SB 666 First Engrossed
2016666e1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to voter identification; amending s.
3 97.0535, F.S.; expanding the list of acceptable forms
4 of identification for certain voter registration
5 applicants to include veteran health identification
6 cards, licenses to carry a concealed weapon or
7 firearm, and certain government-issued employee
8 identification cards; amending s. 101.043, F.S.;
9 expanding the list of acceptable forms of
10 identification at a polling place or an early voting
11 site to include veteran health identification cards,
12 licenses to carry a concealed weapon or firearm, and
13 certain government-issued employee identification
14 cards; amending ss. 101.68 and 101.6923, F.S.;
15 revising absentee ballot and special absentee ballot
16 instructions, respectively, to conform to changes made
17 by the act; providing an effective date.
18
19 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
20
21 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
22 97.0535, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
23 97.0535 Special requirements for certain applicants.—
24 (3)(a) The following forms of identification shall be
25 considered current and valid if they contain the name and
26 photograph of the applicant and have not expired:
27 1. United States passport.
28 2. Debit or credit card.
29 3. Military identification.
30 4. Student identification.
31 5. Retirement center identification.
32 6. Neighborhood association identification.
33 7. Public assistance identification.
34 8. Veteran health identification card issued by the United
35 States Department of Veterans Affairs.
36 9. A license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued
37 pursuant to s. 790.06.
38 10. Employee identification card issued by any branch,
39 department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the
40 state, a county, or a municipality.
41 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
42 101.043, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
43 101.043 Identification required at polls.—
44 (1)(a) The precinct register, as prescribed in s. 98.461,
45 shall be used at the polls for the purpose of identifying the
46 elector at the polls before allowing him or her to vote. The
47 clerk or inspector shall require each elector, upon entering the
48 polling place, to present one of the following current and valid
49 picture identifications:
50 1. Florida driver license.
51 2. Florida identification card issued by the Department of
52 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
53 3. United States passport.
54 4. Debit or credit card.
55 5. Military identification.
56 6. Student identification.
57 7. Retirement center identification.
58 8. Neighborhood association identification.
59 9. Public assistance identification.
60 10. Veteran health identification card issued by the United
61 States Department of Veterans Affairs.
62 11. A license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued
63 pursuant to s. 790.06.
64 12. Employee identification card issued by any branch,
65 department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the
66 state, a county, or a municipality.
67 Section 3. Paragraph (d) of subsection (4) of section
68 101.68, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
69 101.68 Canvassing of absentee ballot.—
70 (4)
71 (d) Instructions must accompany the absentee ballot
72 affidavit in substantially the following form:
73
74 READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE COMPLETING THE
75 AFFIDAVIT. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY CAUSE YOUR
76 BALLOT NOT TO COUNT.
77
78 1. In order to ensure that your absentee ballot will be
79 counted, your affidavit should be completed and returned as soon
80 as possible so that it can reach the supervisor of elections of
81 the county in which your precinct is located no later than 5
82 p.m. on the 2nd day before the election.
83 2. You must sign your name on the line above (Voter’s
84 Signature).
85 3. You must make a copy of one of the following forms of
86 identification:
87 a. Identification that includes your name and photograph:
88 United States passport; debit or credit card; military
89 identification; student identification; retirement center
90 identification; neighborhood association identification; or
91 public assistance identification; veteran health identification
92 card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs;
93 a Florida license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm; or an
94 employee identification card issued by any branch, department,
95 agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the state, a
96 county, or a municipality; or
97 b. Identification that shows your name and current
98 residence address: current utility bill, bank statement,
99 government check, paycheck, or government document (excluding
100 voter identification card).
101 4. Place the envelope bearing the affidavit into a mailing
102 envelope addressed to the supervisor. Insert a copy of your
103 identification in the mailing envelope. Mail, deliver, or have
104 delivered the completed affidavit along with the copy of your
105 identification to your county supervisor of elections. Be sure
106 there is sufficient postage if mailed and that the supervisor’s
107 address is correct.
108 5. Alternatively, you may fax or e-mail your completed
109 affidavit and a copy of your identification to the supervisor of
110 elections. If e-mailing, please provide these documents as
111 attachments.
112 Section 4. Subsection (2) of section 101.6923, Florida
113 Statutes, is amended to read:
114 101.6923 Special absentee ballot instructions for certain
115 first-time voters.—
116 (2) A voter covered by this section shall be provided with
117 printed instructions with his or her absentee ballot in
118 substantially the following form:
119
120 READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE MARKING YOUR
121 BALLOT. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY CAUSE
122 YOUR BALLOT NOT TO COUNT.
123
124 1. In order to ensure that your absentee ballot will be
125 counted, it should be completed and returned as soon as possible
126 so that it can reach the supervisor of elections of the county
127 in which your precinct is located no later than 7 p.m. on the
128 date of the election. However, if you are an overseas voter
129 casting a ballot in a presidential preference primary or general
130 election, your absentee ballot must be postmarked or dated no
131 later than the date of the election and received by the
132 supervisor of elections of the county in which you are
133 registered to vote no later than 10 days after the date of the
134 election.
135 2. Mark your ballot in secret as instructed on the ballot.
136 You must mark your own ballot unless you are unable to do so
137 because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write.
138 3. Mark only the number of candidates or issue choices for
139 a race as indicated on the ballot. If you are allowed to “Vote
140 for One” candidate and you vote for more than one, your vote in
141 that race will not be counted.
142 4. Place your marked ballot in the enclosed secrecy
143 envelope and seal the envelope.
144 5. Insert the secrecy envelope into the enclosed envelope
145 bearing the Voter’s Certificate. Seal the envelope and
146 completely fill out the Voter’s Certificate on the back of the
147 envelope.
148 a. You must sign your name on the line above (Voter’s
149 Signature).
150 b. If you are an overseas voter, you must include the date
151 you signed the Voter’s Certificate on the line above (Date) or
152 your ballot may not be counted.
153 c. An absentee ballot will be considered illegal and will
154 not be counted if the signature on the Voter’s Certificate does
155 not match the signature on record. The signature on file at the
156 start of the canvass of the absentee ballots is the signature
157 that will be used to verify your signature on the Voter’s
158 Certificate. If you need to update your signature for this
159 election, send your signature update on a voter registration
160 application to your supervisor of elections so that it is
161 received no later than the start of canvassing of absentee
162 ballots, which occurs no earlier than the 15th day before
163 election day.
164 6. Unless you meet one of the exemptions in Item 7., you
165 must make a copy of one of the following forms of
166 identification:
167 a. Identification which must include your name and
168 photograph: United States passport; debit or credit card;
169 military identification; student identification; retirement
170 center identification; neighborhood association identification;
171 or public assistance identification; veteran health
172 identification card issued by the United States Department of
173 Veterans Affairs; a Florida license to carry a concealed weapon
174 or firearm; or an employee identification card issued by any
175 branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government,
176 the state, a county, or a municipality; or
177 b. Identification which shows your name and current
178 residence address: current utility bill, bank statement,
179 government check, paycheck, or government document (excluding
180 voter identification card).
181 7. The identification requirements of Item 6. do not apply
182 if you meet one of the following requirements:
183 a. You are 65 years of age or older.
184 b. You have a temporary or permanent physical disability.
185 c. You are a member of a uniformed service on active duty
186 who, by reason of such active duty, will be absent from the
187 county on election day.
188 d. You are a member of the Merchant Marine who, by reason
189 of service in the Merchant Marine, will be absent from the
190 county on election day.
191 e. You are the spouse or dependent of a member referred to
192 in paragraph c. or paragraph d. who, by reason of the active
193 duty or service of the member, will be absent from the county on
194 election day.
195 f. You are currently residing outside the United States.
196 8. Place the envelope bearing the Voter’s Certificate into
197 the mailing envelope addressed to the supervisor. Insert a copy
198 of your identification in the mailing envelope. DO NOT PUT YOUR
199 IDENTIFICATION INSIDE THE SECRECY ENVELOPE WITH THE BALLOT OR
200 INSIDE THE ENVELOPE WHICH BEARS THE VOTER’S CERTIFICATE OR YOUR
201 BALLOT WILL NOT COUNT.
202 9. Mail, deliver, or have delivered the completed mailing
203 envelope. Be sure there is sufficient postage if mailed.
204 10. FELONY NOTICE. It is a felony under Florida law to
205 accept any gift, payment, or gratuity in exchange for your vote
206 for a candidate. It is also a felony under Florida law to vote
207 in an election using a false identity or false address, or under
208 any other circumstances making your ballot false or fraudulent.
209 Section 5. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.