Florida Senate - 2009                                     SB 990
       
       
       
       By Senator Rich
       
       
       
       
       34-01092-09                                            2009990__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to elections; amending s. 101.62,
    3         F.S.; authorizing an elector to attain status as a
    4         permanent absentee voter; specifying circumstances
    5         under which a request for an absentee ballot may be
    6         considered canceled; amending s. 101.657, F.S.;
    7         specifying sites that may be used as early-voting
    8         facilities; eliminating certain requirements for
    9         branch offices that are used for early voting;
   10         revising the number of hours for which early voting
   11         must be provided during applicable periods; amending
   12         s. 101.694, F.S.; providing that the postcard
   13         application request for an absentee ballot is
   14         effective for all future elections; providing an
   15         effective date.
   16         
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18         
   19         Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
   20  101.62, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   21         101.62 Request for absentee ballots.—
   22         (1)(a) The supervisor may accept a request for an absentee
   23  ballot from an elector in person or in writing. Except as
   24  provided in s. 101.694, one request shall be deemed sufficient
   25  to receive an absentee ballot for all future elections through
   26  the next two regularly scheduled general elections, unless the
   27  elector or the elector's designee indicates at the time the
   28  request is made that the elections for which the elector desires
   29  to receive the an absentee ballot only for specific elections. A
   30  Such request for an absentee ballot may be considered canceled
   31  when any first-class mail sent by the supervisor to the elector
   32  is returned as undeliverable or when the elector notifies the
   33  supervisor in person or in writing that he or she no longer
   34  wishes to receive an absentee ballot.
   35         Section 2. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (1) of
   36  section 101.657, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   37         101.657 Early voting.—
   38         (1)(a) As a convenience to the voter, the supervisor of
   39  elections shall allow an elector to vote early in the main or
   40  branch office of the supervisor. The supervisor shall mark,
   41  code, indicate on, or otherwise track the voter's precinct for
   42  each early voted ballot. In order for a branch office to be used
   43  for early voting, it shall be a permanent facility of the
   44  supervisor and shall have been designated and used as such for
   45  at least 1 year prior to the election. The supervisor may also
   46  designate any city hall, or permanent public library facility,
   47  or any other facility open to the public as early voting sites;
   48  however, if so designated, the sites must be geographically
   49  located so as to provide all voters in the county an equal
   50  opportunity to cast a ballot, insofar as is practicable. The
   51  results or tabulation of votes cast during early voting may not
   52  be made before the close of the polls on election day. Results
   53  shall be reported by precinct.
   54         (d) Early voting shall begin on the 15th day before an
   55  election and end on the 2nd day before an election. For purposes
   56  of a special election held pursuant to s. 100.101, early voting
   57  shall begin on the 8th day before an election and end on the 2nd
   58  day before an election. Early voting shall be provided for 8
   59  hours each day per weekday and 8 hours in the aggregate each
   60  weekend at each site during the applicable periods. Early voting
   61  sites shall open no sooner than 7 a.m. and close no later than 7
   62  p.m. on each applicable day.
   63         Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 101.694, Florida
   64  Statutes, is amended to read:
   65         101.694 Mailing of ballots upon receipt of federal postcard
   66  application.—
   67         (1) Upon receipt of a federal postcard application for an
   68  absentee ballot executed by a person whose registration is in
   69  order or whose application is sufficient to register or update
   70  the registration of that person, the supervisor shall mail to
   71  the applicant a ballot, if the ballots are available for
   72  mailing. The federal postcard application request for an
   73  absentee ballot shall be effective for all future elections
   74  through the next two regularly scheduled general elections.
   75         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.