Pg. 3).

• Specifies that absentee ballots received after the deadline established by the state will not be counted in the vote totals (Sec. 1, Pg. 4).

• Prohibits a local board or employee of the board from counting absentee ballot vote totals before the polls close on election day (Sec. 1, Pg. 4).

• Specifies that absentee ballots may be counted before the polls close only for the 2022 state primary elections (Sec. 2, Pg. 8).

• Specifies that the clarity of the intent of the voter is the overriding determination for the validity of the vote cast on an absentee ballot(Sec. 1, Pg. 4).

• Prohibits a local election board from rejecting an absentee ballot except by unanimous vote of the board, or if any of the following is the case (Sec. 1, Pg. 4):

• If the voter failed to sign the oath on the ballot envelope;

• If the board received two envelopes from the same voter for the same election; or

• If the envelope is clearly marked with the intent to make the ballot personally identifiable.

• Requires the state elections board to create regulations for notifying a voter if they failed to sign the ballot envelope and providing them with an opportunity to correct the omission (Sec. 1, Pg. 4).

• Authorizes voters to send a digital image of their signature to the state board via email, mail, in-person visit, online portal, or mobile phone text message (Sec. 1, Pg. 5).

• Requires local boards to release unofficial vote counts for absentee ballots at the end of each day of canvassing after the polls close (Sec. 1, Pg. 5).

• Prohibits local election boards from rejecting provisional ballots unless there is a unanimous vote by the board, or the board determines that the voter is either not qualified to submit a provisional ballot, did not sign the ballot correctly, or the ballot is clearly marked to make it personally identifiable (Sec. 1, Pg. 6).

• Specifies that if a local board receives more than one ballot in separate envelopes for the same voter, the board shall accept one and reject the other (Sec. 1, Pg. 7).

• Requires each local board of canvassers to release the results of each election after full vote count, and list the results of the early, absentee, and provisional ballot votes separately (Sec. 1, Pg. 7).

• Requires the boards to also make the results available electronically by precinct, including the early, absentee, and provisional ballot results (Sec. 1, Pg. 8).

• Specifies that this act takes effect upon enactment as an emergency (Sec. 3, Pg. 8).

Full Bill Text