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CS/HB 1005 — Voting Systems
by State Affairs Committee and Rep. Byrd and others (CS/SB 1312 by Appropriations Committee; and Senators Montford and Gainer)
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Ethics and Elections Committee (EE)
The bill gives county canvassing boards and supervisors of elections the option to use state-certified, digital-imaging, automated tabulating equipment that is not part of the county’s voting system to conduct both machine and manual recounts. Currently, only nine counties — Bay, Broward, Columbia, Hillsborough, Indian River, Leon, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Lucie — are expected to use such equipment to conduct post-certification, automated audits for the 2020 election cycle.
The bill authorizes the logic and accuracy testing of voting tabulating equipment to start as early as 25 days before early voting begins, rather than 10 days before early voting begins as under current law, to avoid any delay in the canvassing of vote-by-mail ballots.
If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect January 1, 2021, except as otherwise provided.
Vote: Senate 38-0; House 118-0