HB528:

Absentee voting; unsolicited absentee ballot applications, required information.

Bill Summary:

Absentee voting; unsolicited absentee ballot
applications; required information. Requires any individual or
organization sending an application for an absentee ballot to a registered
voter that was not solicited or requested by the registered voter
to include with the application instructions on completing the application
and submitting it to the appropriate general registrar. The bill
requires a statement that the application is not being sent by any
state or local government official or agency on the envelope containing
the application or on the first page of any enclosed materials. Such
individuals and organizations are required to use the information
provided in the list of registered voters acquired by such individual
or organization from the Department of Elections pursuant to law,
and a violation of this requirement is a Class 4 misdemeanor. The
bill requires the Department of Elections to ensure, when providing
the list of registered voters to such individual or organization for
purposes of sending unsolicited absentee ballot applications, that
no voter is included on the list provided if such voter has applied
for an absentee ballot on or before the date the list is requested.
The bill also provides that no absentee ballot sent to a registered
voter that was not solicited or requested by the registered voter
may be pre-populated with information the applicant is required to
provide.