Senate Bill sb1940

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1940

    By Senator Wasserman Schultz





    34-1491-03                                          See HB 395

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to voting absentee ballots in

  3         person; amending s. 101.657, F.S.; authorizing

  4         the use of certain buildings as branch offices

  5         for purposes of voting absentee ballots in

  6         person; providing for early voting by absentee

  7         ballot in person in the main office or branch

  8         offices of the supervisor of elections;

  9         providing rulemaking authority; providing an

10         effective date.

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12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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14         Section 1.  Subsection (2) of section 101.657, Florida

15  Statutes, is amended to read:

16         101.657  Voting absentee ballots in person.--

17         (2)(a)  As an alternative to the provisions of ss.

18  101.64 and 101.65, the supervisor of elections may allow an

19  elector to cast an absentee ballot in the main office or any

20  branch office of the supervisor by depositing the voted ballot

21  in a voting device used by the supervisor to collect or

22  tabulate ballots. For purposes of this section, a branch

23  office may include a single building or complex of buildings

24  whose residents are members of a condominium or homeowners'

25  association comprised of at least 1,000 registered voters.

26         (b)  Voting by absentee ballot at the main office or

27  any branch office, as determined by the supervisor, shall

28  commence 14 days prior to an election. However, the results or

29  tabulation may not be made before the close of the polls on

30  election day.

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1940
    34-1491-03                                          See HB 395




 1         (c)(a)  The elector must provide picture identification

 2  and must complete an In-Office Voter Certificate in

 3  substantially the following form:

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 5                   IN-OFFICE VOTER CERTIFICATE

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 7         I, _____, am a qualified elector in this election and

 8  registered voter of _____ County, Florida. I do solemnly swear

 9  or affirm that I am the person so listed on the voter

10  registration rolls of _____ County and that I reside at the

11  listed address. I understand that if I commit or attempt to

12  commit fraud in connection with voting, vote a fraudulent

13  ballot, or vote more than once in an election I could be

14  convicted of a felony of the third degree and both fined up to

15  $5,000 and imprisoned for up to 5 years. I understand that my

16  failure to sign this certificate and have my signature

17  witnessed invalidates my ballot.

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20         ...  (Voter's Signature)  ...

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22         ...  (Address)  ...

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24         ...  (City/State)  ...

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26         ...  (Name of Witness)  ...

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28         ...  (Signature of Witness)  ...

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30         ...  (Type of identification provided)  ...

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1940
    34-1491-03                                          See HB 395




 1         (d)(b)  Any elector may challenge an elector seeking to

 2  cast an absentee ballot under the provisions of s. 101.111.

 3  Any challenged ballot must be placed in a regular absentee

 4  ballot envelope. The canvassing board shall review the ballot

 5  and decide the validity of the ballot by majority vote.

 6         (e)(c)  The canvass of returns for ballots cast under

 7  this subsection shall be substantially the same as votes cast

 8  by electors in precincts, as provided in s. 101.5614.

 9         (f)  The Department of State shall adopt rules pursuant

10  to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of

11  this subsection, including, at a minimum, provisions for the

12  selection and security of the main office or branch offices,

13  and their respective polling places, for the purposes of this

14  subsection.

15         Section 2.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2004.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.