Florida Senate - 2020                                    SB 1820
       
       
        
       By Senator Rader
       
       
       
       
       
       29-00519A-20                                          20201820__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to mail ballot elections; amending s.
    3         97.012, F.S.; revising the responsibilities of the
    4         Secretary of State; amending s. 97.021, F.S.;
    5         deleting, revising, and defining terms; amending ss.
    6         97.026, 97.061, 97.071, 98.065, 98.077, 98.0981,
    7         98.255, and 98.461, F.S.; conforming provisions and
    8         cross-references to changes made by the act; creating
    9         s. 100.0001, F.S.; requiring that elections in this
   10         state be conducted by mail; requiring the Department
   11         of State to adopt any rules necessary for conducting
   12         elections by mail; amending ss. 100.011, 100.032,
   13         100.221, 100.371, and 101.001, F.S.; conforming
   14         provisions and terminology to changes made by the act;
   15         creating s. 101.012, F.S.; requiring the supervisor of
   16         elections to establish voter services centers for
   17         specified purposes; requiring the supervisor to
   18         designate centers a certain length of time before an
   19         election; requiring the supervisor to provide certain
   20         information regarding centers to the Division of
   21         Elections; specifying limitations and requirements
   22         regarding locations and hours of operation for
   23         centers; specifying that any elector in line at the
   24         closing of a center must be allowed to vote; creating
   25         s. 101.013, F.S.; requiring the supervisor to allow an
   26         elector to deposit a voted ballot in a secure drop
   27         box; specifying permissible locations for secure drop
   28         boxes; specifying that any elector in line at the
   29         closing of a secure drop box location must be allowed
   30         to drop off his or her voted ballot; creating s.
   31         101.014, F.S.; authorizing an elector to obtain a
   32         replacement ballot under specified circumstances;
   33         specifying requirements and limitations; authorizing a
   34         member of the elector’s immediate family or the
   35         elector’s legal guardian to request a replacement
   36         ballot on behalf of the elector; defining the term
   37         “immediate family”; requiring the supervisor to take
   38         certain actions upon receiving a request for a
   39         replacement ballot; prescribing the deadline for
   40         receiving voted replacement ballots; amending s.
   41         101.015, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made
   42         by the act; repealing s. 101.031, F.S., relating to
   43         instructions for electors; repealing s. 101.043, F.S.,
   44         relating to identification required at polls; amending
   45         ss. 101.045, 101.048, 101.049, 101.051, 101.111,
   46         101.131, 101.151, and 101.171, F.S.; conforming
   47         provisions and terminology to changes made by the act;
   48         amending s. 101.20, F.S.; revising the timeframe for
   49         the publication and the mailing of sample ballots;
   50         conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
   51         repealing s. 101.23, F.S., relating to the requirement
   52         that election inspectors keep a list of those voting;
   53         repealing s. 101.24, F.S., relating to ballot boxes
   54         and ballots; repealing s. 101.43, F.S., relating to
   55         substitute ballots; repealing s. 101.49, F.S.,
   56         relating to the procedure of election officers where
   57         signatures differ; repealing s. 101.51, F.S., relating
   58         to the requirement that electors occupy the voting
   59         booth alone; amending ss. 101.56062 and 101.56063,
   60         F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the
   61         act; repealing s. 101.5608, F.S., relating to
   62         procedures for voting by electronic or
   63         electromechanical method; amending ss. 101.5610,
   64         101.5611, 101.5612, 101.5613, 101.572, and 101.591,
   65         F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the
   66         act; repealing ss. 101.6101, 101.6102, 101.6103,
   67         101.6104, 101.6105, 101.6106, and 101.6107, F.S.,
   68         relating to the Mail Ballot Election Act;
   69         transferring, renumbering, and amending s. 101.62,
   70         F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the
   71         act; transferring, renumbering, and amending s.
   72         101.64, F.S.; prescribing the timeframes by which the
   73         supervisor shall mail ballots; authorizing the
   74         supervisor to accept requests that a ballot be mailed
   75         to a different address than that in the voter
   76         registration records if certain conditions are met;
   77         conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
   78         transferring, renumbering, and amending s. 101.65;
   79         revising instructions to electors to conform to
   80         changes made by the act; amending s. 101.655, F.S.;
   81         conforming provisions and a cross-reference to changes
   82         made by the act; repealing s. 101.657, F.S., relating
   83         to early voting; transferring, renumbering, and
   84         amending s. 101.661, F.S.; conforming provisions to
   85         changes made by the act; transferring, renumbering,
   86         and amending s. 101.662, F.S.; conforming provisions
   87         to changes made by the act; transferring and
   88         renumbering s. 101.663, F.S., relating to an elector’s
   89         change of residence to another state; transferring,
   90         renumbering, and amending s. 101.67, F.S.; conforming
   91         provisions to changes made by the act; transferring,
   92         renumbering, and amending s. 101.68, F.S.; conforming
   93         provisions to changes made by the act; transferring,
   94         renumbering, and amending s. 101.69, F.S.; conforming
   95         provisions to changes made by the act; amending ss.
   96         101.6921, 101.6923, 101.6925, 101.694, 101.6951,
   97         101.6952, and 101.697, F.S.; conforming provisions and
   98         cross-references to changes made by the act; repealing
   99         s. 101.71, F.S., relating to polling places;
  100         transferring, renumbering, and amending s. 101.715,
  101         F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the
  102         act; amending s. 101.733, F.S.; conforming provisions
  103         to changes made by the act; amending s. 101.74, F.S.;
  104         authorizing the supervisor to establish additional
  105         voter services centers or secure drop box locations in
  106         the event of an emergency; amending ss. 102.012,
  107         102.014, 102.021, 102.031, 102.101, 102.141, 102.166,
  108         102.168, 104.047, 104.0515, 104.0615, 104.0616,
  109         104.17, 104.20, 104.29, 117.05, 153.53, 155.04,
  110         163.514, 171.0413, 256.011, 394.459, 741.406, 790.06,
  111         and 916.107, F.S.; conforming provisions, terminology,
  112         and cross-references to changes made by the act;
  113         providing an effective date.
  114          
  115  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
  116  
  117         Section 1. Subsections (1) and (13) of section 97.012,
  118  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  119         97.012 Secretary of State as chief election officer.—The
  120  Secretary of State is the chief election officer of the state,
  121  and it is his or her responsibility to:
  122         (1) Obtain and maintain uniformity in the interpretation
  123  and implementation of the election laws, including uniformity in
  124  the conduct of elections by mail. In order to obtain and
  125  maintain uniformity in the interpretation and implementation of
  126  the election laws, the Department of State may, pursuant to ss.
  127  120.536(1) and 120.54, adopt by rule uniform standards for the
  128  proper and equitable interpretation and implementation of the
  129  requirements of chapters 97 through 102 and 105 of the Election
  130  Code.
  131         (13) Designate an office within the department to be
  132  responsible for providing information regarding voter
  133  registration procedures and vote-by-mail ballot procedures to
  134  absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters.
  135         Section 2. Section 97.021, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  136  read:
  137         97.021 Definitions.—For the purposes of this code, except
  138  where the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term:
  139         (1) “Absent elector” means any registered and qualified
  140  voter who casts a vote-by-mail ballot.
  141         (2) “Absent uniformed services voter” means:
  142         (a) A member of a uniformed service on active duty who, by
  143  reason of such active duty, is absent from the place of
  144  residence where the member is otherwise qualified to vote;
  145         (b) A member of the merchant marine who, by reason of
  146  service in the merchant marine, is absent from the place of
  147  residence where the member is otherwise qualified to vote; or
  148         (c) A spouse or dependent of a member referred to in
  149  paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) who, by reason of the active duty
  150  or service of the member, is absent from the place of residence
  151  where the spouse or dependent is otherwise qualified to vote.
  152         (2)(3) “Address of legal residence” means the legal
  153  residential address of the elector and includes all information
  154  necessary to differentiate one residence from another,
  155  including, but not limited to, a distinguishing apartment,
  156  suite, lot, room, or dormitory room number or other identifier.
  157         (3)(4) “Alternative formats” has the meaning ascribed in
  158  the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101
  159  336, 42 U.S.C. ss. 12101 et seq., including specifically the
  160  technical assistance manuals promulgated thereunder, as amended.
  161         (4)(5) “Ballot” or “official ballot” when used in reference
  162  to:
  163         (a) “Marksense ballots” means that printed sheet of paper,
  164  used in conjunction with an electronic or electromechanical vote
  165  tabulation voting system, containing the names of candidates, or
  166  a statement of proposed constitutional amendments or other
  167  questions or propositions submitted to the electorate at any
  168  election, on which sheet of paper an elector casts his or her
  169  vote.
  170         (b) “Electronic or electromechanical devices” means a
  171  ballot that is voted by the process of electronically
  172  designating, including by touchscreen, or marking with a marking
  173  device for tabulation by automatic tabulating equipment or data
  174  processing equipment.
  175         (5)(6) “Candidate” means any person to whom any one or more
  176  of the following applies:
  177         (a) Any person who seeks to qualify for nomination or
  178  election by means of the petitioning process.
  179         (b) Any person who seeks to qualify for election as a
  180  write-in candidate.
  181         (c) Any person who receives contributions or makes
  182  expenditures, or gives his or her consent for any other person
  183  to receive contributions or make expenditures, with a view to
  184  bringing about his or her nomination or election to, or
  185  retention in, public office.
  186         (d) Any person who appoints a treasurer and designates a
  187  primary depository.
  188         (e) Any person who files qualification papers and
  189  subscribes to a candidate’s oath as required by law.
  190  
  191  However, this definition does not include any candidate for a
  192  political party executive committee.
  193         (6)(7) “Department” means the Department of State.
  194         (7)(8) “Division” means the Division of Elections of the
  195  Department of State.
  196         (9) “Early voting” means casting a ballot prior to election
  197  day at a location designated by the supervisor of elections and
  198  depositing the voted ballot in the tabulation system.
  199         (10) “Early voting area” means the area designated by the
  200  supervisor of elections at an early voting site at which early
  201  voting activities occur, including, but not limited to, lines of
  202  voters waiting to be processed, the area where voters check in
  203  and are processed, and the area where voters cast their ballots.
  204         (11) “Early voting site” means those locations specified in
  205  s. 101.657 and the building in which early voting occurs.
  206         (8)(12) “Election” means any primary election, special
  207  primary election, special election, general election, or
  208  presidential preference primary election.
  209         (9)(13) “Election board” means the clerk and inspectors
  210  appointed to conduct an election.
  211         (10)(14) “Election costs” shall include, but are not be
  212  limited to, expenditures for all paper supplies such as
  213  envelopes, instructions to voters, affidavits, reports, ballot
  214  cards, ballot booklets for vote-by-mail voters, postage, and
  215  notices to voters; advertisements for registration book
  216  closings, testing of voting equipment, and sample ballots, and
  217  polling places; forms used to qualify candidates; polling site
  218  rental and equipment delivery and pickup; data processing time
  219  and supplies; election records retention; and labor costs,
  220  including those costs uniquely associated with mail vote-by-mail
  221  ballot preparation, election poll workers, and election night
  222  canvass.
  223         (11)(15) “Elector” is synonymous with the word “voter” or
  224  “qualified elector or voter,” except where the word is used to
  225  describe presidential electors.
  226         (12)(16) “General election” means an election held on the
  227  first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in the even
  228  numbered years, for the purpose of filling national, state,
  229  county, and district offices and for voting on constitutional
  230  amendments not otherwise provided for by law.
  231         (13)(17) “Lists of registered electors” means names and
  232  associated information of registered electors maintained by the
  233  department in the statewide voter registration system or
  234  generated or derived from the statewide voter registration
  235  system. Lists may be produced in printed or electronic format.
  236         (14)(18) “Member of the Merchant Marine” means an
  237  individual, other than a member of a uniformed service or an
  238  individual employed, enrolled, or maintained on the Great Lakes
  239  for the inland waterways, who is:
  240         (a) Employed as an officer or crew member of a vessel
  241  documented under the laws of the United States, a vessel owned
  242  by the United States, or a vessel of foreign-flag registry under
  243  charter to or control of the United States; or
  244         (b) Enrolled with the United States for employment or
  245  training for employment, or maintained by the United States for
  246  emergency relief service, as an officer or crew member of such
  247  vessel.
  248         (15)(19) “Minor political party” is any group as specified
  249  in s. 103.095 which on January 1 preceding a primary election
  250  does not have registered as members 5 percent of the total
  251  registered electors of the state.
  252         (16)(20) “Newspaper of general circulation” means a
  253  newspaper printed in the language most commonly spoken in the
  254  area within which it circulates and which is readily available
  255  for purchase by all inhabitants in the area of circulation, but
  256  does not include a newspaper intended primarily for members of a
  257  particular professional or occupational group, a newspaper the
  258  primary function of which is to carry legal notices, or a
  259  newspaper that is given away primarily to distribute
  260  advertising.
  261         (17)(21) “Nominal value” means having a retail value of $10
  262  or less.
  263         (18)(22) “Nonpartisan office” means an office for which a
  264  candidate is prohibited from campaigning or qualifying for
  265  election or retention in office based on party affiliation.
  266         (19)(23) “Office that serves persons with disabilities”
  267  means any state office that takes applications either in person
  268  or over the telephone from persons with disabilities for any
  269  program, service, or benefit primarily related to their
  270  disabilities.
  271         (20)(24) “Overseas voter” means:
  272         (a) An absent uniformed services voter who, by reason of
  273  active duty or service, is absent from the United States on the
  274  date of the election involved;
  275         (b) A person who resides outside the United States and is
  276  qualified to vote in the last place in which the person was
  277  domiciled before leaving the United States; or
  278         (c) A person who resides outside the United States and, but
  279  for such residence, would be qualified to vote in the last place
  280  in which the person was domiciled before leaving the United
  281  States.
  282         (21)(25) “Overvote” means that the elector marks or
  283  designates more names than there are persons to be elected to an
  284  office or designates more than one answer to a ballot question,
  285  and the tabulator records no vote for the office or question.
  286         (22)(26) “Persons with disabilities” means individuals who
  287  have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits
  288  one or more major life activities.
  289         (23)(27) “Petition circulator” means an entity or
  290  individual who collects signatures for compensation for the
  291  purpose of qualifying a proposed constitutional amendment for
  292  ballot placement.
  293         (28) “Polling place” is the building which contains the
  294  polling room where ballots are cast.
  295         (29) “Polling room” means the actual room in which ballots
  296  are cast on election day and during early voting.
  297         (24)(30) “Primary election” means an election held
  298  preceding the general election for the purpose of nominating a
  299  party nominee to be voted for in the general election to fill a
  300  national, state, county, or district office.
  301         (25)(31) “Provisional ballot” means a conditional ballot,
  302  the validity of which is determined by the canvassing board.
  303         (26)(32) “Public assistance” means assistance provided
  304  through the food assistance program under the federal
  305  Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; the Medicaid program;
  306  the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and
  307  Children; and the Temporary Cash Assistance Program.
  308         (27)(33) “Public office” means any federal, state, county,
  309  municipal, school, or other district office or position which is
  310  filled by vote of the electors.
  311         (28)(34) “Qualifying educational institution” means any
  312  public or private educational institution receiving state
  313  financial assistance which has, as its primary mission, the
  314  provision of education or training to students who are at least
  315  18 years of age, provided such institution has more than 200
  316  students enrolled in classes with the institution and provided
  317  that the recognized student government organization has
  318  requested this designation in writing and has filed the request
  319  with the office of the supervisor of elections in the county in
  320  which the institution is located.
  321         (29)(35) “Special election” is a special election called
  322  for the purpose of voting on a party nominee to fill a vacancy
  323  in the national, state, county, or district office.
  324         (30)(36) “Special primary election” is a special nomination
  325  election designated by the Governor, called for the purpose of
  326  nominating a party nominee to be voted on in a general or
  327  special election.
  328         (31)(37) “Supervisor” means the supervisor of elections.
  329         (32)(38) “Tactile input device” means a device that
  330  provides information to a voting system by means of a voter
  331  touching the device, such as a keyboard, and that complies with
  332  the requirements of s. 101.56062(1)(k) and (l).
  333         (33)(39) “Third-party registration organization” means any
  334  person, entity, or organization soliciting or collecting voter
  335  registration applications. A third-party voter registration
  336  organization does not include:
  337         (a) A person who seeks only to register to vote or collect
  338  voter registration applications from that person’s spouse,
  339  child, or parent; or
  340         (b) A person engaged in registering to vote or collecting
  341  voter registration applications as an employee or agent of the
  342  division, supervisor of elections, Department of Highway Safety
  343  and Motor Vehicles, or a voter registration agency.
  344         (34)(40) “Undervote” means that the elector does not
  345  properly designate any choice for an office or ballot question,
  346  and the tabulator records no vote for the office or question.
  347         (35)(41) “Uniformed services” means the Army, Navy, Air
  348  Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, the commissioned corps of
  349  the Public Health Service, and the commissioned corps of the
  350  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
  351         (36)(42) “Voter interface device” means any device that
  352  communicates voting instructions and ballot information to a
  353  voter and allows the voter to select and vote for candidates and
  354  issues. A voter interface device may not be used to tabulate
  355  votes. Any vote tabulation must be based upon a subsequent scan
  356  of the marked marksense ballot or the voter-verifiable paper
  357  output after the voter interface device process has been
  358  completed.
  359         (37)(43) “Voter registration agency” means any office that
  360  provides public assistance, any office that serves persons with
  361  disabilities, any center for independent living, or any public
  362  library.
  363         (38)(44) “Voter registration official” means any supervisor
  364  of elections or individual authorized by the Secretary of State
  365  to accept voter registration applications and execute updates to
  366  the statewide voter registration system.
  367         (39) “Voter services center” means a location that is
  368  designated by the supervisor of elections to provide services as
  369  specified in s. 101.012.
  370         (40)(45) “Voting booth” or “booth” means that booth or
  371  enclosure at a voter services center wherein an elector casts
  372  his or her ballot for tabulation by an electronic or
  373  electromechanical device.
  374         (41)(46) “Voting system” means a method of casting and
  375  processing votes that functions wholly or partly by use of
  376  electromechanical or electronic apparatus or by use of marksense
  377  ballots and includes, but is not limited to, the procedures for
  378  casting and processing votes and the programs, operating
  379  manuals, supplies, printouts, and other software necessary for
  380  the system’s operation.
  381         Section 3. Section 97.026, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  382  read:
  383         97.026 Forms to be available in alternative formats and via
  384  the Internet.—It is the intent of the Legislature that all forms
  385  required to be used in chapters 97-106 shall be made available
  386  upon request, in alternative formats. Such forms shall include
  387  mail vote-by-mail ballots as alternative formats for such
  388  ballots become available and the Division of Elections is able
  389  to certify systems that provide them. Whenever possible, such
  390  forms, with the exception of mail vote-by-mail ballots, shall be
  391  made available by the Department of State via the Internet.
  392  Sections that contain such forms include, but are not limited
  393  to, ss. 97.051, 97.052, 97.053, 97.057, 97.058, 97.0583, 97.071,
  394  97.073, 97.1031, 98.075, 99.021, 100.361, 100.371, 101.003,
  395  101.0031, 101.005, 101.045, 101.171, 101.20, 101.6103, 101.62,
  396  101.64, 101.65, 101.657, 105.031, 106.023, and 106.087.
  397         Section 4. Section 97.061, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  398  read:
  399         97.061 Special registration for electors requiring
  400  assistance.—
  401         (1) Any person who is eligible to register and who is
  402  unable to read or write or who, because of some disability,
  403  needs assistance in voting shall upon that person’s request be
  404  registered under the procedure prescribed by this section and is
  405  shall be entitled to receive assistance with voting at the polls
  406  under the conditions prescribed by this section.
  407         (2) If a person is qualified to register pursuant to this
  408  section, the voter registration official shall note in that
  409  person’s registration record that the person needs assistance in
  410  voting.
  411         (3) The precinct register generated by the supervisor shall
  412  contain a notation that such person is eligible for assistance
  413  in voting, and The supervisor may make a notation on the voter
  414  information card that such person is eligible for assistance in
  415  voting. Such person shall be entitled to receive the assistance
  416  of two election officials or some other person of his or her own
  417  choice, other than the person’s employer, the agent of the
  418  person’s employer, or an officer or agent of the person’s union,
  419  without the necessity of executing the “Declaration to Secure
  420  Assistance” prescribed in s. 101.051. Such person shall notify
  421  the supervisor of any change in his or her condition which makes
  422  it unnecessary for him or her to receive assistance in voting.
  423         Section 5. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 97.071,
  424  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  425         97.071 Voter information card.—
  426         (1) A voter information card shall be furnished by the
  427  supervisor to all registered voters residing in the supervisor’s
  428  county. The card must contain:
  429         (a) Voter’s registration number.
  430         (b) Date of registration.
  431         (c) Full name.
  432         (d) Party affiliation.
  433         (e) Date of birth.
  434         (f) Address of legal residence.
  435         (g) Precinct number.
  436         (h) Polling place address.
  437         (i) Name of supervisor and contact information of
  438  supervisor.
  439         (i)(j) Other information deemed necessary by the
  440  supervisor.
  441         (3) In the case of a change of name, address of legal
  442  residence, polling place address, or party affiliation, the
  443  supervisor shall issue the voter a new voter information card.
  444         Section 6. Paragraph (c) of subsection (4) of section
  445  98.065, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  446         98.065 Registration list maintenance programs.—
  447         (4)
  448         (c) The supervisor must designate as inactive all voters
  449  who have been sent an address confirmation final notice and who
  450  have not returned the postage prepaid, preaddressed return form
  451  within 30 days or for which the final notice has been returned
  452  as undeliverable. Names on the inactive list may not be used to
  453  calculate the number of signatures needed on any petition. A
  454  voter on the inactive list may be restored to the active list of
  455  voters upon the voter updating his or her registration,
  456  requesting a vote-by-mail ballot, or appearing to vote. However,
  457  if the voter does not update his or her voter registration
  458  information, request a vote-by-mail ballot, or vote by the
  459  second general election after being placed on the inactive list,
  460  the voter’s name shall be removed from the statewide voter
  461  registration system and the voter shall be required to
  462  reregister to have his or her name restored to the statewide
  463  voter registration system.
  464         Section 7. Subsection (4) of section 98.077, Florida
  465  Statutes, is amended to read:
  466         98.077 Update of voter signature.—
  467         (4) Except as authorized in ss. 101.0091 and 101.048 ss.
  468  101.048 and 101.68:
  469         (a) All signature updates for use in verifying vote-by-mail
  470  and provisional ballots must be received by the appropriate
  471  supervisor before the elector’s ballot is received by the
  472  supervisor or, in the case of provisional ballots, before the
  473  elector’s ballot is cast.
  474         (b) The signature on file at the time the vote-by-mail
  475  ballot is received or at the time the provisional ballot is cast
  476  is the signature that shall be used in verifying the signature
  477  on the voter’s certificate the vote-by-mail and provisional
  478  ballot voter’s certificate certificates, respectively.
  479         Section 8. Paragraphs (b) and (d) of subsection (1) and
  480  paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 98.0981, Florida
  481  Statutes, are amended to read:
  482         98.0981 Reports; voting history; statewide voter
  483  registration system information; precinct-level election
  484  results; book closing statistics.—
  485         (1) VOTING HISTORY AND STATEWIDE VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM
  486  INFORMATION.—
  487         (b) After receipt of the information in paragraph (a), the
  488  department shall prepare a report in electronic format which
  489  contains the following information, separately compiled for the
  490  primary and general election for all voters qualified to vote in
  491  either election:
  492         1. The unique identifier assigned to each qualified voter
  493  within the statewide voter registration system;
  494         2. All information provided by each qualified voter on his
  495  or her voter registration application pursuant to s. 97.052(2),
  496  except that which is confidential or exempt from public records
  497  requirements;
  498         3. Each qualified voter’s date of registration;
  499         4. Each qualified voter’s current state representative
  500  district, state senatorial district, and congressional district,
  501  assigned by the supervisor of elections;
  502         5. Each qualified voter’s current precinct; and
  503         6. Voting history as transmitted under paragraph (a) to
  504  include whether the qualified voter voted at a voter services
  505  center or the supervisor’s office precinct location, voted
  506  during the early voting period, voted by mail vote-by-mail
  507  ballot, attempted to vote by mail but the ballot vote-by-mail
  508  ballot that was not counted, attempted to vote by provisional
  509  ballot but the ballot that was not counted, or did not vote.
  510         (d) File specifications are as follows:
  511         1. The file shall contain records designated by the
  512  categories below for all qualified voters who, regardless of the
  513  voter’s county of residence or active or inactive registration
  514  status at the book closing for the corresponding election that
  515  the file is being created for:
  516         a. Voted a regular ballot by mail at a precinct location.
  517         b. Voted at a precinct location using a provisional ballot
  518  that was subsequently counted.
  519         c. Voted a regular ballot at a voter services center or the
  520  supervisor’s office during the early voting period.
  521         d. Voted during the early voting period using a provisional
  522  ballot that was subsequently counted.
  523         e. Voted by vote-by-mail ballot.
  524         d.f. Attempted to vote by mail vote-by-mail ballot, but the
  525  ballot was not counted.
  526         e.g. Attempted to vote by provisional ballot, but the
  527  ballot was not counted in that election.
  528         2. Each file shall be created or converted into a tab
  529  delimited format.
  530         3. File names shall adhere to the following convention:
  531         a. Three-character county identifier as established by the
  532  department followed by an underscore.
  533         b. Followed by four-character file type identifier of
  534  “VHO3” followed by an underscore.
  535         c. Followed by FVRS election ID followed by an underscore.
  536         d. Followed by Date Created followed by an underscore.
  537         e. Date format is YYYYMMDD.
  538         f. Followed by Time Created - HHMMSS.
  539         g. Followed by “.txt”.
  540         4. Each record shall contain the following columns: Record
  541  Identifier, FVRS Voter ID Number, FVRS Election ID Number, Vote
  542  Date, Vote History Code, Precinct, Congressional District, House
  543  District, Senate District, County Commission District, and
  544  School Board District.
  545         (2) PRECINCT-LEVEL ELECTION RESULTS.—
  546         (a) Within 30 days after certification by the Elections
  547  Canvassing Commission of a presidential preference primary
  548  election, special election, primary election, or general
  549  election, the supervisors of elections shall collect and submit
  550  to the department precinct-level election results for the
  551  election in a uniform electronic format specified by paragraph
  552  (c). The precinct-level election results shall be compiled
  553  separately for the primary or special primary election that
  554  preceded the general or special general election, respectively.
  555  The results shall specifically include for each precinct the
  556  total of all ballots cast for each candidate or nominee to fill
  557  a national, state, county, or district office or proposed
  558  constitutional amendment, with subtotals for each candidate and
  559  ballot type, unless fewer than 30 voters voted a ballot type.
  560  “All ballots cast” means ballots cast by voters who cast a
  561  ballot whether by mail at a precinct location, by vote-by-mail
  562  ballot, including overseas vote-by-mail ballots, in person,
  563  during the early voting period, or by provisional ballot.
  564         Section 9. Subsection (1) of section 98.255, Florida
  565  Statutes, is amended to read:
  566         98.255 Voter education programs.—
  567         (1) The Department of State shall adopt rules prescribing
  568  minimum standards for nonpartisan voter education. The standards
  569  shall, at a minimum, address:
  570         (a) Voter registration;
  571         (b) Balloting procedures, by mail and polling place;
  572         (c) Voter rights and responsibilities;
  573         (d) Distribution of sample ballots; and
  574         (e) Public service announcements.
  575         Section 10. Section 98.461, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  576  read:
  577         98.461 Registration application, precinct register;
  578  contents.—
  579         (1) A registration application, approved by the Department
  580  of State, containing the information required in s. 97.052 shall
  581  be retained by the supervisor of elections of the county of the
  582  applicant’s registration. However, the registration application
  583  may be microfilmed and such microfilm substituted for the
  584  original registration application; or, when voter registration
  585  information, including the voter’s signature, is maintained
  586  digitally or on electronic, magnetic, or optic media, such
  587  stored information may be substituted for the original
  588  registration application. Such microfilms or stored information
  589  shall be retained in the custody of the supervisor of elections
  590  of the county of the applicant’s registration. In the event the
  591  original registration applications are microfilmed or maintained
  592  digitally or on electronic or other media, such originals may be
  593  destroyed in accordance with the schedule approved by the Bureau
  594  of Archives and Records Management of the Division of Library
  595  and Information Services of the Department of State.
  596         (2) A computer printout or electronic database shall be
  597  used at the polls as a precinct register. The precinct register
  598  shall contain the date of the election, the precinct number, and
  599  the following information concerning each registered elector:
  600  last name, first name, middle name or initial, and suffix; party
  601  affiliation; residence address; registration number; date of
  602  birth; sex, if provided; race, if provided; whether the voter
  603  needs assistance in voting; and such other additional
  604  information as to readily identify the elector. The precinct
  605  register shall also contain a space for the elector’s signature
  606  and a space for the initials of the witnessing clerk or
  607  inspector or an electronic device may be provided for this
  608  purpose.
  609         Section 11. Section 100.0001, Florida Statutes, is created
  610  to read:
  611         100.0001 Elections to be conducted by mail.—All elections
  612  in this state shall be conducted by mail. The department shall
  613  adopt any rules necessary to provide for uniformity in the
  614  conduct of elections by mail and the procedures for conducting
  615  elections by mail.
  616         Section 12. Section 100.011, Florida Statutes, is amended
  617  to read:
  618         100.011 Election Opening and closing of polls, all
  619  elections; expenses.—
  620         (1) The polls shall be open at the voting places at 7:00
  621  a.m., on the day of the election, and shall be kept open until
  622  7:00 p.m., of the same day, and the time shall be regulated by
  623  the customary time in standard use in the county seat of the
  624  locality. The inspectors shall make public proclamation of the
  625  opening and closing of the polls. During the election and
  626  canvass of the votes, the ballot box shall not be concealed. Any
  627  elector who is in line at the time of the official closing of
  628  the polls shall be allowed to cast a vote in the election.
  629         (2) The time of opening and closing of the polls shall be
  630  observed in all elections held in this state, including
  631  municipal and school elections.
  632         (3) The expenses of holding all elections for county and
  633  state offices necessarily incurred shall be paid out of the
  634  treasury of the county or state, as the case may be, in the same
  635  manner and by the same officers as in general elections.
  636         (2)(a)(4)(a) The provisions of any special law to the
  637  contrary notwithstanding, the expenses of holding a special
  638  district or community development district election, or the
  639  district’s proportionate share of regular election costs, as the
  640  case may be, shall be paid out of the district’s treasury and in
  641  the same manner as in general elections. This subsection applies
  642  to any district, whether created by or pursuant to special or
  643  general law, which is a special district as defined in s.
  644  200.001(8)(c) or a community development district as defined in
  645  s. 190.003(6).
  646         (b) The provisions of any special law to the contrary
  647  notwithstanding, the supervisor of elections may impose an
  648  interest penalty on any amount due and owing to him or her from
  649  a special district or community development district if payment
  650  is not made within 30 days from receipt of the bill or within 10
  651  working days of the required time authorized by interlocal
  652  agreement. The rate of such interest shall be the rate
  653  established pursuant to s. 55.03.
  654         (c) The provisions of any special law to the contrary
  655  notwithstanding, all independent and dependent special district
  656  elections, with the exception of community development district
  657  elections, shall be conducted in accordance with the
  658  requirements of ss. 189.04 and 189.041.
  659         Section 13. Section 100.032, Florida Statutes, is amended
  660  to read:
  661         100.032 Election preparation report; general election.—Each
  662  supervisor of elections must post a report on his or her
  663  official website at least 3 months before a general election
  664  which outlines preparations for the upcoming general election.
  665  The report must include, at a minimum, the following elements:
  666  the anticipated staffing levels during the early voting period,
  667  on election day and after election day; and the anticipated
  668  amount of automatic tabulating equipment at each voter services
  669  center early voting site and polling place.
  670         Section 14. Section 100.221, Florida Statutes, is amended
  671  to read:
  672         100.221 General election laws to govern bond referenda.—The
  673  laws governing the holding of general elections are applicable
  674  to bond referenda, except as provided in ss. 100.201-100.351. A
  675  county, district, or municipality is not required to offer early
  676  voting for a bond referendum that is not held in conjunction
  677  with a county or state election. The places for voting in a bond
  678  referendum shall be the same as the places for voting in general
  679  elections when a bond referendum is held in the county or
  680  district; however, when a bond referendum is held in a
  681  municipality, the polling places shall be the same as in other
  682  municipal elections.
  683         Section 15. Paragraph (e) of subsection (13) of section
  684  100.371, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  685         100.371 Initiatives; procedure for placement on ballot.—
  686         (13)
  687         (e)1. Any financial impact statement that the Supreme Court
  688  finds not to be in accordance with this subsection shall be
  689  remanded solely to the Financial Impact Estimating Conference
  690  for redrafting, provided the court’s advisory opinion is
  691  rendered at least 75 days before the election at which the
  692  question of ratifying the amendment will be presented. The
  693  Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall prepare and adopt a
  694  revised financial impact statement no later than 5 p.m. on the
  695  15th day after the date of the court’s opinion.
  696         2. If, by 5 p.m. on the 75th day before the election, the
  697  Supreme Court has not issued an advisory opinion on the initial
  698  financial impact statement prepared by the Financial Impact
  699  Estimating Conference for an initiative amendment that otherwise
  700  meets the legal requirements for ballot placement, the financial
  701  impact statement shall be deemed approved for placement on the
  702  ballot.
  703         3. In addition to the financial impact statement required
  704  by this subsection, the Financial Impact Estimating Conference
  705  shall draft an initiative financial information statement. The
  706  initiative financial information statement should describe in
  707  greater detail than the financial impact statement any projected
  708  increase or decrease in revenues or costs that the state or
  709  local governments would likely experience and the estimated
  710  economic impact on the state and local economy if the ballot
  711  measure were approved. If appropriate, the initiative financial
  712  information statement may include both estimated dollar amounts
  713  and a description placing the estimated dollar amounts into
  714  context. The initiative financial information statement must
  715  include both a summary of not more than 500 words and additional
  716  detailed information that includes the assumptions that were
  717  made to develop the financial impacts, workpapers, and any other
  718  information deemed relevant by the Financial Impact Estimating
  719  Conference.
  720         4. The Department of State shall have printed, and shall
  721  furnish to each supervisor of elections, a copy of the summary
  722  from the initiative financial information statements. The
  723  supervisors shall have the summary from the initiative financial
  724  information statements available at each voter services center
  725  polling place and at the main office of the supervisor of
  726  elections upon request.
  727         5. The Secretary of State and the Office of Economic and
  728  Demographic Research shall make available on the Internet each
  729  initiative financial information statement in its entirety. In
  730  addition, each supervisor of elections whose office has a
  731  website shall post the summary from each initiative financial
  732  information statement on the website. Each supervisor shall
  733  include a copy of each summary from the initiative financial
  734  information statements and the Internet addresses for the
  735  information statements on the Secretary of State’s and the
  736  Office of Economic and Demographic Research’s websites in the
  737  publication or mailing required by s. 101.20.
  738         Section 16. Section 101.001, Florida Statutes, is amended
  739  to read:
  740         101.001 Precinct Precincts and polling places; boundaries.—
  741         (1) The board of county commissioners in each county, upon
  742  recommendation and approval of the supervisor, shall alter or
  743  create precincts for voting in the county. Each precinct shall
  744  be numbered and, as nearly as practicable, composed of
  745  contiguous and compact areas. The supervisor shall designate a
  746  polling place at a suitable location within each precinct. The
  747  precinct may shall not be changed thereafter except with the
  748  consent of the supervisor and a majority of the members of the
  749  board of county commissioners. The board of county commissioners
  750  and the supervisor may have precinct boundaries conform to
  751  municipal boundaries in accordance with the provisions of s.
  752  101.002, but, in any event, the registration books shall be
  753  maintained in such a manner that there may be determined
  754  therefrom the total number of electors in each municipality.
  755         (2) When in any election there are fewer than 25 registered
  756  electors of the only political party having candidates on the
  757  ballot at any precinct, such precinct may be combined with other
  758  adjoining precincts upon the recommendation of the supervisor
  759  and the approval of the county commissioners. Notice of the
  760  combination of precincts shall be given in the same manner as
  761  provided in s. 101.71(2).
  762         (3)(a) Each supervisor of elections shall maintain a
  763  suitable map drawn to a scale no smaller than 3 miles to the
  764  inch and clearly delineating all major observable features such
  765  as roads, streams, and railway lines and showing the current
  766  geographical boundaries of each precinct, representative
  767  district, and senatorial district, and other type of district in
  768  the county subject to the elections process in this code.
  769         (b) The supervisor shall provide to the department data on
  770  all precincts in the county associated with the most recent
  771  decennial census blocks within each precinct.
  772         (c) The department shall maintain a searchable database
  773  that contains the precincts and the corresponding most recent
  774  decennial census blocks within the precincts for each county,
  775  including a historical file that allows the census blocks to be
  776  traced through the prior decade.
  777         (d) The supervisor of elections shall notify the Secretary
  778  of State in writing within 10 days after any reorganization of
  779  precincts and shall furnish a copy of the map showing the
  780  current geographical boundaries and designation of each new
  781  precinct. However, if precincts are composed of whole census
  782  blocks, the supervisor may furnish, in lieu of a copy of the
  783  map, a list, in an electronic format prescribed by the
  784  Department of State, associating each census block in the county
  785  with its precinct.
  786         (e) Any precinct established or altered under the
  787  provisions of this section shall consist of areas bounded on all
  788  sides only by census block boundaries from the most recent
  789  United States Census. If the census block boundaries split or
  790  conflict with another political boundary listed below, the
  791  boundary listed below may be used:
  792         1. Governmental unit boundaries reported in the most recent
  793  Boundary and Annexation Survey published by the United States
  794  Census Bureau;
  795         2. Visible features that are readily distinguishable upon
  796  the ground, such as streets, railroads, tracks, streams, and
  797  lakes, and that are indicated upon current census maps, official
  798  Department of Transportation maps, official municipal maps,
  799  official county maps, or a combination of such maps;
  800         3. Boundaries of public parks, public school grounds, or
  801  churches; or
  802         4. Boundaries of counties, incorporated municipalities, or
  803  other political subdivisions that meet criteria established by
  804  the United States Census Bureau for block boundaries.
  805         (4)(a) Within 10 days after there is any change in the
  806  division, number, or boundaries of the precincts, or the
  807  location of the polling places, the supervisor of elections
  808  shall make in writing an accurate description of any new or
  809  altered precincts, setting forth the boundary lines and shall
  810  identify the location of each new or altered polling place. A
  811  copy of the document describing such changes shall be posted at
  812  the supervisor’s office.
  813         (b) Any changes in the county precinct data shall be
  814  provided to the department within 10 days after a change.
  815         (c) Precinct data shall include all precincts for which
  816  precinct-level election results and voting history results are
  817  reported.
  818         Section 17. Section 101.012, Florida Statutes, is created
  819  to read:
  820         101.012 Voter services centers.—
  821         (1) The supervisor of elections shall establish voter
  822  services centers to:
  823         (a) Provide in-person voting for persons with disabilities
  824  as required by law.
  825         (b) Allow an elector to request and obtain a replacement
  826  ballot if a mail ballot is destroyed, spoiled, lost, or not
  827  received by the elector; or in the event of an election held for
  828  the purpose of nominating a political party nominee, an elector
  829  may request and obtain a replacement ballot for the elector’s
  830  newly designated party affiliation if the elector updated his or
  831  her party affiliation before the book-closing deadline but after
  832  the supervisor has mailed out ballots pursuant to s. 101.003.
  833         (c) Provide secure drop boxes for electors to return voted
  834  mail ballots.
  835         (d) Allow an elector to update his or her residence or name
  836  in accordance with s. 101.045.
  837         (e) Allow a person whose eligibility to vote cannot be
  838  determined to cast a provisional ballot in accordance with s.
  839  101.048.
  840         (f) Allow an elector to submit a cure affidavit for a mail
  841  ballot or a provisional ballot.
  842         (g) Allow an elector whose voter registration has been
  843  designated as inactive to obtain a ballot.
  844         (2) The supervisor shall designate each voter services
  845  center by no later than the 30th day before an election. The
  846  supervisor shall provide to the division no later than the 30th
  847  day before an election the address of each voter services center
  848  and the hours of operation of each center.
  849         (3) In addition to any main or branch office of the
  850  supervisor, the supervisor may designate any city hall,
  851  permanent public library facility, fairground, civic center,
  852  courthouse, county commission building, stadium, convention
  853  center, government-owned senior center, or government-owned
  854  community center as a voter services center. In designating the
  855  locations of voter services centers, the supervisor must ensure
  856  that the center locations are geographically located so as to
  857  provide all voters in the county an equal opportunity to cast a
  858  ballot. Additionally, the supervisor may designate one voter
  859  services center per election in an area of the county that does
  860  not have any of the eligible locations specified in this
  861  subsection.
  862         (4) For any election that contains state or federal races,
  863  voter services centers shall be open for the period beginning on
  864  the 10th day before an election and ending on the day of the
  865  election, and be open for at least 8 hours but not more than 12
  866  hours per day at each location during the applicable period. In
  867  addition, the supervisor may operate voter services centers on
  868  the 15th, 14th, 13th, 12th, or 11th day before an election that
  869  contains state or federal races for at least 8 hours per day,
  870  but not more than 12 hours per day. The supervisor may operate
  871  voter services centers for elections that are not held in
  872  conjunction with a state or federal election, but the supervisor
  873  has discretion to determine the hours of operation of centers in
  874  those elections.
  875         (5) All voter services centers in a county must allow any
  876  elector in line at the closing of the center to vote or receive
  877  other services.
  878         Section 18. Section 101.013, Florida Statutes, is created
  879  to read:
  880         101.013 Secure drop boxes.—
  881         (1) The supervisor shall allow an elector who has received
  882  a ballot to physically return the voted ballot to the supervisor
  883  by placing the envelope containing his or her marked ballot in a
  884  secure drop box. Secure drop boxes must be placed at the main
  885  office of the supervisor, at each branch office of the
  886  supervisor, and at each voter services center.
  887         (2) Secure drop boxes may also be placed at any of the
  888  locations specified in s. 101.012(3), provided that any such
  889  site is staffed during the hours of its operation by an employee
  890  of the supervisor’s office or a sworn law enforcement officer.
  891  All stand-alone drop box locations must be designated by a sign
  892  that is conspicuously posted during the time that such locations
  893  are available to receive ballots.
  894         (3) All secure drop box locations in a county must allow
  895  any elector who is in line waiting to drop off a voted ballot
  896  when the location closes to return his or her ballot.
  897         Section 19. Section 101.014, Florida Statutes, is created
  898  to read:
  899         101.014 Replacement ballots.—
  900         (1) An elector may obtain a replacement ballot if the
  901  mailed ballot is destroyed, spoiled, lost, or not received by
  902  the elector. Replacement ballots may be mailed, made available
  903  in the main or branch office of the supervisor, or made
  904  available at a voter services center. A replacement ballot may
  905  not be mailed to an elector later than 8 days before the
  906  election.
  907         (2) In order to be issued a replacement ballot, the elector
  908  must complete and sign a replacement ballot request form. The
  909  department shall prescribe the form by rule.
  910         (3)(a) If directly instructed in writing by the elector, a
  911  member of the elector’s immediate family or the elector’s legal
  912  guardian may request a replacement ballot. For purposes of this
  913  paragraph, the term “immediate family” means the elector’s
  914  spouse or the parent, child, grandparent, or sibling of the
  915  elector. The person making the request must disclose:
  916         1. The name of the elector for whom the ballot is
  917  requested.
  918         2. The elector’s address.
  919         3. The elector’s date of birth.
  920         4. The requester’s name.
  921         5. The requester’s address.
  922         6. The requester’s driver license number, if available.
  923         7. The requester’s relationship to the elector.
  924         8. The requester’s signature.
  925         (b) If the supervisor or his or her designee is satisfied
  926  that the designee is authorized to pick up the replacement
  927  ballot and that the signature of the elector on the written
  928  authorization matches the signature of the elector on file, the
  929  supervisor shall give the ballot to that designee for delivery
  930  to the elector.
  931         (4) Upon receiving a request for a replacement ballot, the
  932  supervisor shall:
  933         (a) Verify the registration of the elector and ensure that
  934  another ballot has not been returned by the elector;
  935         (b) Note in the list of electors that the elector has
  936  requested a replacement ballot;
  937         (c) Mark the mailing envelope clearly so that it may be
  938  readily identified as a replacement ballot; and
  939         (d) Issue the replacement ballot by mail or other means.
  940         (5) The completed and signed replacement ballot request
  941  form and the voted replacement ballot must be received by the
  942  supervisor of elections by 7 p.m. on election day in order to be
  943  counted.
  944         Section 20. Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section
  945  101.015, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  946         101.015 Standards for voting systems.—
  947         (4)
  948         (b)1. Each supervisor shall establish written procedures to
  949  assure accuracy and security in his or her county, including
  950  procedures related to the operation of voter services centers
  951  early voting pursuant to s. 101.657. Such procedures shall be
  952  reviewed in each odd-numbered year by the department.
  953         2. Each supervisor shall submit any revisions to the
  954  security procedures to the department at least 45 days before
  955  voter services centers are scheduled to open pursuant to s.
  956  101.012 early voting commences pursuant to s. 101.657 in an
  957  election in which they are to take effect.
  958         Section 21. Section 101.031, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
  959         Section 22. Section 101.043, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
  960         Section 23. Subsection (2) of section 101.045, Florida
  961  Statutes, is amended to read:
  962         101.045 Electors must be registered in precinct; provisions
  963  for change of residence or name.—
  964         (2)(a) An elector who moves from the precinct in which the
  965  elector is registered may vote in the precinct to which he or
  966  she has moved his or her legal residence, provided if the change
  967  of residence is within the same county or the precinct to which
  968  the elector has moved his or her legal residence is within a
  969  county that uses an electronic database as a precinct register
  970  at the polling place, and the elector completes an affirmation
  971  in substantially the following form:
  972  
  973               Change of Legal Residence of Registered             
  974                                Voter                              
  975  
  976  Under penalties for false swearing, I, ...(Name of voter)...,
  977  swear (or affirm) that the former address of my legal residence
  978  was ...(Address of legal residence)... in the municipality of
  979  ...., in .... County, Florida, and I was registered to vote in
  980  the .... precinct of .... County, Florida; that I have not voted
  981  in the precinct of my former registration in this election; that
  982  I now reside at ...(Address of legal residence)... in the
  983  Municipality of ...., in .... County, Florida, and am therefore
  984  eligible to vote in the .... precinct of .... County, Florida;
  985  and I further swear (or affirm) that I am otherwise legally
  986  registered and entitled to vote.
  987  ...(Signature of voter whose address of legal residence has
  988  changed)...
  989  
  990         (b) Except for an active uniformed services voter or a
  991  member of his or her family and except for an elector who has
  992  moved his or her legal residence to a precinct within a county
  993  that uses an electronic database as a precinct register at the
  994  polling place, an elector whose change of address is from
  995  outside the county may not change his or her legal residence at
  996  the polling place and must vote a provisional ballot.
  997         (c) An elector whose name changes because of marriage or
  998  other legal process may be permitted to vote, provided such
  999  elector completes an affirmation in substantially the following
 1000  form:
 1001  
 1002                    Change of Name of Registered                   
 1003                                Voter                              
 1004  
 1005  Under penalties for false swearing, I, ...(New name of
 1006  voter)..., swear (or affirm) that my name has been changed
 1007  because of marriage or other legal process. My former name and
 1008  address of legal residence appear on the registration records of
 1009  precinct .... as follows:
 1010  Name............................................................
 1011  Address.........................................................
 1012  Municipality....................................................
 1013  County..........................................................
 1014  Florida, Zip....................................................
 1015  My present name and address of legal residence are as follows:
 1016  Name............................................................
 1017  Address.........................................................
 1018  Municipality....................................................
 1019  County..........................................................
 1020  Florida, Zip....................................................
 1021  and I further swear (or affirm) that I am otherwise legally
 1022  registered and entitled to vote.
 1023  
 1024  ...(Signature of voter whose name has changed)...
 1025  
 1026         (c)(d) Instead of the affirmation contained in paragraph
 1027  (a) or paragraph (b) (c), an elector may complete a voter
 1028  registration application that indicates the change of name or
 1029  change of address of legal residence.
 1030         (d)(e) Such affirmation or application, when completed and
 1031  presented at the office of the supervisor of elections or a
 1032  voter services center precinct in which such elector is entitled
 1033  to vote, and upon verification of the elector’s registration,
 1034  shall entitle such elector to vote as provided in this
 1035  subsection. If the elector’s eligibility to vote cannot be
 1036  determined, he or she is shall be entitled to vote a provisional
 1037  ballot, subject to the requirements and procedures in s.
 1038  101.048. Upon receipt of an affirmation or application
 1039  certifying a change in address of legal residence or name, the
 1040  supervisor shall as soon as practicable make the necessary
 1041  changes in the statewide voter registration system to indicate
 1042  the change in address of legal residence or name of such
 1043  elector.
 1044         Section 24. Subsection (1) and paragraph (b) of subsection
 1045  (2) of section 101.048, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 1046         101.048 Provisional ballots.—
 1047         (1) At all elections, a voter who claims claiming to be
 1048  properly registered in the state and eligible to vote at a
 1049  certain the precinct in the election but whose eligibility
 1050  cannot be determined, a person whom an election official asserts
 1051  is not eligible, and other persons specified in the code are
 1052  shall be entitled to vote a provisional ballot at the office of
 1053  the supervisor of elections or a voter services center. Once
 1054  voted, the provisional ballot must shall be placed in a secrecy
 1055  envelope and thereafter sealed in a provisional ballot envelope.
 1056  The provisional ballot shall be deposited in a ballot box. All
 1057  provisional ballots must shall remain sealed in their envelopes
 1058  until such time that the ballots are reviewed by the county
 1059  canvassing board for return to the supervisor of elections. The
 1060  department shall prescribe the form of the provisional ballot
 1061  envelope. A person casting a provisional ballot has shall have
 1062  the right to present written evidence supporting his or her
 1063  eligibility to vote to the supervisor of elections by not later
 1064  than 5 p.m. on the second day following the election.
 1065         (2)
 1066         (b) If it is determined that the person was registered and
 1067  entitled to vote in at the precinct where the person cast a vote
 1068  in the election, the canvassing board must compare the signature
 1069  on the Provisional Ballot Voter’s Certificate and Affirmation or
 1070  the provisional ballot cure affidavit with the signature on the
 1071  voter’s registration or precinct register. A provisional ballot
 1072  may be counted only if:
 1073         1. The signature on the voter’s certificate or the cure
 1074  affidavit matches the elector’s signature in the registration
 1075  books or the precinct register; however, in the case of a cure
 1076  affidavit, the supporting identification listed in subsection
 1077  (6) must also confirm the identity of the elector; or
 1078         2. The cure affidavit contains a signature that does not
 1079  match the elector’s signature in the registration books or the
 1080  precinct register, but the elector has submitted a current and
 1081  valid Tier 1 form of identification confirming his or her
 1082  identity pursuant to subsection (6).
 1083  
 1084  For purposes of this paragraph, any canvassing board finding
 1085  that signatures do not match must be by majority vote and beyond
 1086  a reasonable doubt.
 1087         Section 25. Subsection (4) of section 101.049, Florida
 1088  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1089         101.049 Provisional ballots; special circumstances.—
 1090         (4) This section does shall not apply to voters in line at
 1091  the poll-closing time provided in s. 100.011 who cast their
 1092  ballots subsequent to that time.
 1093         Section 26. Section 101.051, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1094  to read:
 1095         101.051 Electors seeking assistance in casting ballots;
 1096  oath to be executed; forms to be furnished.—
 1097         (1) Any elector applying to vote in any election who
 1098  requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, disability,
 1099  or inability to read or write may request the assistance of two
 1100  election officials or some other person of the elector’s own
 1101  choice, other than the elector’s employer, an agent of the
 1102  employer, or an officer or agent of his or her union, to assist
 1103  the elector in casting his or her vote. Any such elector, before
 1104  retiring to the voting booth, may have one of such persons read
 1105  over to him or her, without suggestion or interference, the
 1106  titles of the offices to be filled and the candidates therefor
 1107  and the issues on the ballot. After the elector requests the aid
 1108  of the two election officials or the person of the elector’s
 1109  choice, they shall retire to the voting booth for the purpose of
 1110  casting the elector’s vote according to the elector’s choice.
 1111         (2) It is unlawful for any person to be in the voting booth
 1112  with any elector except as provided in subsection (1). A person
 1113  at a voter services center polling place or early voting site,
 1114  or within 100 feet of the entrance of a voter services center
 1115  polling place or early voting site, may not solicit any elector
 1116  in an effort to provide assistance to vote pursuant to
 1117  subsection (1). Any person who violates this subsection commits
 1118  a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
 1119  775.082 or s. 775.083.
 1120         (3) Any elector who plans applying to cast a vote-by-mail
 1121  ballot by mail in the office of the supervisor, in any election,
 1122  who requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness,
 1123  disability, or inability to read or write may request the
 1124  assistance of some person of his or her own choice, other than
 1125  the elector’s employer, an agent of the employer, or an officer
 1126  or agent of his or her union, in casting his or her vote-by-mail
 1127  ballot.
 1128         (4) If an elector needs assistance in voting pursuant to
 1129  the provisions of this section, the clerk or one of the
 1130  inspectors shall require the elector requesting assistance in
 1131  voting to take the following oath:
 1132  
 1133                  DECLARATION TO SECURE ASSISTANCE                 
 1134  
 1135  State of Florida
 1136  County of ....
 1137  Date ....
 1138  Precinct ....
 1139  
 1140         I, ...(Print name)..., swear or affirm that I am a
 1141  registered elector and request assistance from ...(Print
 1142  names)... in voting at the ...(name of election)... held on
 1143  ...(date of election)....
 1144  
 1145  ...(Signature of voter)...
 1146  
 1147  Sworn and subscribed to before me this .... day of ....,
 1148  ...(year)....
 1149  
 1150  ...(Signature of Official Administering Oath)...
 1151  
 1152         (5) If an elector needing assistance requests that a person
 1153  other than an election official provide him or her with
 1154  assistance in voting, the clerk or one of the inspectors shall
 1155  require the person providing assistance to take the following
 1156  oath:
 1157  
 1158                  DECLARATION TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE                
 1159  
 1160  State of Florida
 1161  County of ....
 1162  Date ....
 1163  Precinct ....
 1164  
 1165         I, ...(Print name)..., have been requested by ...(print
 1166  name of elector needing assistance)... to provide him or her
 1167  with assistance to vote. I swear or affirm that I am not the
 1168  employer, an agent of the employer, or an officer or agent of
 1169  the union of the voter and that I have not solicited this voter
 1170  at the voter services center polling place or early voting site
 1171  or within 100 feet of the center such locations in an effort to
 1172  provide assistance.
 1173  
 1174  ...(Signature of assistor)...
 1175  
 1176  Sworn and subscribed to before me this .... day of ....,
 1177  ...(year)....
 1178  
 1179  ...(Signature of Official Administering Oath)...
 1180  
 1181         (6) The supervisor of elections shall deliver a sufficient
 1182  number of these forms to each voter services center precinct,
 1183  along with other election paraphernalia.
 1184         Section 27. Section 101.111, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1185  to read:
 1186         101.111 Voter challenges.—
 1187         (1)(a) Any registered elector or poll watcher of a county
 1188  may challenge the right of a person to vote in that county. The
 1189  challenge must be in writing and contain the following oath,
 1190  which shall be delivered to the clerk or inspector:
 1191  
 1192                  OATH OF PERSON ENTERING CHALLENGE                
 1193  
 1194  State of Florida
 1195  County of ....
 1196  
 1197  I do solemnly swear or affirm that my name is ....; that I am a
 1198  member of the .... Party; that I am a registered voter or
 1199  watcher pollwatcher; that my residence address is ...., in the
 1200  municipality of ....; and that I have reason to believe that
 1201  .... is attempting to vote illegally and the reasons for my
 1202  belief are set forth herein to wit: 	
 1203  ................................................................
 1204  ................................................................
 1205  ...(Signature of person challenging voter)...
 1206  
 1207  Sworn and subscribed to before me this .... day of ....,
 1208  ...(year)....
 1209  ...(Clerk of election)...
 1210  
 1211         (b)1. The clerk or inspector shall immediately deliver to
 1212  the challenged person a copy of the oath of the person entering
 1213  the challenge, and the challenged voter shall be allowed to cast
 1214  a provisional ballot in accordance with s. 101.048, except as
 1215  provided in subparagraph 2.
 1216         2. If the basis for the challenge is that the person’s
 1217  legal residence is not in a certain that precinct, the person
 1218  shall first be given the opportunity to execute a change of
 1219  legal residence in order to be able to vote a regular ballot in
 1220  accordance with s. 101.045(2). If the change of legal residence
 1221  is such that the person is then properly registered for that
 1222  precinct, the person shall be allowed to vote a regular ballot.
 1223  If the change of legal residence places the person in another
 1224  precinct, the person shall be issued a ballot in accordance with
 1225  directed to the proper precinct to vote. If such person insists
 1226  that he or she is currently resides in the initially designated
 1227  proper precinct, the person shall be allowed to vote a
 1228  provisional ballot in accordance with s. 101.048.
 1229         (c) Alternatively, a challenge in accordance with this
 1230  section may be filed in advance with the supervisor of elections
 1231  no sooner than 30 days before an election. The supervisor shall
 1232  promptly provide the election board in the challenged voter’s
 1233  precinct with a copy of the oath of the person entering the
 1234  challenge. The challenged voter shall be allowed to cast a
 1235  provisional ballot in accordance with s. 101.048, subject to the
 1236  provisions of subparagraph (b)2.
 1237         (2) Any elector or poll watcher filing a frivolous
 1238  challenge of any person’s right to vote commits a misdemeanor of
 1239  the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.
 1240  775.083; however, an elector or a watcher is not electors or
 1241  poll watchers shall not be subject to liability for any action
 1242  taken in good faith and in furtherance of any activity or duty
 1243  permitted of such electors or poll watchers by law. Each
 1244  instance where any elector or poll watcher files a frivolous
 1245  challenge of any person’s right to vote constitutes a separate
 1246  offense.
 1247         Section 28. Section 101.131, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1248  to read:
 1249         101.131 Appointment of watchers at polls.—
 1250         (1) Each political party and each candidate may appoint
 1251  have one watcher in each voter services center polling room or
 1252  early voting area at any one time during the election. A
 1253  political committee formed for the specific purpose of expressly
 1254  advocating the passage or defeat of an issue on the ballot may
 1255  appoint have one watcher for each voter services center polling
 1256  room or early voting area at any one time during the election.
 1257  No watcher shall be permitted to come closer to the officials’
 1258  table or the voting booths than is reasonably necessary to
 1259  properly perform his or her functions, but each shall be allowed
 1260  within the polling room or early voting area to watch and
 1261  observe the conduct of electors and officials. The poll watchers
 1262  shall furnish their own materials and necessities and shall not
 1263  obstruct the orderly conduct of any election. The poll watchers
 1264  shall pose any questions regarding voter services center polling
 1265  place procedures directly to the clerk for resolution. They may
 1266  not interact with voters. Each poll watcher shall be a qualified
 1267  and registered elector of the county in which he or she serves.
 1268         (2) Each party, each political committee, and each
 1269  candidate requesting to have poll watchers shall designate those
 1270  individuals, in writing to the supervisors of elections, on a
 1271  form prescribed by the division, before noon of the second
 1272  Tuesday preceding the election poll watchers for each polling
 1273  room on election day. Designations of poll watchers for early
 1274  voting areas shall be submitted in writing to the supervisor of
 1275  elections, on a form prescribed by the division, before noon at
 1276  least 14 days before the in-person early voting period begins.
 1277  The poll watchers for polling rooms shall be approved by the
 1278  supervisor of elections on or before the Tuesday before the
 1279  election. Poll watchers for early voting areas shall be approved
 1280  by the supervisor of elections no later than 7 days before early
 1281  voting begins. The supervisor shall furnish to each election
 1282  board a list of the poll watchers designated and approved for
 1283  such voter services center polling rooms or early voting areas.
 1284  Designation of poll watchers shall be made by the chair of the
 1285  county executive committee of a political party, the chair of a
 1286  political committee, or the candidate requesting to have poll
 1287  watchers.
 1288         (3) No candidate or sheriff, deputy sheriff, police
 1289  officer, or other law enforcement officer may be designated as a
 1290  poll watcher.
 1291         (4) All poll watchers shall be allowed to enter and watch
 1292  voting areas polls in all voter services centers polling rooms
 1293  and early voting areas within the county in which they have been
 1294  designated if the number of poll watchers at any particular
 1295  center polling place does not exceed the number provided in this
 1296  section.
 1297         (5) The supervisor of elections shall provide to each
 1298  designated poll watcher, no later than 7 days before in-person
 1299  early voting begins, a poll watcher identification badge that
 1300  identifies the poll watcher by name. Each poll watcher must wear
 1301  his or her identification badge while in the polling room or
 1302  early voting area.
 1303         Section 29. Subsection (1) of section 101.151, Florida
 1304  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1305         101.151 Specifications for ballots.—
 1306         (1)(a) Marksense ballots must shall be printed on paper of
 1307  such thickness that the printing cannot be distinguished from
 1308  the back and must shall meet the specifications of the voting
 1309  system that will be used to tabulate the ballots.
 1310         (b) Voter services centers Polling places and early voting
 1311  sites may employ a ballot-on-demand production system to print
 1312  individual marksense ballots, including provisional ballots, for
 1313  eligible electors. Ballot-on-demand technology may be used to
 1314  produce marksense vote-by-mail and election-day ballots.
 1315         Section 30. Section 101.171, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1316  to read:
 1317         101.171 Copy of constitutional amendment to be available at
 1318  voting locations.—Whenever any amendment to the State
 1319  Constitution is to be voted upon at any election, the department
 1320  of State shall have printed and shall furnish to each supervisor
 1321  of elections a sufficient number of copies of the amendment
 1322  either in poster or booklet form, and the supervisor shall have
 1323  a copy thereof conspicuously posted or available at each voter
 1324  services center polling room or early voting area upon the day
 1325  of election.
 1326         Section 31. Section 101.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to
 1327  read:
 1328         101.20 Publication of ballot form; Sample ballots.—
 1329         (1) Two sample ballots shall be furnished to each voter
 1330  services center polling place by the officer whose duty it is to
 1331  provide official ballots. The sample ballots shall be in the
 1332  form of the official ballot as it will appear at that polling
 1333  place on election day. Sample ballots shall be open to
 1334  inspection by all electors in any election, and a sufficient
 1335  number of reduced-size ballots may be furnished to election
 1336  officials so that one may be given to any elector desiring same.
 1337         (2)(a) Upon completion of the list of qualified candidates,
 1338  a sample ballot shall be published by the supervisor in a
 1339  newspaper of general circulation in the county, at least 30 days
 1340  before the day of election.
 1341         (b) In lieu of the publication required under paragraph
 1342  (a), a supervisor may send a sample ballot to each registered
 1343  elector by e-mail at least 30 7 days before the day of an
 1344  election if an e-mail address has been provided and the elector
 1345  has opted to receive a sample ballot by electronic delivery. If
 1346  an e-mail address has not been provided, or if the elector has
 1347  not opted for electronic delivery, a sample ballot may be mailed
 1348  to each registered elector or to each household in which there
 1349  is a registered elector at least 30 7 days before the day of an
 1350  election.
 1351         Section 32. Section 101.23, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
 1352         Section 33. Section 101.24, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
 1353         Section 34. Section 101.43, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
 1354         Section 35. Section 101.49, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
 1355         Section 36. Section 101.51, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
 1356         Section 37. Paragraph (f) of subsection (1) and subsection
 1357  (2) of section 101.56062, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 1358         101.56062 Standards for accessible voting systems.—
 1359         (1) Notwithstanding anything in this chapter to the
 1360  contrary, each voting system certified by the department of
 1361  State for use in local, state, and federal elections must
 1362  include the capability to install accessible voter interface
 1363  devices in the system configuration which will allow the system
 1364  to meet the following minimum standards:
 1365         (f) Any voting system that requires any visual perception
 1366  must offer the election official who programs the system, prior
 1367  to its being sent to the voter services center polling place,
 1368  the capability to set the font size, as it appears to the voter,
 1369  from a minimum of 14 points to a maximum of 24 points.
 1370         (2) Such voting system must include at least one accessible
 1371  voter interface device installed in each voter services center
 1372  polling place which meets the requirements of this section,
 1373  except for paragraph (1)(d).
 1374         Section 38. Section 101.56063, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1375  to read:
 1376         101.56063 Accessibility of voting systems and voter
 1377  services centers polling places; intent; eligibility for federal
 1378  funding.—It is the intent of the Legislature that this state be
 1379  eligible for any funds that are available from the Federal
 1380  Government to assist states in providing or improving
 1381  accessibility of voting systems and voter services centers
 1382  polling places for persons having a disability. Accordingly, all
 1383  state laws, rules, standards, and codes governing voting systems
 1384  and voter services center polling place accessibility must be
 1385  maintained to ensure the state’s eligibility to receive federal
 1386  funds. It is the intent of the Legislature that all state
 1387  requirements meet or exceed the minimum federal requirements for
 1388  voting systems and voter services center polling place
 1389  accessibility. This section shall take effect upon this act
 1390  becoming a law.
 1391         Section 39. Section 101.5608, Florida Statutes, is
 1392  repealed.
 1393         Section 40. Section 101.5610, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1394  to read:
 1395         101.5610 Inspection of ballot by election board.—The
 1396  election board of each precinct shall cause the voting devices
 1397  to be put in order, set, adjusted, and made ready for voting
 1398  when delivered to voter services centers the polling places.
 1399  Before the opening of the centers polls, the election board
 1400  shall compare the ballots or the ballot information used in the
 1401  voting devices with the sample ballots furnished and see that
 1402  the names, numbers, and letters thereon agree and shall certify
 1403  thereto on forms provided by the supervisor of elections.
 1404         Section 41. Section 101.5611, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1405  to read:
 1406         101.5611 Instructions to electors.—
 1407         (1) The supervisor of elections shall provide instruction
 1408  at each voter services center polling place regarding the manner
 1409  of voting with the system. In instructing voters, no election
 1410  precinct official may favor any political party, candidate, or
 1411  issue. Such instruction shall show the arrangement of candidates
 1412  and questions to be voted on. Additionally, the supervisor of
 1413  elections shall provide instruction on the proper method of
 1414  casting a ballot for the specific voting system utilized in that
 1415  jurisdiction. Such instruction shall be provided at a place
 1416  which voters must pass to reach the official voting booth.
 1417         (2) The supervisor of elections shall have posted at each
 1418  voter services center and drop box location polling place a
 1419  notice that reads: “A person who commits or attempts to commit
 1420  any fraud in connection with voting, votes a fraudulent ballot,
 1421  or votes more than once in an election can be convicted of a
 1422  felony of the third degree and fined up to $5,000 and/or
 1423  imprisoned for up to 5 years.”
 1424         Section 42. Subsection (2) and paragraph (a) of subsection
 1425  (4) of section 101.5612, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 1426         101.5612 Testing of tabulating equipment.—
 1427         (2) On any day not more than 10 days prior to voter
 1428  services centers opening the commencement of early voting as
 1429  provided in s. 101.012 s. 101.657, the supervisor of elections
 1430  shall have the automatic tabulating equipment publicly tested to
 1431  ascertain that the equipment will correctly count the votes cast
 1432  for all offices and on all measures. If the ballots to be used
 1433  in the election at the polling place on election day are not
 1434  available at the time of the testing, the supervisor may conduct
 1435  an additional test not more than 10 days before election day.
 1436  Public notice of the time and place of the test shall be given
 1437  at least 48 hours prior thereto by publication on the supervisor
 1438  of elections’ website and once in one or more newspapers of
 1439  general circulation in the county or, if there is no newspaper
 1440  of general circulation in the county, by posting the notice in
 1441  at least four conspicuous places in the county. The supervisor
 1442  or the municipal elections official may, at the time of
 1443  qualifying, give written notice of the time and location of the
 1444  public preelection test to each candidate qualifying with that
 1445  office and obtain a signed receipt that the notice has been
 1446  given. The department of State shall give written notice to each
 1447  statewide candidate at the time of qualifying, or immediately at
 1448  the end of qualifying, that the voting equipment will be tested
 1449  and advise each candidate to contact the county supervisor of
 1450  elections as to the time and location of the public preelection
 1451  test. The supervisor or the municipal elections official shall,
 1452  at least 15 days before the opening of voter services centers
 1453  prior to the commencement of early voting as provided in s.
 1454  101.012 s. 101.657, send written notice by certified mail to the
 1455  county party chair of each political party and to all candidates
 1456  for other than statewide office whose names appear on the ballot
 1457  in the county and who did not receive written notification from
 1458  the supervisor or municipal elections official at the time of
 1459  qualifying, stating the time and location of the public
 1460  preelection test of the automatic tabulating equipment. The
 1461  canvassing board shall convene, and each member of the
 1462  canvassing board shall certify to the accuracy of the test. For
 1463  the test, the canvassing board may designate one member to
 1464  represent it. The test shall be open to representatives of the
 1465  political parties, the press, and the public. Each political
 1466  party may designate one person with expertise in the computer
 1467  field who shall be allowed in the central counting room when all
 1468  tests are being conducted and when the official votes are being
 1469  counted. The designee may shall not interfere with the normal
 1470  operation of the canvassing board.
 1471         (4)(a)1. For electronic or electromechanical voting systems
 1472  configured to include electronic or electromechanical tabulation
 1473  devices which are distributed to the precincts, all or a sample
 1474  of the devices to be used in the election shall be publicly
 1475  tested. If a sample is to be tested, the sample shall consist of
 1476  a random selection of at least 5 percent or 10 of the devices
 1477  for an optical scan system, whichever is greater. For
 1478  touchscreen systems used for voters having a disability, a
 1479  sample of at least 2 percent of the devices must be tested. The
 1480  test shall be conducted by processing a group of ballots,
 1481  causing the device to output results for the ballots processed,
 1482  and comparing the output of results to the results expected for
 1483  the ballots processed. The group of ballots shall be produced so
 1484  as to record a predetermined number of valid votes for each
 1485  candidate and on each measure and to include for each office one
 1486  or more ballots which have activated voting positions in excess
 1487  of the number allowed by law in order to test the ability of the
 1488  tabulating device to reject such votes.
 1489         2. If any tested tabulating device is found to have an
 1490  error in tabulation, it shall be deemed unsatisfactory. For each
 1491  device deemed unsatisfactory, the canvassing board shall take
 1492  steps to determine the cause of the error, shall attempt to
 1493  identify and test other devices that could reasonably be
 1494  expected to have the same error, and shall test a number of
 1495  additional devices sufficient to determine that all devices are
 1496  satisfactory. Upon deeming any device unsatisfactory, the
 1497  canvassing board may require all devices to be tested or may
 1498  declare that all devices are unsatisfactory.
 1499         3. If the operation or output of any tested tabulation
 1500  device, such as spelling or the order of candidates on a report,
 1501  is in error, such problem shall be reported to the canvassing
 1502  board. The canvassing board shall then determine if the reported
 1503  problem warrants its deeming the device unsatisfactory.
 1504         Section 43. Section 101.5613, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1505  to read:
 1506         101.5613 Examination of equipment during voting.—A member
 1507  of the election board or, for purposes of early voting pursuant
 1508  to s. 101.657, a representative of the supervisor of elections
 1509  shall occasionally examine the face of the voting device and the
 1510  ballot information to determine that the device and the ballot
 1511  information have not been damaged or tampered with.
 1512         Section 44. Section 101.572, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1513  to read:
 1514         101.572 Public inspection of ballots.—The official ballots
 1515  and ballot cards received from election boards and removed from
 1516  vote-by-mail ballot mailing envelopes shall be open for public
 1517  inspection or examination while in the custody of the supervisor
 1518  of elections or the county canvassing board at any reasonable
 1519  time, under reasonable conditions; however, no persons other
 1520  than the supervisor of elections or his or her employees or the
 1521  county canvassing board shall handle any official ballot or
 1522  ballot card. If the ballots are being examined prior to the end
 1523  of the contest period in s. 102.168, the supervisor of elections
 1524  shall make a reasonable effort to notify all candidates whose
 1525  names appear on such ballots or ballot cards by telephone or
 1526  otherwise of the time and place of the inspection or
 1527  examination. All such candidates, or their representatives,
 1528  shall be allowed to be present during the inspection or
 1529  examination.
 1530         Section 45. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (2) of
 1531  section 101.591, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 1532         101.591 Voting system audit.—
 1533         (2)(a) A manual audit shall consist of a public manual
 1534  tally of the votes cast in one randomly selected race that
 1535  appears on the ballot. The tally sheet shall include mail
 1536  election-day, vote-by-mail, early voting, provisional, and
 1537  overseas ballots, in at least 1 percent but no more than 2
 1538  percent of the precincts chosen at random by the county
 1539  canvassing board or the local board responsible for certifying
 1540  the election. If 1 percent of the precincts is less than one
 1541  entire precinct, the audit shall be conducted using at least one
 1542  precinct chosen at random by the county canvassing board or the
 1543  local board responsible for certifying the election. Such
 1544  precincts shall be selected at a publicly noticed canvassing
 1545  board meeting.
 1546         (b) An automated audit shall consist of a public automated
 1547  tally of the votes cast across every race that appears on the
 1548  ballot. The tally sheet shall include mail election day, vote
 1549  by-mail, early voting, provisional, and overseas ballots in at
 1550  least 20 percent of the precincts chosen at random by the county
 1551  canvassing board or the local board responsible for certifying
 1552  the election. Such precincts shall be selected at a publicly
 1553  noticed canvassing board meeting.
 1554         Section 46. Sections 101.6101, 101.6102, 101.6103,
 1555  101.6104, 101.6105, 101.6106, and 101.6107, Florida Statutes,
 1556  are repealed.
 1557         Section 47. Section 101.62, Florida Statutes, is
 1558  transferred, renumbered as section 101.0031, and amended to
 1559  read:
 1560         101.0031 Ballot information; public records exemption
 1561  101.62 Request for vote-by-mail ballots.—
 1562         (1)(a) The supervisor shall accept a request for a vote-by
 1563  mail ballot from an elector in person or in writing. One request
 1564  shall be deemed sufficient to receive a vote-by-mail ballot for
 1565  all elections through the end of the calendar year of the second
 1566  ensuing regularly scheduled general election, unless the elector
 1567  or the elector’s designee indicates at the time the request is
 1568  made the elections for which the elector desires to receive a
 1569  vote-by-mail ballot. Such request may be considered canceled
 1570  when any first-class mail sent by the supervisor to the elector
 1571  is returned as undeliverable.
 1572         (b) The supervisor may accept a written or telephonic
 1573  request for a vote-by-mail ballot to be mailed to an elector’s
 1574  address on file in the Florida Voter Registration System from
 1575  the elector, or, if directly instructed by the elector, a member
 1576  of the elector’s immediate family, or the elector’s legal
 1577  guardian; if the ballot is requested to be mailed to an address
 1578  other than the elector’s address on file in the Florida Voter
 1579  Registration System, the request must be made in writing and
 1580  signed by the elector. However, an absent uniformed service
 1581  voter or an overseas voter seeking a vote-by-mail ballot is not
 1582  required to submit a signed, written request for a vote-by-mail
 1583  ballot that is being mailed to an address other than the
 1584  elector’s address on file in the Florida Voter Registration
 1585  System. For purposes of this section, the term “immediate
 1586  family” has the same meaning as specified in paragraph (4)(c).
 1587  The person making the request must disclose:
 1588         1. The name of the elector for whom the ballot is
 1589  requested.
 1590         2. The elector’s address.
 1591         3. The elector’s date of birth.
 1592         4. The requester’s name.
 1593         5. The requester’s address.
 1594         6. The requester’s driver license number, if available.
 1595         7. The requester’s relationship to the elector.
 1596         8. The requester’s signature (written requests only).
 1597         (c) Upon receiving a request for a vote-by-mail ballot from
 1598  an absent voter, the supervisor of elections shall notify the
 1599  voter of the free access system that has been designated by the
 1600  department for determining the status of his or her vote-by-mail
 1601  ballot.
 1602         (2) A request for a vote-by-mail ballot to be mailed to a
 1603  voter must be received no later than 5 p.m. on the 10th day
 1604  before the election by the supervisor. The supervisor shall mail
 1605  vote-by-mail ballots to voters requesting ballots by such
 1606  deadline no later than 8 days before the election.
 1607         (3) For each mail request for a vote-by-mail ballot
 1608  received, the supervisor shall record the date the ballot was
 1609  mailed request was made, the date the vote-by-mail ballot was
 1610  delivered to the voter or the voter’s designee or the date the
 1611  vote-by-mail ballot was delivered to the post office or other
 1612  carrier, the date the ballot was received by the supervisor, the
 1613  absence of the voter’s signature on the voter’s certificate, if
 1614  applicable, and such other information he or she may deem
 1615  necessary. This information shall be provided in electronic
 1616  format as provided by rule adopted by the division. The
 1617  information shall be updated and made available no later than 8
 1618  a.m. of each day, including weekends, beginning 60 days before
 1619  the primary until 15 days after the general election and shall
 1620  be contemporaneously provided to the division. This information
 1621  shall be confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and shall be
 1622  made available to or reproduced only for the voter requesting
 1623  the ballot, a canvassing board, an election official, a
 1624  political party or official thereof, a candidate who has filed
 1625  qualification papers and is opposed in an upcoming election, and
 1626  registered political committees for political purposes only.
 1627         (4)(a) No later than 45 days before each presidential
 1628  preference primary election, primary election, and general
 1629  election, the supervisor of elections shall send a vote-by-mail
 1630  ballot as provided in subparagraph (c)2. to each absent
 1631  uniformed services voter and to each overseas voter who has
 1632  requested a vote-by-mail ballot.
 1633         (b) The supervisor shall mail a vote-by-mail ballot to each
 1634  absent qualified voter, other than those listed in paragraph
 1635  (a), who has requested such a ballot, between the 40th and 33rd
 1636  days before the presidential preference primary election,
 1637  primary election, and general election. Except as otherwise
 1638  provided in subsection (2) and after the period described in
 1639  this paragraph, the supervisor shall mail vote-by-mail ballots
 1640  within 2 business days after receiving a request for such a
 1641  ballot.
 1642         (c) The supervisor shall provide a vote-by-mail ballot to
 1643  each elector by whom a request for that ballot has been made by
 1644  one of the following means:
 1645         1. By nonforwardable, return-if-undeliverable mail to the
 1646  elector’s current mailing address on file with the supervisor or
 1647  any other address the elector specifies in the request.
 1648         2. By forwardable mail, e-mail, or facsimile machine
 1649  transmission to absent uniformed services voters and overseas
 1650  voters. The absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter
 1651  may designate in the vote-by-mail ballot request the preferred
 1652  method of transmission. If the voter does not designate the
 1653  method of transmission, the vote-by-mail ballot shall be mailed.
 1654         3. By personal delivery before 7 p.m. on election day to
 1655  the elector, upon presentation of the identification required in
 1656  s. 101.043.
 1657         4. By delivery to a designee on election day or up to 9
 1658  days prior to the day of an election. Any elector may designate
 1659  in writing a person to pick up the ballot for the elector;
 1660  however, the person designated may not pick up more than two
 1661  vote-by-mail ballots per election, other than the designee’s own
 1662  ballot, except that additional ballots may be picked up for
 1663  members of the designee’s immediate family. For purposes of this
 1664  section, “immediate family” means the designee’s spouse or the
 1665  parent, child, grandparent, or sibling of the designee or of the
 1666  designee’s spouse. The designee shall provide to the supervisor
 1667  the written authorization by the elector and a picture
 1668  identification of the designee and must complete an affidavit.
 1669  The designee shall state in the affidavit that the designee is
 1670  authorized by the elector to pick up that ballot and shall
 1671  indicate if the elector is a member of the designee’s immediate
 1672  family and, if so, the relationship. The department shall
 1673  prescribe the form of the affidavit. If the supervisor is
 1674  satisfied that the designee is authorized to pick up the ballot
 1675  and that the signature of the elector on the written
 1676  authorization matches the signature of the elector on file, the
 1677  supervisor shall give the ballot to that designee for delivery
 1678  to the elector.
 1679         5. Except as provided in s. 101.655, the supervisor may not
 1680  deliver a vote-by-mail ballot to an elector or an elector’s
 1681  immediate family member on the day of the election unless there
 1682  is an emergency, to the extent that the elector will be unable
 1683  to go to his or her assigned polling place. If a vote-by-mail
 1684  ballot is delivered, the elector or his or her designee shall
 1685  execute an affidavit affirming to the facts which allow for
 1686  delivery of the vote-by-mail ballot. The department shall adopt
 1687  a rule providing for the form of the affidavit.
 1688         (5) If the department is unable to certify candidates for
 1689  an election in time to comply with paragraph (4)(a), the
 1690  Department of State is authorized to prescribe rules for a
 1691  ballot to be sent to absent uniformed services voters and
 1692  overseas voters.
 1693         (6) Only the materials necessary to vote by mail may be
 1694  mailed or delivered with any vote-by-mail ballot.
 1695         Section 48. Section 101.64, Florida Statutes, is
 1696  transferred, renumbered as section 101.003, Florida Statutes,
 1697  and amended to read:
 1698         101.003 101.64 Delivery of vote-by-mail ballots; envelopes;
 1699  form.—
 1700         (1)(a)Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (b) and
 1701  (c), the supervisor of elections shall mail, by nonforwardable,
 1702  return-if-undeliverable mail, a ballot to each active voter to
 1703  the voter’s address on file in the Florida Voter Registration
 1704  System between the 40th and 33rd days before the date of an
 1705  election.
 1706         (b) No later than 45 days before the date of an election,
 1707  the supervisor shall send a ballot by forwardable mail, e-mail,
 1708  or facsimile machine transmission to absent uniformed services
 1709  voters and overseas voters. The absent uniformed services voter
 1710  or overseas voter may inform the supervisor of the voter’s
 1711  preferred method of transmission. If the voter does not
 1712  designate a method of transmission, the ballot shall be mailed.
 1713  If the department is unable to certify candidates for an
 1714  election in time to comply with this paragraph, the department
 1715  may prescribe rules for a ballot to be sent to absent uniformed
 1716  services voters and overseas voters.
 1717         (c) For any electors who register to vote after the
 1718  supervisor of elections has mailed ballots pursuant to paragraph
 1719  (a) but before the book-closing deadline, the supervisor shall
 1720  mail ballots to such electors within 2 business days after
 1721  determining that the electors’ voter registration applications
 1722  are complete and valid pursuant to s. 97.053. For any election
 1723  held for the purpose of nominating a political party nominee, if
 1724  an elector updates his or her party affiliation after the
 1725  supervisor of elections has mailed ballots pursuant to paragraph
 1726  (a) but before the book-closing deadline, he or she may request
 1727  a replacement ballot issued according to his or her newly
 1728  designated party affiliation.
 1729         (2)(a)The supervisor may accept a written request that is
 1730  signed by the elector if a ballot is requested to be mailed to
 1731  an address other than the elector’s address on file in the
 1732  Florida Voter Registration System.
 1733         (b) An absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter is
 1734  not required to submit a signed and written request for a ballot
 1735  to be mailed to an address other than the elector’s address on
 1736  file in the Florida Voter Registration System.
 1737         (3) The supervisor shall enclose with each vote-by-mail
 1738  ballot two envelopes: a secrecy envelope, into which the absent
 1739  elector shall enclose his or her marked ballot; and a mailing
 1740  envelope, into which the absent elector shall then place the
 1741  secrecy envelope, which shall be addressed to the supervisor and
 1742  also bear on the back side a certificate in substantially the
 1743  following form:
 1744  
 1745           Note: Please Read Instructions Carefully Before         
 1746         Marking Ballot and Completing Voter’s Certificate.        
 1747  
 1748                         VOTER’S CERTIFICATE                       
 1749         I, ...., do solemnly swear or affirm that I am a qualified
 1750  and registered voter of .... County, Florida, and that I have
 1751  not and will not vote more than one ballot in this election. I
 1752  understand that if I commit or attempt to commit any fraud in
 1753  connection with voting, vote a fraudulent ballot, or vote more
 1754  than once in an election, I can be convicted of a felony of the
 1755  third degree and fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to
 1756  5 years. I also understand that failure to sign this certificate
 1757  will invalidate my ballot.
 1758  ...(Date)...                           ...(Voter’s Signature)...
 1759  ...(E-Mail Address)...             ...(Home Telephone Number)...
 1760  ...(Mobile Telephone Number)...
 1761  
 1762         (4)(2) The certificate shall be arranged on the back of the
 1763  mailing envelope so that the line for the signature of the
 1764  absent elector is across the seal of the envelope; however, no
 1765  statement shall appear on the envelope which indicates that a
 1766  signature of the voter must cross the seal of the envelope. The
 1767  absent elector shall execute the certificate on the envelope.
 1768         (5)(3) In lieu of the voter’s certificate provided in this
 1769  section, the supervisor of elections shall provide each person
 1770  voting in accordance with absentee under the Uniformed and
 1771  Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act with the standard oath
 1772  prescribed by the presidential designee.
 1773         (6)(4) The supervisor shall mark, code, indicate on, or
 1774  otherwise track the precinct of the absent elector for each
 1775  vote-by-mail ballot.
 1776         (7)(5) The secrecy envelope must include, in bold font,
 1777  substantially the following message:
 1778  
 1779  IN ORDER FOR YOUR VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT TO COUNT, YOUR SUPERVISOR
 1780  OF ELECTIONS MUST RECEIVE YOUR BALLOT BY 7 P.M. ON ELECTION DAY.
 1781  IF YOU WAIT TO MAIL YOUR BALLOT, YOUR VOTE MIGHT NOT COUNT. TO
 1782  PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING, PLEASE MAIL OR TURN IN YOUR BALLOT
 1783  AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
 1784         (8) Only the materials necessary to vote by mail may be
 1785  mailed or delivered with any ballot.
 1786         Section 49. Section 101.65, Florida Statutes, is
 1787  transferred, renumbered as section 101.005, Florida Statutes,
 1788  and amended to read:
 1789         101.005 101.65 Instructions to absent electors.—The
 1790  supervisor shall enclose with each vote-by-mail ballot separate
 1791  printed instructions in substantially the following form;
 1792  however, where the instructions appear in capitalized text, the
 1793  text of the printed instructions must be in bold font:
 1794  
 1795                  READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY                
 1796                       BEFORE MARKING BALLOT.                      
 1797  
 1798         1. VERY IMPORTANT. In order to ensure that your vote-by
 1799  mail ballot will be counted, it should be completed and returned
 1800  as soon as possible so that it can reach the supervisor of
 1801  elections of the county in which your precinct is located no
 1802  later than 7 p.m. on the day of the election. However, if you
 1803  are an overseas voter casting a ballot in a presidential
 1804  preference primary or general election, your vote-by-mail ballot
 1805  must be postmarked or dated no later than the date of the
 1806  election and received by the supervisor of elections of the
 1807  county in which you are registered to vote no later than 10 days
 1808  after the date of the election. Note that the later you return
 1809  your ballot, the less time you will have to cure any signature
 1810  deficiencies, which is authorized until 5 p.m. on the 2nd day
 1811  after the election.
 1812         2. Mark your ballot in secret as instructed on the ballot.
 1813  You must mark your own ballot unless you are unable to do so
 1814  because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write.
 1815         3. Mark only the number of candidates or issue choices for
 1816  a race as indicated on the ballot. If you are allowed to “Vote
 1817  for One” candidate and you vote for more than one candidate,
 1818  your vote in that race will not be counted.
 1819         4. Place your marked ballot in the enclosed secrecy
 1820  envelope.
 1821         5. Insert the secrecy envelope into the enclosed mailing
 1822  envelope which is addressed to the supervisor.
 1823         6. Seal the mailing envelope and completely fill out the
 1824  Voter’s Certificate on the back of the mailing envelope.
 1825         7. VERY IMPORTANT. In order for your vote-by-mail ballot to
 1826  be counted, you must sign your name on the line above (Voter’s
 1827  Signature). A vote-by-mail ballot will be considered illegal and
 1828  not be counted if the signature on the voter’s certificate does
 1829  not match the signature on record. The signature on file at the
 1830  time the supervisor of elections in the county in which your
 1831  precinct is located receives your vote-by-mail ballot is the
 1832  signature that will be used to verify your signature on the
 1833  voter’s certificate. If you need to update your signature for
 1834  this election, send your signature update on a voter
 1835  registration application to your supervisor of elections so that
 1836  it is received before your vote-by-mail ballot is received.
 1837         8. VERY IMPORTANT. If you are an overseas voter, you must
 1838  include the date you signed the Voter’s Certificate on the line
 1839  above (Date) or your ballot may not be counted.
 1840         9. Mail, deliver, or have delivered the completed mailing
 1841  envelope. Be sure there is sufficient postage if mailed. THE
 1842  COMPLETED MAILING ENVELOPE CAN BE DELIVERED TO THE OFFICE OF THE
 1843  SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS OF THE COUNTY IN WHICH YOUR PRECINCT IS
 1844  LOCATED OR DROPPED OFF AT AN AUTHORIZED SECURE DROP BOX OR A
 1845  VOTER SERVICES CENTER, AVAILABLE AT EACH EARLY VOTING LOCATION.
 1846         10. FELONY NOTICE. It is a felony under Florida law to
 1847  accept any gift, payment, or gratuity in exchange for your vote
 1848  for a candidate. It is also a felony under Florida law to vote
 1849  in an election using a false identity or false address, or under
 1850  any other circumstances making your ballot false or fraudulent.
 1851         Section 50. Section 101.655, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1852  to read:
 1853         101.655 Supervised voting by absent electors in certain
 1854  facilities.—
 1855         (1) The supervisor of elections of a county shall provide
 1856  supervised voting for absent electors residing in any assisted
 1857  living facility, as defined in s. 429.02, or nursing home
 1858  facility, as defined in s. 400.021, within that county at the
 1859  request of any administrator of such a facility. Such request
 1860  for supervised voting in the facility shall be made by
 1861  submitting a written request to the supervisor of elections no
 1862  later than 21 days prior to the election for which that request
 1863  is submitted. The request shall specify the name and address of
 1864  the facility and the name of the electors who wish to vote by
 1865  supervised voting mail in that election. If the request contains
 1866  the names of fewer than five voters, the supervisor of elections
 1867  is not required to provide supervised voting.
 1868         (2) The supervisor of elections may, in the absence of a
 1869  request from the administrator of a facility, provide for
 1870  supervised voting in the facility for those persons who have
 1871  requested vote-by-mail ballots. The supervisor of elections
 1872  shall notify the administrator of the facility that supervised
 1873  voting will occur.
 1874         (3) The supervisor of elections shall, in cooperation with
 1875  the administrator of the facility, select a date and time when
 1876  the supervised voting will occur.
 1877         (4) The supervisor of elections shall designate supervised
 1878  voting teams to provide the services prescribed by this section.
 1879  Each supervised voting team shall include at least two persons.
 1880  Each supervised voting team must include representatives of more
 1881  than one political party; however, in any primary election to
 1882  nominate party nominees in which only one party has candidates
 1883  appearing on the ballot, all supervised voting team members may
 1884  be of that party. No candidate may provide supervised voting
 1885  services.
 1886         (5) The supervised voting team shall deliver the ballots to
 1887  the respective absent electors, and each member of the team
 1888  shall jointly supervise the voting of the ballots. If any
 1889  elector requests assistance in voting, the oath prescribed in s.
 1890  101.051 shall be completed and the elector may receive the
 1891  assistance of two members of the supervised voting team or some
 1892  other person of the elector’s choice to assist the elector in
 1893  casting the elector’s ballot.
 1894         (6) Before providing assistance, the supervised voting team
 1895  shall disclose to the elector that the ballot may be retained to
 1896  vote at a later time and that the elector has the right to seek
 1897  assistance in voting from some other person of the elector’s
 1898  choice without the presence of the supervised voting team.
 1899         (7) If any elector declines to vote a ballot or is unable
 1900  to vote a ballot, the supervised voting team shall mark the
 1901  ballot “refused to vote” or “unable to vote.”
 1902         (8) After the ballots have been voted or marked in
 1903  accordance with the provisions of this section, the supervised
 1904  voting team shall deliver the ballots to the supervisor of
 1905  elections, who shall retain them pursuant to s. 101.009 s.
 1906  101.67.
 1907         Section 51. Section 101.657, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
 1908         Section 52. Section 101.661, Florida Statutes, is
 1909  transferred, renumbered as section 101.006, Florida Statutes,
 1910  and amended to read:
 1911         101.006 101.661 Voting vote-by-mail ballots.—All electors
 1912  must personally mark or designate their choices on a the vote
 1913  by-mail ballot, except:
 1914         (1) Electors who require assistance to vote because of
 1915  blindness, disability, or inability to read or write, who may
 1916  have some person of the elector’s choice, other than the
 1917  elector’s employer, an agent of the employer, or an officer or
 1918  agent of the elector’s union, mark the elector’s choices or
 1919  assist the elector in marking his or her choices on the ballot.
 1920         (2) As otherwise provided in s. 101.051 or s. 101.655.
 1921         Section 53. Section 101.662, Florida Statutes, is
 1922  transferred, renumbered as section 101.007, Florida Statutes,
 1923  and amended to read:
 1924         101.007 101.662 Accessibility of vote-by-mail ballots.—It
 1925  is the intent of the Legislature that voting by mail vote-by
 1926  mail ballot be by methods that are fully accessible to all
 1927  voters, including voters having a disability. The department of
 1928  State shall work with the supervisors of elections and the
 1929  disability community to develop and implement procedures and
 1930  technologies, as possible, which will include procedures for
 1931  providing vote-by-mail ballots, upon request, in alternative
 1932  formats that will allow all voters to cast a secret,
 1933  independent, and verifiable vote-by-mail ballot without the
 1934  assistance of another person.
 1935         Section 54. Section 101.663, Florida Statutes, is
 1936  transferred and renumbered as section 101.008, Florida Statutes.
 1937         Section 55. Section 101.67, Florida Statutes, is
 1938  transferred, renumbered as section 101.009, Florida Statutes,
 1939  and amended to read:
 1940         101.009 101.67 Safekeeping of mailed ballots; deadline for
 1941  receiving vote-by-mail ballots.—
 1942         (1) The supervisor of elections shall safely keep in his or
 1943  her office any envelopes received containing marked ballots of
 1944  absent electors, and he or she shall, before the canvassing of
 1945  the election returns, deliver the envelopes to the county
 1946  canvassing board along with his or her file or list kept
 1947  regarding said ballots.
 1948         (2) Except as provided in s. 101.6952(5), all marked absent
 1949  electors’ ballots to be counted must be received by the
 1950  supervisor by 7 p.m. the day of the election. All ballots
 1951  received thereafter shall be marked with the time and date of
 1952  receipt and filed in the supervisor’s office.
 1953         Section 56. Section 101.68, Florida Statutes, is
 1954  transferred, renumbered as section 101.0091, Florida Statutes,
 1955  and amended to read:
 1956         101.0091 101.68 Canvassing of ballots vote-by-mail ballot.—
 1957         (1) The supervisor of the county where the absent elector
 1958  resides shall receive the voted ballot, at which time the
 1959  supervisor shall compare the signature of the elector on the
 1960  voter’s certificate with the signature of the elector in the
 1961  registration books or the precinct register to determine whether
 1962  the elector is duly registered in the county and may record on
 1963  the elector’s registration certificate that the elector has
 1964  voted. An elector who dies after casting a vote-by-mail ballot
 1965  but on or before election day shall remain listed in the
 1966  registration books until the results have been certified for the
 1967  election in which the ballot was cast. The supervisor shall
 1968  safely keep the ballot unopened in his or her office until the
 1969  county canvassing board canvasses the vote. Except as provided
 1970  in subsection (4), after a vote-by-mail ballot is received by
 1971  the supervisor, the ballot is deemed to have been cast, and
 1972  changes or additions may not be made to the voter’s certificate.
 1973         (2)(a) The county canvassing board may begin the canvassing
 1974  of vote-by-mail ballots at 7 a.m. on the 22nd day before the
 1975  election, but not later than noon on the day following the
 1976  election. In addition, for any county using electronic
 1977  tabulating equipment, the processing of vote-by-mail ballots
 1978  through such tabulating equipment may begin at 7 a.m. on the
 1979  22nd day before the election. However, notwithstanding any such
 1980  authorization to begin canvassing or otherwise processing vote
 1981  by-mail ballots early, no result shall be released until after
 1982  the deadline for receiving ballots has passed closing of the
 1983  polls in that county on election day. Any supervisor, deputy
 1984  supervisor, canvassing board member, election board member, or
 1985  election employee who releases the results of a canvassing or
 1986  processing of vote-by-mail ballots before the deadline for
 1987  receiving ballots prior to the closing of the polls in that
 1988  county has passed on election day commits a felony of the third
 1989  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s.
 1990  775.084.
 1991         (b) To ensure that all vote-by-mail ballots to be counted
 1992  by the canvassing board are accounted for, the canvassing board
 1993  shall compare the number of ballots in its possession with the
 1994  total number of requests for ballots received to be counted
 1995  according to the supervisor’s file or list.
 1996         (c)1. The canvassing board must, if the supervisor has not
 1997  already done so, compare the signature of the elector on the
 1998  voter’s certificate or on the vote-by-mail ballot cure affidavit
 1999  as provided in subsection (4) with the signature of the elector
 2000  in the registration books or the precinct register to see that
 2001  the elector is duly registered in the county and to determine
 2002  the legality of that vote-by-mail ballot. A vote-by-mail ballot
 2003  may only be counted if:
 2004         a. The signature on the voter’s certificate or the cure
 2005  affidavit matches the elector’s signature in the registration
 2006  books or precinct register; however, in the case of a cure
 2007  affidavit, the supporting identification listed in subsection
 2008  (4) must also confirm the identity of the elector; or
 2009         b. The cure affidavit contains a signature that does not
 2010  match the elector’s signature in the registration books or
 2011  precinct register, but the elector has submitted a current and
 2012  valid Tier 1 identification pursuant to subsection (4) which
 2013  confirms the identity of the elector.
 2014  
 2015  For purposes of this subparagraph, any canvassing board finding
 2016  that an elector’s signatures do not match must be by majority
 2017  vote and beyond a reasonable doubt.
 2018         2. The ballot of an elector who casts a vote-by-mail ballot
 2019  shall be counted even if the elector dies on or before election
 2020  day, as long as, before the death of the voter, the ballot was
 2021  postmarked by the United States Postal Service, date-stamped
 2022  with a verifiable tracking number by a common carrier, or
 2023  already in the possession of the supervisor.
 2024         3. A vote-by-mail ballot is not considered illegal if the
 2025  signature of the elector does not cross the seal of the mailing
 2026  envelope.
 2027         4. If any elector or candidate present believes that a
 2028  vote-by-mail ballot is illegal due to a defect apparent on the
 2029  voter’s certificate or the cure affidavit, he or she may, at any
 2030  time before the ballot is removed from the envelope, file with
 2031  the canvassing board a protest against the canvass of that
 2032  ballot, specifying the precinct, the ballot, and the reason he
 2033  or she believes the ballot to be illegal. A challenge based upon
 2034  a defect in the voter’s certificate or cure affidavit may not be
 2035  accepted after the ballot has been removed from the mailing
 2036  envelope.
 2037         5. If the canvassing board determines that a ballot is
 2038  illegal, a member of the board must, without opening the
 2039  envelope, mark across the face of the envelope: “rejected as
 2040  illegal.” The cure affidavit, if applicable, the envelope, and
 2041  the ballot therein shall be preserved in the manner that
 2042  official ballots are preserved.
 2043         (d) The canvassing board shall record the ballot upon the
 2044  proper record, unless the ballot has been previously recorded by
 2045  the supervisor. The mailing envelopes shall be opened and the
 2046  secrecy envelopes shall be mixed so as to make it impossible to
 2047  determine which secrecy envelope came out of which signed
 2048  mailing envelope; however, in any county in which an electronic
 2049  or electromechanical voting system is used, the ballots may be
 2050  sorted by ballot styles and the mailing envelopes may be opened
 2051  and the secrecy envelopes mixed separately for each ballot
 2052  style. The votes on vote-by-mail ballots shall be included in
 2053  the total vote of the county.
 2054         (3) The supervisor or the chair of the county canvassing
 2055  board shall, after the board convenes, have custody of the vote
 2056  by-mail ballots until a final proclamation is made as to the
 2057  total vote received by each candidate.
 2058         (4)(a) As soon as practicable, the supervisor shall, on
 2059  behalf of the county canvassing board, attempt to notify an
 2060  elector who has returned a vote-by-mail ballot that does not
 2061  include the elector’s signature or contains a signature that
 2062  does not match the elector’s signature in the registration books
 2063  or precinct register by:
 2064         1. Notifying the elector of the signature deficiency by e
 2065  mail and directing the elector to the cure affidavit and
 2066  instructions on the supervisor’s website;
 2067         2. Notifying the elector of the signature deficiency by
 2068  text message and directing the elector to the cure affidavit and
 2069  instructions on the supervisor’s website; or
 2070         3. Notifying the elector of the signature deficiency by
 2071  telephone and directing the elector to the cure affidavit and
 2072  instructions on the supervisor’s website.
 2073  
 2074  In addition to the notification required under subparagraph 1.,
 2075  subparagraph 2., or subparagraph 3., the supervisor must notify
 2076  the elector of the signature deficiency by first-class mail and
 2077  direct the elector to the cure affidavit and instructions on the
 2078  supervisor’s website. Beginning the day before the election, the
 2079  supervisor is not required to provide notice of the signature
 2080  deficiency by first-class mail, but shall continue to provide
 2081  notice as required under subparagraph 1., subparagraph 2., or
 2082  subparagraph 3.
 2083         (b) The supervisor shall allow such an elector to complete
 2084  and submit an affidavit in order to cure the vote-by-mail ballot
 2085  until 5 p.m. on the 2nd day after the election.
 2086         (c) The elector must complete a cure affidavit in
 2087  substantially the following form:
 2088  
 2089                 VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT CURE AFFIDAVIT                
 2090  
 2091         I, ...., am a qualified voter in this election and
 2092  registered voter of .... County, Florida. I do solemnly swear or
 2093  affirm that I requested and returned the vote-by-mail ballot and
 2094  that I have not and will not vote more than one ballot in this
 2095  election. I understand that if I commit or attempt any fraud in
 2096  connection with voting, vote a fraudulent ballot, or vote more
 2097  than once in an election, I may be convicted of a felony of the
 2098  third degree and fined up to $5,000 and imprisoned for up to 5
 2099  years. I understand that my failure to sign this affidavit means
 2100  that my vote-by-mail ballot will be invalidated.
 2101  
 2102  ...(Voter’s Signature)...
 2103  ...(Address)...
 2104  
 2105         (d) Instructions must accompany the cure affidavit in
 2106  substantially the following form:
 2107  
 2108         READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE COMPLETING THE
 2109  AFFIDAVIT. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY CAUSE YOUR
 2110  BALLOT NOT TO COUNT.
 2111  
 2112         1. In order to ensure that your vote-by-mail ballot will be
 2113  counted, your affidavit should be completed and returned as soon
 2114  as possible so that it can reach the supervisor of elections of
 2115  the county in which your precinct is located no later than 5
 2116  p.m. on the 2nd day after the election.
 2117         2. You must sign your name on the line above (Voter’s
 2118  Signature).
 2119         3. You must make a copy of one of the following forms of
 2120  identification:
 2121         a. Tier 1 identification.—Current and valid identification
 2122  that includes your name and photograph: Florida driver license;
 2123  Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway
 2124  Safety and Motor Vehicles; United States passport; debit or
 2125  credit card; military identification; student identification;
 2126  retirement center identification; neighborhood association
 2127  identification; public assistance identification; veteran health
 2128  identification card issued by the United States Department of
 2129  Veterans Affairs; a Florida license to carry a concealed weapon
 2130  or firearm; or an employee identification card issued by any
 2131  branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government,
 2132  the state, a county, or a municipality; or
 2133         b. Tier 2 identification.—ONLY IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A TIER 1
 2134  FORM OF IDENTIFICATION, identification that shows your name and
 2135  current residence address: current utility bill, bank statement,
 2136  government check, paycheck, or government document (excluding
 2137  voter information card).
 2138         4. Place the envelope bearing the affidavit into a mailing
 2139  envelope addressed to the supervisor. Insert a copy of your
 2140  identification in the mailing envelope. Mail (if time permits),
 2141  deliver, or have delivered the completed affidavit along with
 2142  the copy of your identification to your county supervisor of
 2143  elections. Be sure there is sufficient postage if mailed and
 2144  that the supervisor’s address is correct. Remember, your
 2145  information MUST reach your county supervisor of elections no
 2146  later than 5 p.m. on the 2nd day after the election, or your
 2147  ballot will not count.
 2148         5. Alternatively, you may fax or e-mail your completed
 2149  affidavit and a copy of your identification to the supervisor of
 2150  elections. If e-mailing, please provide these documents as
 2151  attachments.
 2152  
 2153         (e) The department and each supervisor shall include the
 2154  affidavit and instructions on their respective websites. The
 2155  supervisor must include his or her office’s mailing address, e
 2156  mail address, and fax number on the page containing the
 2157  affidavit instructions, and the department’s instruction page
 2158  must include the office mailing addresses, e-mail addresses, and
 2159  fax numbers of all supervisors of elections or provide a
 2160  conspicuous link to such addresses.
 2161         (f) The supervisor shall attach each affidavit received to
 2162  the appropriate vote-by-mail ballot mailing envelope.
 2163         (g) If a vote-by-mail ballot is validated following the
 2164  submission of a cure affidavit, the supervisor shall make a copy
 2165  of the affidavit, affix it to a voter registration application,
 2166  and immediately process it as a valid request for a signature
 2167  update pursuant to s. 98.077.
 2168         (h) After all election results on the ballot have been
 2169  certified, the supervisor shall, on behalf of the county
 2170  canvassing board, notify each elector whose ballot has been
 2171  rejected as illegal and provide the specific reason the ballot
 2172  was rejected. In addition, unless processed as a signature
 2173  update pursuant to paragraph (g), the supervisor shall mail a
 2174  voter registration application to the elector to be completed
 2175  indicating the elector’s current signature if the signature on
 2176  the voter’s certificate or cure affidavit did not match the
 2177  elector’s signature in the registration books or precinct
 2178  register.
 2179         Section 57. Section 101.69, Florida Statutes, is
 2180  transferred, renumbered as section 101.0092, Florida Statutes,
 2181  and amended to read:
 2182         101.0092 101.69 Voting in person; return of vote-by-mail
 2183  ballot.—
 2184         (1) The provisions of this code shall not be construed to
 2185  prohibit any elector from voting in person at the elector’s
 2186  precinct on the day of an election or at an early voting site,
 2187  notwithstanding that the elector has requested a vote-by-mail
 2188  ballot for that election. An elector who has returned a mail
 2189  voted vote-by-mail ballot to the supervisor, however, is deemed
 2190  to have cast his or her ballot and is not entitled to vote
 2191  another ballot or to have a provisional ballot counted by the
 2192  county canvassing board. An elector who has received a mail
 2193  vote-by-mail ballot and has not returned the voted ballot to the
 2194  supervisor, but desires to vote in person, shall return the
 2195  ballot, whether voted or not, to the office of the supervisor of
 2196  elections or a voter services center election board in the
 2197  elector’s precinct or to an early voting site. The returned
 2198  ballot shall be marked “canceled” by the supervisor or election
 2199  board and placed with other canceled ballots. However, if the
 2200  elector does not return the ballot and the election official:
 2201         (1)(a) Confirms that the supervisor has received the
 2202  elector’s vote-by-mail ballot, the elector may shall not be
 2203  allowed to vote in person. If the elector maintains that he or
 2204  she has not returned the vote-by-mail ballot or remains eligible
 2205  to vote, the elector shall be provided a provisional ballot as
 2206  provided in s. 101.048.
 2207         (2)(b) Confirms that the supervisor has not received the
 2208  elector’s vote-by-mail ballot, the elector shall be allowed to
 2209  vote in person as provided in this code. The elector’s vote-by
 2210  mail ballot, if subsequently received, shall not be counted and
 2211  shall remain in the mailing envelope, and the envelope shall be
 2212  marked “Rejected as Illegal.”
 2213         (3)(c) Cannot determine whether the supervisor has received
 2214  the elector’s vote-by-mail ballot, the elector may vote a
 2215  provisional ballot as provided in s. 101.048.
 2216         (2) The supervisor shall allow an elector who has received
 2217  a vote-by-mail ballot to physically return a voted vote-by-mail
 2218  ballot to the supervisor by placing the envelope containing his
 2219  or her marked ballot in a secure drop box. Secure drop boxes
 2220  shall be placed at the main office of the supervisor, at each
 2221  branch office of the supervisor, and at each early voting site.
 2222  Secure drop boxes may also be placed at any other site that
 2223  would otherwise qualify as an early voting site under s.
 2224  101.657(1); provided, however, that any such site must be
 2225  staffed during the county’s early voting hours of operation by
 2226  an employee of the supervisor’s office or a sworn law
 2227  enforcement officer.
 2228         Section 58. Section 101.6921, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2229  to read:
 2230         101.6921 Delivery of special vote-by-mail ballot to certain
 2231  first-time voters.—
 2232         (1) The provisions of this section apply to voters who are
 2233  subject to the provisions of s. 97.0535 and who have not
 2234  provided the identification or certification required by s.
 2235  97.0535 by the time the vote-by-mail ballot is mailed.
 2236         (2) The supervisor shall enclose with each vote-by-mail
 2237  ballot three envelopes: a secrecy envelope, into which the
 2238  absent elector will enclose his or her marked ballot; an
 2239  envelope containing the Voter’s Certificate, into which the
 2240  absent elector shall place the secrecy envelope; and a mailing
 2241  envelope, which shall be addressed to the supervisor and into
 2242  which the absent elector will place the envelope containing the
 2243  Voter’s Certificate and a copy of the required identification.
 2244         (3) The Voter’s Certificate shall be in substantially the
 2245  following form:
 2246  
 2247  Note: Please Read Instructions Carefully Before Marking Ballot
 2248  and Completing Voter’s Certificate.
 2249  
 2250                         VOTER’S CERTIFICATE                       
 2251  
 2252         I, ...., do solemnly swear or affirm that I am a qualified
 2253  and registered voter of .... County, Florida, and that I have
 2254  not and will not vote more than one ballot in this election. I
 2255  understand that if I commit or attempt to commit any fraud in
 2256  connection with voting, vote a fraudulent ballot, or vote more
 2257  than once in an election, I can be convicted of a felony of the
 2258  third degree and fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to
 2259  5 years. I also understand that failure to sign this certificate
 2260  will invalidate my ballot. I understand that unless I meet one
 2261  of the exemptions below, I must provide a copy of a current and
 2262  valid identification as provided in the instruction sheet to the
 2263  supervisor of elections in order for my ballot to count.
 2264         I further certify that I am exempt from the requirements to
 2265  furnish a copy of a current and valid identification with my
 2266  ballot because of one or more of the following (check all that
 2267  apply):
 2268         ☐ I am 65 years of age or older.
 2269         ☐ I have a permanent or temporary physical disability.
 2270         ☐ I am a member of a uniformed service on active duty who,
 2271  by reason of such active duty, will be absent from the county on
 2272  election day.
 2273         ☐ I am a member of the Merchant Marine who, by reason of
 2274  service in the Merchant Marine, will be absent from the county
 2275  on election day.
 2276         ☐ I am the spouse or dependent of a member of the uniformed
 2277  service or Merchant Marine who, by reason of the active duty or
 2278  service of the member, will be absent from the county on
 2279  election day.
 2280         ☐ I am currently residing outside the United States.
 2281  
 2282  ...(Date)...                             ...Voter’s Signature...
 2283  
 2284         (4) The certificate shall be arranged on the back of the
 2285  envelope so that the line for the signature of the absent
 2286  elector is across the seal of the envelope.
 2287         Section 59. Section 101.6923, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2288  to read:
 2289         101.6923 Special vote-by-mail ballot instructions for
 2290  certain first-time voters.—
 2291         (1) The provisions of this section apply to voters who are
 2292  subject to the provisions of s. 97.0535 and who have not
 2293  provided the identification or information required by s.
 2294  97.0535 by the time the vote-by-mail ballot is mailed.
 2295         (2) A voter covered by this section shall be provided with
 2296  printed instructions with his or her vote-by-mail ballot in
 2297  substantially the following form:
 2298  
 2299         READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE MARKING YOUR
 2300         BALLOT. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY CAUSE
 2301         YOUR BALLOT NOT TO COUNT.
 2302  
 2303         1. In order to ensure that your vote-by-mail ballot will be
 2304  counted, it should be completed and returned as soon as possible
 2305  so that it can reach the supervisor of elections of the county
 2306  in which your precinct is located no later than 7 p.m. on the
 2307  date of the election. However, if you are an overseas voter
 2308  casting a ballot in a presidential preference primary or general
 2309  election, your vote-by-mail ballot must be postmarked or dated
 2310  no later than the date of the election and received by the
 2311  supervisor of elections of the county in which you are
 2312  registered to vote no later than 10 days after the date of the
 2313  election.
 2314         2. Mark your ballot in secret as instructed on the ballot.
 2315  You must mark your own ballot unless you are unable to do so
 2316  because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write.
 2317         3. Mark only the number of candidates or issue choices for
 2318  a race as indicated on the ballot. If you are allowed to “Vote
 2319  for One” candidate and you vote for more than one, your vote in
 2320  that race will not be counted.
 2321         4. Place your marked ballot in the enclosed secrecy
 2322  envelope and seal the envelope.
 2323         5. Insert the secrecy envelope into the enclosed envelope
 2324  bearing the Voter’s Certificate. Seal the envelope and
 2325  completely fill out the Voter’s Certificate on the back of the
 2326  envelope.
 2327         a. You must sign your name on the line above (Voter’s
 2328  Signature).
 2329         b. If you are an overseas voter, you must include the date
 2330  you signed the Voter’s Certificate on the line above (Date) or
 2331  your ballot may not be counted.
 2332         c. A vote-by-mail ballot will be considered illegal and
 2333  will not be counted if the signature on the Voter’s Certificate
 2334  does not match the signature on record. The signature on file at
 2335  the start of the canvass of the vote-by-mail ballots is the
 2336  signature that will be used to verify your signature on the
 2337  Voter’s Certificate. If you need to update your signature for
 2338  this election, send your signature update on a voter
 2339  registration application to your supervisor of elections so that
 2340  it is received before your vote-by-mail ballot is received.
 2341         6. Unless you meet one of the exemptions in Item 7., you
 2342  must make a copy of one of the following forms of
 2343  identification:
 2344         a. Identification which must include your name and
 2345  photograph: United States passport; debit or credit card;
 2346  military identification; student identification; retirement
 2347  center identification; neighborhood association identification;
 2348  public assistance identification; veteran health identification
 2349  card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs;
 2350  a Florida license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm; or an
 2351  employee identification card issued by any branch, department,
 2352  agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the state, a
 2353  county, or a municipality; or
 2354         b. Identification which shows your name and current
 2355  residence address: current utility bill, bank statement,
 2356  government check, paycheck, or government document (excluding
 2357  voter information card).
 2358         7. The identification requirements of Item 6. do not apply
 2359  if you meet one of the following requirements:
 2360         a. You are 65 years of age or older.
 2361         b. You have a temporary or permanent physical disability.
 2362         c. You are a member of a uniformed service on active duty
 2363  who, by reason of such active duty, will be absent from the
 2364  county on election day.
 2365         d. You are a member of the Merchant Marine who, by reason
 2366  of service in the Merchant Marine, will be absent from the
 2367  county on election day.
 2368         e. You are the spouse or dependent of a member referred to
 2369  in paragraph c. or paragraph d. who, by reason of the active
 2370  duty or service of the member, will be absent from the county on
 2371  election day.
 2372         f. You are currently residing outside the United States.
 2373         8. Place the envelope bearing the Voter’s Certificate into
 2374  the mailing envelope addressed to the supervisor. Insert a copy
 2375  of your identification in the mailing envelope. DO NOT PUT YOUR
 2376  IDENTIFICATION INSIDE THE SECRECY ENVELOPE WITH THE BALLOT OR
 2377  INSIDE THE ENVELOPE WHICH BEARS THE VOTER’S CERTIFICATE OR YOUR
 2378  BALLOT WILL NOT COUNT.
 2379         9. Mail, deliver, or have delivered the completed mailing
 2380  envelope. Be sure there is sufficient postage if mailed.
 2381         10. FELONY NOTICE. It is a felony under Florida law to
 2382  accept any gift, payment, or gratuity in exchange for your vote
 2383  for a candidate. It is also a felony under Florida law to vote
 2384  in an election using a false identity or false address, or under
 2385  any other circumstances making your ballot false or fraudulent.
 2386         Section 60. Section 101.6925, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2387  to read:
 2388         101.6925 Canvassing special vote-by-mail ballots.—
 2389         (1) The supervisor of the county where the absent elector
 2390  resides shall receive the voted special vote-by-mail ballot, at
 2391  which time the mailing envelope shall be opened to determine if
 2392  the voter has enclosed the identification required or has
 2393  indicated on the Voter’s Certificate that he or she is exempt
 2394  from the identification requirements.
 2395         (2) If the identification is enclosed or the voter has
 2396  indicated that he or she is exempt from the identification
 2397  requirements, the supervisor shall make the note on the
 2398  registration records of the voter and proceed to canvass the
 2399  vote-by-mail ballot as provided in s. 101.0091 s. 101.68.
 2400         (3) If the identification is not enclosed in the mailing
 2401  envelope and the voter has not indicated that he or she is
 2402  exempt from the identification requirements, the supervisor
 2403  shall check the voter registration records to determine if the
 2404  voter’s identification was previously received or the voter had
 2405  previously notified the supervisor that he or she was exempt.
 2406  The envelope with the Voter’s Certificate shall not be opened
 2407  unless the identification has been received or the voter has
 2408  indicated that he or she is exempt. The ballot shall be treated
 2409  as a provisional ballot until 7 p.m. on election day and shall
 2410  not be canvassed unless the supervisor has received the required
 2411  identification or written indication of exemption by 7 p.m. on
 2412  election day.
 2413         Section 61. Section 101.694, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2414  to read:
 2415         101.694 Mailing of ballots upon receipt of federal postcard
 2416  application.—
 2417         (1) Upon receipt of a federal postcard application for a
 2418  vote-by-mail ballot executed by a person whose registration is
 2419  in order or whose application is sufficient to register or
 2420  update the registration of that person, the supervisor shall
 2421  send the ballot in accordance with s. 101.003(1)(b) s.
 2422  101.62(4).
 2423         (2) Upon receipt of a federal postcard application for a
 2424  vote-by-mail ballot executed by a person whose registration is
 2425  not in order and whose application is insufficient to register
 2426  or update the registration of that person, the supervisor shall
 2427  follow the procedure set forth in s. 97.073.
 2428         (3) Ballot Vote-by-mail envelopes printed for voters
 2429  entitled to vote by mail under the Uniformed and Overseas
 2430  Citizens Absentee Voting Act shall meet the specifications as
 2431  determined by the Federal Voting Assistance Program of the
 2432  United States Department of Defense and the United States Postal
 2433  Service.
 2434         (4) Cognizance shall be taken of the fact that vote-by-mail
 2435  ballots and other materials such as instructions and envelopes
 2436  are to be carried via air mail, and, to the maximum extent
 2437  possible, such ballots and materials shall be reduced in size
 2438  and weight of paper. The same ballot shall be used, however, as
 2439  is used by other mail vote-by-mail voters.
 2440         Section 62. Section 101.6951, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2441  to read:
 2442         101.6951 State write-in vote-by-mail ballot.—
 2443         (1) An overseas voter may request, not earlier than 180
 2444  days before a general election, a state write-in vote-by-mail
 2445  ballot from the supervisor of elections in the county of
 2446  registration. In order to receive a state write-in ballot, the
 2447  voter shall state that due to military or other contingencies
 2448  that preclude normal mail delivery, the voter cannot vote a
 2449  regular vote-by-mail ballot during the normal vote-by-mail
 2450  voting period. State write-in vote-by-mail ballots shall be made
 2451  available to voters 90 to 180 days prior to a general election.
 2452  The Department of State shall prescribe by rule the form of the
 2453  state write-in vote-by-mail ballot.
 2454         (2) In completing the ballot, the overseas voter may
 2455  designate his or her choice by writing in the name of the
 2456  candidate or by writing in the name of a political party, in
 2457  which case the ballot must be counted for the candidate of that
 2458  political party, if there is such a party candidate on the
 2459  ballot.
 2460         (3) Any abbreviation, misspelling, or other minor variation
 2461  in the form of the name of a candidate or a political party must
 2462  be disregarded in determining the validity of the ballot if
 2463  there is a clear indication on the ballot that the voter has
 2464  made a definite choice.
 2465         (4) The state write-in vote-by-mail ballot shall contain
 2466  all offices, federal, state, and local, for which the voter
 2467  would otherwise be entitled to vote.
 2468         Section 63. Section 101.6952, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2469  to read:
 2470         101.6952 Vote-by-mail Ballots for absent uniformed services
 2471  and overseas voters.—
 2472         (1) If an absent uniformed services voter voter’s or an
 2473  overseas voter provides voter’s request for an official vote-by
 2474  mail ballot pursuant to s. 101.62 includes an e-mail address to
 2475  the supervisor of elections, the supervisor of elections shall:
 2476         (a) Record the voter’s e-mail address in the vote-by-mail
 2477  ballot record;
 2478         (b) Confirm by e-mail that the vote-by-mail ballot request
 2479  was received and include in that e-mail the estimated date the
 2480  vote-by-mail ballot will be sent to the voter; and
 2481         (c) Notify the voter by e-mail when the voted vote-by-mail
 2482  ballot is received by the supervisor of elections.
 2483         (2)(a) An absent uniformed services voter or an overseas
 2484  voter who makes timely application for but does not receive an
 2485  official vote-by-mail ballot may use the federal write-in
 2486  absentee ballot to vote in any federal, state, or local
 2487  election.
 2488         (b)1. In an election for federal office, an elector may
 2489  designate a candidate by writing the name of a candidate on the
 2490  ballot. Except for a primary or special primary election, the
 2491  elector may alternatively designate a candidate by writing the
 2492  name of a political party on the ballot. A written designation
 2493  of the political party shall be counted as a vote for the
 2494  candidate of that party if there is such a party candidate in
 2495  the race.
 2496         2. In a state or local election, an elector may vote in the
 2497  section of the federal write-in absentee ballot designated for
 2498  nonfederal races by writing on the ballot the title of each
 2499  office and by writing on the ballot the name of the candidate
 2500  for whom the elector is voting. Except for a primary, special
 2501  primary, or nonpartisan election, the elector may alternatively
 2502  designate a candidate by writing the name of a political party
 2503  on the ballot. A written designation of the political party
 2504  shall be counted as a vote for the candidate of that party if
 2505  there is such a party candidate in the race. In addition, the
 2506  elector may vote on any ballot measure presented in such
 2507  election by identifying the ballot measure on which he or she
 2508  desires to vote and specifying his or her vote on the measure.
 2509  For purposes of this section, a vote cast in a judicial merit
 2510  retention election shall be treated in the same manner as a
 2511  ballot measure in which the only allowable responses are “Yes”
 2512  or “No.”
 2513         (c) In the case of a joint candidacy, such as for the
 2514  offices of President/Vice President or Governor/Lieutenant
 2515  Governor, a valid vote for one or both qualified candidates on
 2516  the same ticket shall constitute a vote for the joint candidacy.
 2517         (d) For purposes of this subsection and except when the
 2518  context clearly indicates otherwise, such as when a candidate in
 2519  the election is affiliated with a political party whose name
 2520  includes the word “Independent,” “Independence,” or a similar
 2521  term, a voter designation of “No Party Affiliation” or
 2522  “Independent,” or any minor variation, misspelling, or
 2523  abbreviation thereof, shall be considered a designation for the
 2524  candidate, other than a write-in candidate, who qualified to run
 2525  in the race with no party affiliation. If more than one
 2526  candidate qualifies to run as a candidate with no party
 2527  affiliation, the designation may not count for any candidate
 2528  unless there is a valid, additional designation of the
 2529  candidate’s name.
 2530         (e) Any abbreviation, misspelling, or other minor variation
 2531  in the form of the name of an office, the name of a candidate,
 2532  the ballot measure, or the name of a political party must be
 2533  disregarded in determining the validity of the ballot.
 2534         (3)(a) An absent uniformed services voter or an overseas
 2535  voter who submits a federal write-in absentee ballot and later
 2536  receives a regular mail an official vote-by-mail ballot may
 2537  submit the mail official vote-by-mail ballot. An elector who
 2538  submits a federal write-in absentee ballot and later receives
 2539  and submits a regular mail an official vote-by-mail ballot
 2540  should make every reasonable effort to inform the appropriate
 2541  supervisor of elections that the elector has submitted more than
 2542  one ballot.
 2543         (b) A federal write-in absentee ballot may not be canvassed
 2544  until 7 p.m. on the day of the election. A federal write-in
 2545  absentee ballot from an overseas voter in a presidential
 2546  preference primary or general election may not be canvassed
 2547  until the conclusion of the 10-day period specified in
 2548  subsection (5). Each federal write-in absentee ballot received
 2549  by 7 p.m. on the day of the election shall be canvassed pursuant
 2550  to ss. 101.0091 and 101.5614(4) ss. 101.5614(4) and 101.68,
 2551  unless the elector’s regular mail official vote-by-mail ballot
 2552  is received by 7 p.m. on election day. Each federal write-in
 2553  absentee ballot from an overseas voter in a presidential
 2554  preference primary or general election received by 10 days after
 2555  the date of the election shall be canvassed pursuant to ss.
 2556  101.0091 and 101.5614(4) ss. 101.5614(4) and 101.68, unless the
 2557  overseas voter’s regular mail official vote-by-mail ballot is
 2558  received by 10 days after the date of the election. If the
 2559  elector’s regular mail official vote-by-mail ballot is received
 2560  by 7 p.m. on election day, or, for an overseas voter in a
 2561  presidential preference primary or general election, no later
 2562  than 10 days after the date of the election, the federal write
 2563  in absentee ballot is invalid and the regular mail official
 2564  vote-by-mail ballot shall be canvassed. The time shall be
 2565  regulated by the customary time in standard use in the county
 2566  seat of the locality.
 2567         (4) For vote-by-mail ballots received from absent uniformed
 2568  services voters or overseas voters, there is a presumption that
 2569  the envelope was mailed on the date stated on the outside of the
 2570  return envelope, regardless of the absence of a postmark on the
 2571  mailed envelope or the existence of a postmark date that is
 2572  later than the date of the election.
 2573         (5) A regular mail vote-by-mail ballot from an overseas
 2574  voter in any presidential preference primary or general election
 2575  which is postmarked or dated no later than the date of the
 2576  election and is received by the supervisor of elections of the
 2577  county in which the overseas voter is registered no later than
 2578  10 days after the date of the election shall be counted as long
 2579  as the vote-by-mail ballot is otherwise proper.
 2580         Section 64. Section 101.697, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2581  to read:
 2582         101.697 Electronic transmission of election materials.—The
 2583  Department of State shall determine whether secure electronic
 2584  means can be established for receiving ballots from overseas
 2585  voters. If such security can be established, the department
 2586  shall adopt rules to authorize a supervisor of elections to
 2587  accept from an overseas voter a request for a vote-by-mail
 2588  ballot or a voted vote-by-mail ballot by secure facsimile
 2589  machine transmission or other secure electronic means. The rules
 2590  must provide that in order to accept a voted ballot, the
 2591  verification of the voter must be established, the security of
 2592  the transmission must be established, and each ballot received
 2593  must be recorded.
 2594         Section 65. Section 101.71, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
 2595         Section 66. Section 101.715, Florida Statutes, is
 2596  transferred, renumbered as section 101.0121, Florida Statutes,
 2597  and amended to read:
 2598         101.0121 101.715 Accessibility of voter services centers
 2599  polling places for people having a disability.—
 2600         (1) All voter services centers polling places must be
 2601  accessible and usable by people with disabilities, as provided
 2602  in this section.
 2603         (2) Only those voter services centers polling places
 2604  complying with the Florida Americans With Disabilities
 2605  Accessibility Implementation Act, ss. 553.501-553.513, for all
 2606  portions of the voter services center polling place or the
 2607  structure in which it is located that voters traverse going to
 2608  and from the voter services center polling place and during the
 2609  voting process, regardless of the age or function of the
 2610  building, shall be used for federal, state, and local elections.
 2611         (3) The selection of a voter services center polling site
 2612  must ensure accessibility with respect to the following
 2613  accessible elements, spaces, scope, and technical requirements:
 2614  accessible route, space allowance and reach ranges, protruding
 2615  objects, ground and floor surfaces, parking and passenger
 2616  loading zones, curb ramps, ramps, stairs, elevators, platform
 2617  lifts, doors, entrances, path of egress, controls and operating
 2618  mechanisms, signage, and all other minimum requirements.
 2619         (4) Standards required at each voter services center
 2620  polling place, regardless of the age of the building or function
 2621  of the building, include:
 2622         (a) For voter services centers polling places that provide
 2623  parking spaces for voters, one or more signed accessible parking
 2624  spaces for disabled persons.
 2625         (b) Signage identifying an accessible path of travel to the
 2626  voter services center polling place if it differs from the
 2627  primary route or entrance.
 2628         (c) An unobstructed path of travel to the voter services
 2629  center polling place.
 2630         (d) Level, firm, stable, and slip-resistant surfaces.
 2631         (e) An unobstructed area for voting.
 2632         (f) Sufficient lighting along the accessible path of travel
 2633  and within the voter services center polling place.
 2634         (5) The department of State may adopt any rules in
 2635  accordance with s. 120.54 which are necessary to administer this
 2636  section.
 2637         Section 67. Subsection (3) of section 101.733, Florida
 2638  Statutes, is amended to read:
 2639         101.733 Election emergency; purpose; elections emergency
 2640  contingency plan.—Because of the existing and continuing
 2641  possibility of an emergency or common disaster occurring before
 2642  or during a regularly scheduled or special election, and in
 2643  order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral
 2644  process and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons
 2645  seeking to exercise their right to vote, generally to minimize
 2646  to whatever degree possible a person’s exposure to danger during
 2647  declared states of emergency, and to protect the integrity of
 2648  the electoral process, it is hereby found and declared to be
 2649  necessary to designate a procedure for the emergency suspension
 2650  or delay and rescheduling of elections.
 2651         (3) The division of Elections of the Department of State
 2652  shall adopt, by rule, an elections emergency contingency plan,
 2653  which must shall contain goals and policies that give specific
 2654  direction to state and local elections officials when an
 2655  election has been suspended or delayed due to an emergency. The
 2656  contingency plan must shall be statewide in scope and must shall
 2657  address, but is not be limited to, the following concerns:
 2658         (a) Providing a procedure for state and local elections
 2659  officials to follow when an election has been suspended or
 2660  delayed to ensure notice of the suspension or delay to the
 2661  proper authorities, the electorate, the communications media,
 2662  election poll workers, and the custodians of voting locations
 2663  polling places.
 2664         (b) Providing a procedure for the orderly conduct of a
 2665  rescheduled election, whether municipal, county, district, or
 2666  statewide in scope; coordinating those efforts with the
 2667  appropriate elections official, and the members of the governing
 2668  body holding such election, if appropriate; and working with the
 2669  appropriate emergency management officials in determining the
 2670  safety of existing voter services centers and drop box locations
 2671  polling places or designating additional centers or locations
 2672  polling places.
 2673         (c) Providing a procedure for the release and certification
 2674  of election returns to the department for elections suspended or
 2675  delayed and subsequently rescheduled under the provisions of ss.
 2676  101.731-101.74.
 2677         Section 68. Section 101.74, Florida Statutes, is amended to
 2678  read:
 2679         101.74 Temporary change of voter services center or drop
 2680  box location polling place in case of emergency.—In case of an
 2681  emergency existing in any precinct at the time of the holding of
 2682  any election, the supervisor of elections may establish, at any
 2683  safe and convenient point outside such precinct, an additional
 2684  voter services center or drop box location to allow any
 2685  affected, qualified elector to either vote or drop off a ballot
 2686  polling place for the electors of that precinct, in which place
 2687  the qualified electors may vote. The registration books of the
 2688  affected precinct shall be applicable to, and shall be used at,
 2689  the polling place so established.
 2690         Section 69. Section 102.012, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2691  to read:
 2692         102.012 Inspectors and clerks to conduct elections.—
 2693         (1)(a) The supervisor of elections of each county, at least
 2694  20 days prior to the holding of any election, shall appoint an
 2695  election board comprised of election poll workers who serve as
 2696  clerks or inspectors for each voter services center precinct in
 2697  the county. The clerk shall be in charge of, and responsible
 2698  for, seeing that the election board carries out its duties and
 2699  responsibilities. Each inspector and each clerk shall take and
 2700  subscribe to an oath or affirmation, which shall be written or
 2701  printed, to the effect that he or she will perform the duties of
 2702  inspector or clerk of election, respectively, according to law
 2703  and will endeavor to prevent all fraud, deceit, or abuse in
 2704  conducting the election. The oath may be taken before an officer
 2705  authorized to administer oaths or before any of the persons who
 2706  are to act as inspectors, one of them to swear the others, and
 2707  one of the others sworn thus, in turn, to administer the oath to
 2708  the one who has not been sworn. The oaths shall be returned with
 2709  the poll list and the returns of the election to the supervisor.
 2710  In all questions that may arise before the members of an
 2711  election board, the decision of a majority of them shall decide
 2712  the question. The supervisor of elections of each county shall
 2713  be responsible for the attendance and diligent performance of
 2714  his or her duties by each clerk and inspector.
 2715         (b) If two or more precincts share the same building and
 2716  voting place, the supervisor of elections may appoint one
 2717  election board for the collocated precincts. The supervisor
 2718  shall provide that a sufficient number of poll workers are
 2719  appointed to adequately handle the processing of the voters in
 2720  the collocated precincts.
 2721         (2) Each member of the election board shall be able to read
 2722  and write the English language and shall be a registered
 2723  qualified elector of the county in which the member is appointed
 2724  or a person who has preregistered to vote, pursuant to s.
 2725  97.041(1)(b), in the county in which the member is appointed. No
 2726  election board shall be composed solely of members of one
 2727  political party; however, in any primary in which only one party
 2728  has candidates appearing on the ballot, all clerks and
 2729  inspectors may be of that party. Any person whose name appears
 2730  as an opposed candidate for any office is shall not be eligible
 2731  to serve on an election board.
 2732         (3) The supervisor shall furnish inspectors of election for
 2733  each voter services center precinct with the list of registered
 2734  voters for that county precinct. The supervisor shall also
 2735  furnish to the inspectors of election at the polling place at
 2736  each precinct in the supervisor’s county a sufficient number of
 2737  forms and blanks for use on election day.
 2738         (4) The election board of each precinct shall attend the
 2739  polling place by 6 a.m. of the day of the election and shall
 2740  arrange the furniture, stationery, and voting equipment. The
 2741  election board shall conduct the voting, beginning and closing
 2742  at the time set forth in s. 100.011.
 2743         Section 70. Section 102.014, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2744  to read:
 2745         102.014 Election Poll worker recruitment and training.—
 2746         (1) The supervisor of elections shall conduct training for
 2747  inspectors, clerks, and deputy sheriffs prior to each primary,
 2748  general, and special election for the purpose of instructing
 2749  such persons in their duties and responsibilities as election
 2750  officials. The division of Elections shall develop a statewide
 2751  uniform training curriculum for election poll workers, and each
 2752  supervisor shall use such curriculum in training election poll
 2753  workers. A certificate may be issued by the supervisor of
 2754  elections to each person completing such training. No person
 2755  shall serve as an inspector, clerk, or deputy sheriff for an
 2756  election unless such person has completed the training as
 2757  required. A clerk may not work in an election at the polls
 2758  unless he or she demonstrates a working knowledge of the laws
 2759  and procedures relating to voter registration, voting system
 2760  operation, balloting and voter services center polling place
 2761  procedures, and problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills.
 2762         (2) A person who has attended previous training conducted
 2763  within 2 years before the election may be appointed by the
 2764  supervisor to fill a vacancy on an election board. If no person
 2765  with prior training is available to fill such vacancy, the
 2766  supervisor of elections may fill such vacancy in accordance with
 2767  the provisions of subsection (3) from among persons who have not
 2768  received the training required by this section.
 2769         (3) In the case of absence or refusal to act on the part of
 2770  any inspector or clerk, the supervisor shall appoint a
 2771  replacement who meets the qualifications prescribed in s.
 2772  102.012(2). The inspector or clerk so appointed shall be a
 2773  member of the same political party as the clerk or inspector
 2774  whom he or she replaces.
 2775         (4) Each supervisor of elections is shall be responsible
 2776  for training inspectors and clerks, subject to the following
 2777  minimum requirements:
 2778         (a) No clerk shall be entitled to work in an election at
 2779  the polls unless he or she has had a minimum of 3 hours of
 2780  training prior to each election.
 2781         (b) No inspector shall work in an election at the polls
 2782  unless he or she has had a minimum of 2 hours of training prior
 2783  to each election.
 2784         (5) The department of State shall create a uniform voter
 2785  services center polling place procedures manual and adopt the
 2786  manual by rule. Each supervisor of elections shall ensure that
 2787  the manual is available in hard copy or electronic form in every
 2788  voter services center polling place. The manual shall guide
 2789  inspectors, clerks, and deputy sheriffs in the proper
 2790  implementation of election procedures and laws. The manual shall
 2791  be indexed by subject, and written in plain, clear, unambiguous
 2792  language. The manual shall provide specific examples of common
 2793  problems encountered at centers the polls and detail specific
 2794  procedures for resolving those problems. The manual shall
 2795  include, without limitation:
 2796         (a) Regulations governing solicitation by individuals and
 2797  groups at the voter services center polling place;
 2798         (b) Procedures to be followed with respect to voters whose
 2799  names are not in the registration books on the precinct
 2800  register;
 2801         (c) Proper operation of the voting system;
 2802         (d) Ballot handling procedures;
 2803         (e) Procedures governing spoiled ballots;
 2804         (f) Procedures to be followed after voting hours end the
 2805  polls close;
 2806         (g) Rights of voters at the polls;
 2807         (h) Procedures for handling emergency situations;
 2808         (i) Procedures for dealing with irate voters;
 2809         (j) The handling and processing of provisional ballots; and
 2810         (k) Security procedures.
 2811  
 2812  The department of State shall revise the manual as necessary to
 2813  address new procedures in law or problems encountered by voters
 2814  and election poll workers at the precincts.
 2815         (6) Supervisors of elections shall work with the business
 2816  and local community to develop public-private programs to ensure
 2817  the recruitment of skilled inspectors and clerks.
 2818         (7) The department of State shall develop a mandatory,
 2819  statewide, and uniform program for training election poll
 2820  workers on issues of etiquette and sensitivity with respect to
 2821  voters having a disability. The program must be conducted
 2822  locally by each supervisor of elections, and each election poll
 2823  worker must complete the program before working during the
 2824  current election cycle. The supervisor of elections shall
 2825  contract with a recognized disability-related organization, such
 2826  as a center for independent living, family network on
 2827  disabilities, deaf service bureau, or other such organization,
 2828  to develop and assist with training the trainers in the
 2829  disability sensitivity programs. The program must include actual
 2830  demonstrations of obstacles confronted by disabled persons
 2831  during the voting process, including obtaining access to the
 2832  voter services center polling place, traveling through the
 2833  polling area, and using the voting system.
 2834         Section 71. Subsection (2) of section 102.021, Florida
 2835  Statutes, is amended to read:
 2836         102.021 Compensation of inspectors, clerks, and deputy
 2837  sheriffs.—
 2838         (2) Inspectors and clerks of election and deputy sheriffs
 2839  serving at voter services centers or secure drop box locations
 2840  the precincts may receive compensation and travel expenses, as
 2841  provided in s. 112.061, for attending the election poll worker
 2842  training required by s. 102.014.
 2843         Section 72. Section 102.031, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2844  to read:
 2845         102.031 Maintenance of good order at polls; authorities;
 2846  persons allowed in polling rooms and early voting areas;
 2847  unlawful solicitation of voters.—
 2848         (1) Each election board shall possess full authority to
 2849  maintain order at the polls and enforce obedience to its lawful
 2850  commands during an election and the canvass of the votes.
 2851         (2) The sheriff shall deputize a deputy sheriff for each
 2852  voter services center polling place and each early voting site
 2853  who shall be present during the time the center polls or early
 2854  voting sites are open and until the election is completed, who
 2855  shall be subject to all lawful commands of the clerk or
 2856  inspectors, and who shall maintain good order. The deputy may
 2857  summon assistance from among bystanders to aid him or her when
 2858  necessary to maintain peace and order at the center polls or
 2859  early voting sites.
 2860         (3)(a) No person may enter any polling room or polling
 2861  place where the polling place is also a polling room, or any
 2862  early voting area during voting hours except the following:
 2863         1. Official poll watchers;
 2864         2. Inspectors;
 2865         3. Election clerks;
 2866         4. The supervisor of elections or his or her deputy;
 2867         5. Persons there to vote, persons in the care of a voter,
 2868  or persons caring for such voter;
 2869         6. Law enforcement officers or emergency service personnel
 2870  there with permission of the clerk or a majority of the
 2871  inspectors; or
 2872         7. A person, whether or not a registered voter, who is
 2873  assisting with or participating in a simulated election for
 2874  minors, as approved by the supervisor of elections.
 2875         (b) The restriction in this subsection does not apply where
 2876  the voting area polling room is in an area commonly traversed by
 2877  the public in order to gain access to businesses or homes or in
 2878  an area traditionally utilized as a public area for discussion.
 2879         (4)(a) No person, political committee, or other group or
 2880  organization may solicit voters inside the voter services center
 2881  polling place or within 150 feet of a secure drop box location
 2882  or the entrance to any voter services center polling place, a
 2883  polling room where the polling place is also a polling room, an
 2884  early voting site, or an office of the supervisor where vote-by
 2885  mail ballots are requested and printed on demand for the
 2886  convenience of electors who appear in person to request them.
 2887  Before the opening of a voter services center or secure drop box
 2888  location the polling place or early voting site, the clerk or
 2889  supervisor shall designate the no-solicitation zone and mark the
 2890  boundaries.
 2891         (b) For the purpose of this subsection, the terms “solicit”
 2892  or “solicitation” shall include, but not be limited to, seeking
 2893  or attempting to seek any vote, fact, opinion, or contribution;
 2894  distributing or attempting to distribute any political or
 2895  campaign material, leaflet, or handout; conducting a poll except
 2896  as specified in this paragraph; seeking or attempting to seek a
 2897  signature on any petition; and selling or attempting to sell any
 2898  item. The terms “solicit” or “solicitation” may not be construed
 2899  to prohibit exit polling.
 2900         (c) Each supervisor of elections shall inform the clerk of
 2901  the area within which soliciting is unlawful, based on the
 2902  particular characteristics of that site polling place. The
 2903  supervisor or the clerk may take any reasonable action necessary
 2904  to ensure order at the polling places, including, but not
 2905  limited to, having disruptive and unruly persons removed by law
 2906  enforcement officers from the voting area polling room or place
 2907  or from the 150-foot no-solicitation zone surrounding the
 2908  polling place.
 2909         (d) Except as provided in paragraph (a), the supervisor may
 2910  not designate a no-solicitation zone or otherwise restrict
 2911  access to any person, political committee, candidate, or other
 2912  group or organization for the purposes of soliciting voters.
 2913  This paragraph applies to any public or private property used as
 2914  a voter services center or any other site used for conducting an
 2915  election polling place or early voting site.
 2916         (e) The owner, operator, or lessee of the property on which
 2917  a voter services center or secure drop box location polling
 2918  place or an early voting site is located, or an agent or
 2919  employee thereof, may not prohibit the solicitation of voters
 2920  outside of the no-solicitation zone during polling hours of
 2921  operation.
 2922         (5) No photography is permitted in the voter services
 2923  center polling room or early voting area, except an elector may
 2924  photograph his or her own ballot.
 2925         Section 73. Section 102.101, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2926  to read:
 2927         102.101 Sheriff and other officers not allowed in voter
 2928  services center polling place.—No sheriff, deputy sheriff,
 2929  police officer, or other officer of the law shall be allowed
 2930  within the voter services center polling place without
 2931  permission from the clerk or a majority of the inspectors,
 2932  except to cast his or her ballot. Upon the failure of any of
 2933  said officers to comply with this provision, the clerk or the
 2934  inspectors or any one of them shall make an affidavit against
 2935  such officer for his or her arrest.
 2936         Section 74. Present subsections (5) through (11) of section
 2937  102.141, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (4)
 2938  through (10), respectively, and subsections (2), (3), and (4)
 2939  and paragraph (a) of present subsection (10) of that section are
 2940  amended, to read:
 2941         102.141 County canvassing board; duties.—
 2942         (2)(a) The county canvassing board shall meet in a building
 2943  accessible to the public in the county where the election
 2944  occurred at a time and place to be designated by the supervisor
 2945  to publicly canvass the absent electors’ ballots as provided for
 2946  in s. 101.0091 s. 101.68 and provisional ballots as provided by
 2947  ss. 101.048, 101.049, and 101.6925. Provisional ballots cast
 2948  pursuant to s. 101.049 shall be canvassed in a manner that votes
 2949  for candidates and issues on those ballots can be segregated
 2950  from other votes. As soon as mail the absent electors’ ballots
 2951  and the provisional ballots are canvassed, the board shall
 2952  proceed to publicly canvass the vote given each candidate,
 2953  nominee, constitutional amendment, or other measure submitted to
 2954  the electorate of the county, as shown by the returns then on
 2955  file in the office of the supervisor.
 2956         (b) Public notice of the time and place at which the county
 2957  canvassing board shall meet to canvass the absent electors’
 2958  ballots and provisional ballots must be given at least 48 hours
 2959  prior thereto by publication on the supervisor’s website and
 2960  published in one or more newspapers of general circulation in
 2961  the county or, if there is no newspaper of general circulation
 2962  in the county, by posting such notice in at least four
 2963  conspicuous places in the county. The time given in the notice
 2964  as to the convening of the meeting of the county canvassing
 2965  board must be specific and may not be a time period during which
 2966  the board may meet.
 2967         (c) If the county canvassing board suspends or recesses a
 2968  meeting publicly noticed pursuant to paragraph (b) for a period
 2969  lasting more than 60 minutes, the board must post on the
 2970  supervisor’s website the anticipated time at which the board
 2971  expects to reconvene. If the county canvassing board does not
 2972  reconvene at the specified time, the board must provide at least
 2973  2 hours’ notice, which must be posted on the supervisor’s
 2974  website, before reconvening.
 2975         (d) During any meeting of the county canvassing board, a
 2976  physical notice must be placed in a conspicuous area near the
 2977  public entrance to the building in which the meeting is taking
 2978  place. The physical notice must include the names of the
 2979  individuals officially serving as the county canvassing board,
 2980  the names of any alternate members, the time of the meeting, and
 2981  a brief statement as to the anticipated activities of the county
 2982  canvassing board.
 2983         (3) The canvass, except the canvass of absent electors’
 2984  returns and the canvass of provisional ballots, shall be made
 2985  from the returns and certificates of the inspectors as signed
 2986  and filed by them with the supervisor, and the county canvassing
 2987  board shall not change the number of votes cast for a candidate,
 2988  nominee, constitutional amendment, or other measure submitted to
 2989  the electorate of the county, respectively, in any polling
 2990  place, as shown by the returns. All returns shall be made to the
 2991  board on or before 2 a.m. of the day following any primary,
 2992  general, or other election. If the returns from any precinct are
 2993  missing, if there are any omissions on the returns from any
 2994  precinct, or if there is an obvious error on any such returns,
 2995  the canvassing board shall order a retabulation of the returns
 2996  from such precinct. Before canvassing such returns, the
 2997  canvassing board shall examine the tabulation of the ballots
 2998  cast in such precinct and determine whether the returns
 2999  correctly reflect the votes cast. If there is a discrepancy
 3000  between the returns and the tabulation of the ballots cast, the
 3001  tabulation of the ballots cast shall be presumed correct and
 3002  such votes shall be canvassed accordingly.
 3003         (3)(a)(4)(a) The supervisor of elections shall upload into
 3004  the county’s election management system by 7 p.m. on the day
 3005  before the election the results of all early voting and vote-by
 3006  mail ballots that have been canvassed and tabulated through the
 3007  2nd day before the election by the end of the early voting
 3008  period. Pursuant to ss. 101.0091(2) and 101.5614(8), 101.657,
 3009  and 101.68(2), the tabulation of votes cast or the results of
 3010  such uploads may not be made public before 7 p.m. the close of
 3011  the polls on election day.
 3012         (b) The canvassing board shall report all early voting and
 3013  all tabulated vote-by-mail results to the Department of State
 3014  within 30 minutes after 7 p.m. on election day the polls close.
 3015  Thereafter, the canvassing board shall report, with the
 3016  exception of provisional ballot results, updated precinct
 3017  election results to the department at least every 45 minutes
 3018  until all results are completely reported. The supervisor of
 3019  elections shall notify the department immediately of any
 3020  circumstances that do not permit periodic updates as required.
 3021  Results shall be submitted in a format prescribed by the
 3022  department.
 3023         (9)(a)(10)(a) At the same time that the official results of
 3024  an election are certified to the department of State, the county
 3025  canvassing board shall file a report with the division of
 3026  Elections on the conduct of the election. The report must
 3027  describe:
 3028         1. All equipment or software malfunctions at the precinct
 3029  level, at a counting location, or within computer and
 3030  telecommunications networks supporting a county location, and
 3031  the steps that were taken to address the malfunctions;
 3032         2. All election definition errors that were discovered
 3033  after the logic and accuracy test, and the steps that were taken
 3034  to address the errors;
 3035         3. All ballot printing errors or ballot supply problems,
 3036  and the steps that were taken to address the errors or problems;
 3037         4. All staffing shortages or procedural violations by
 3038  employees or precinct workers which were addressed by the
 3039  supervisor of elections or the county canvassing board during
 3040  the conduct of the election, and the steps that were taken to
 3041  correct such issues;
 3042         5. All instances where needs for staffing or equipment were
 3043  insufficient to meet the needs of the voters; and
 3044         6. Any additional information regarding material issues or
 3045  problems associated with the conduct of the election.
 3046         Section 75. Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section
 3047  102.166, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 3048         102.166 Manual recounts of overvotes and undervotes.—
 3049         (5) Procedures for a manual recount are as follows:
 3050         (b) Each duplicate ballot prepared pursuant to s.
 3051  101.5614(4) or s. 102.141(6) must s. 102.141(7) shall be
 3052  compared with the original ballot to ensure the correctness of
 3053  the duplicate.
 3054         Section 76. Subsection (8) of section 102.168, Florida
 3055  Statutes, is amended to read:
 3056         102.168 Contest of election.—
 3057         (8) In any contest that requires a review of the canvassing
 3058  board’s decision on the legality of a mail or provisional or
 3059  vote-by-mail ballot pursuant to s. 101.0091 or s. 101.048 or s.
 3060  101.68 based upon a comparison of the signature of the elector
 3061  in the registration records with the signature on the
 3062  provisional or vote-by-mail voter’s certificate or the
 3063  provisional or vote-by-mail cure affidavit, the circuit court
 3064  may not review or consider any evidence other than the signature
 3065  of the elector in the registration records, the signature on the
 3066  respective voter’s certificate or cure affidavit, and any
 3067  supporting identification that the elector submitted with the
 3068  cure affidavit. The court’s review of such issue shall be to
 3069  determine only if the canvassing board abused its discretion in
 3070  making its decision.
 3071         Section 77. Section 104.047, Florida Statutes, is amended
 3072  to read:
 3073         104.047 Vote-by-mail Ballots and voting; violations.—
 3074         (1) Except as provided in s. 101.014(3) s. 101.62 or s.
 3075  101.655, any person who requests a vote-by-mail ballot on behalf
 3076  of an elector commits is guilty of a felony of the third degree,
 3077  punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
 3078         (2) Any person who marks or designates a choice on the
 3079  ballot of another person, except as provided in s. 101.006, s.
 3080  101.051, or s. 101.655, or s. 101.661, commits is guilty of a
 3081  felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s.
 3082  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
 3083         Section 78. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
 3084  104.0515, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 3085         104.0515 Voting rights; deprivation of, or interference
 3086  with, prohibited; penalty.—
 3087         (2) No person acting under color of law shall:
 3088         (a) In determining whether any individual is qualified
 3089  under law to vote in any election, apply any standard, practice,
 3090  or procedure different from the standards, practices, or
 3091  procedures applied under law to other individuals within the
 3092  same political subdivision who have been found to be qualified
 3093  to vote; or
 3094         (b) Deny the right of any individual to vote in any
 3095  election because of an error or omission on any record or paper
 3096  relating to any application, registration, or other act
 3097  requisite to voting, if such error or omission is not material
 3098  in determining whether such individual is qualified under law to
 3099  vote in such election. This paragraph shall apply to vote-by
 3100  mail ballots only if there is a pattern or history of
 3101  discrimination on the basis of race, color, or previous
 3102  condition of servitude in regard to vote-by-mail ballots.
 3103         Section 79. Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) and paragraph
 3104  (c) of subsection (3) of section 104.0615, Florida Statutes, are
 3105  amended to read:
 3106         104.0615 Voter intimidation or suppression prohibited;
 3107  criminal penalties.—
 3108         (2) A person may not directly or indirectly use or threaten
 3109  to use force, violence, or intimidation or any tactic of
 3110  coercion or intimidation to induce or compel an individual to:
 3111         (d) Refrain from acting as a legally authorized election
 3112  official or poll watcher.
 3113         (3) A person may not knowingly use false information to:
 3114         (c) Induce or attempt to induce an individual to refrain
 3115  from acting as a legally authorized election official or poll
 3116  watcher.
 3117         Section 80. Section 104.0616, Florida Statutes, is amended
 3118  to read:
 3119         104.0616 Vote-by-mail Ballots and voting; violations.—
 3120         (1) For purposes of this section, the term “immediate
 3121  family” means a person’s spouse or the parent, child,
 3122  grandparent, or sibling of the person or the person’s spouse.
 3123         (2) Any person who provides or offers to provide, and any
 3124  person who accepts, a pecuniary or other benefit in exchange for
 3125  distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, delivering, or
 3126  otherwise physically possessing more than two vote-by-mail
 3127  ballots per election in addition to his or her own ballot or a
 3128  ballot belonging to an immediate family member, except as
 3129  provided in ss. 101.6105-101.694, commits a misdemeanor of the
 3130  first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083,
 3131  or s. 775.084.
 3132         Section 81. Section 104.17, Florida Statutes, is amended to
 3133  read:
 3134         104.17 Voting in person after casting mail vote-by-mail
 3135  ballot.—Any person who willfully votes or attempts to vote both
 3136  in person and by mail vote-by-mail ballot at any election
 3137  commits is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as
 3138  provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
 3139         Section 82. Section 104.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to
 3140  read:
 3141         104.20 Ballot not to be seen, and other offenses.—Any
 3142  elector who, except as provided by law, allows his or her ballot
 3143  to be seen by any person; takes or removes, or attempts to take
 3144  or remove, any ballot from the voter services center polling
 3145  place before the close of the polls; places any mark on his or
 3146  her ballot by which it may be identified; endeavors to induce
 3147  any elector to show how he or she voted; aids or attempts to aid
 3148  any elector unlawfully; or prints or procures to be printed, or
 3149  has in his or her possession, any copies of any ballot prepared
 3150  to be voted commits is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first
 3151  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
 3152         Section 83. Section 104.29, Florida Statutes, is amended to
 3153  read:
 3154         104.29 Inspectors refusing to allow watchers while ballots
 3155  are counted.—The inspectors or other election officials at the
 3156  voter services center polling place shall, after the polls
 3157  close, allow as many as three persons near to them to see
 3158  whether the ballots are being reconciled correctly. Any official
 3159  who denies this privilege or interferes therewith commits a
 3160  misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
 3161  775.082 or s. 775.083.
 3162         Section 84. Subsection (2) of section 117.05, Florida
 3163  Statutes, is amended to read:
 3164         117.05 Use of notary commission; unlawful use; notary fee;
 3165  seal; duties; employer liability; name change; advertising;
 3166  photocopies; penalties.—
 3167         (2)(a) The fee of a notary public may not exceed $10 for
 3168  any one notarial act, except as provided in s. 117.045 or s.
 3169  117.275.
 3170         (b) A notary public may not charge a fee for witnessing a
 3171  vote-by-mail ballot in an election, and must witness such a
 3172  ballot upon the request of an elector, provided the notarial act
 3173  is in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
 3174         Section 85. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
 3175  153.53, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 3176         153.53 Establishment of districts in unincorporated areas.—
 3177         (3)
 3178         (c) The ballot to be used at said election shall be in
 3179  substantially the following form:
 3180  
 3181                           OFFICIAL BALLOT                         
 3182  
 3183  .... WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT
 3184  .... COUNTY, FLORIDA
 3185  
 3186                SPECIAL ELECTION ...(Insert date)...               
 3187  
 3188  1. Shall .... Water and Sewer District .... County, Florida, be
 3189  created?
 3190  .... Yes
 3191  .... No
 3192  2. Make a cross mark (x) before the names of the candidates of
 3193  your choice.
 3194                        FOR COMMISSIONERS OF                       
 3195                      WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT                     
 3196  VOTE FOR THREE                                          WRITE-IN
 3197  VOTES                                                           
 3198                                                                  
 3199  ................................................................
 3200  
 3201  ................................................................
 3202  
 3203  ................................................................
 3204  
 3205  ................................................................
 3206  
 3207  Blank lines shall be placed on the ballot so that the name of
 3208  any person who did not file a petition and who is otherwise
 3209  qualified may be written in, in the form of an irregular or
 3210  write-in vote. The inspectors and clerks for said election shall
 3211  be appointed by the board of county commissioners. The ballots
 3212  shall be furnished by the board of county commissioners. The
 3213  board of county commissioners shall designate an appropriate
 3214  voter services center polling place or voter services centers to
 3215  supplement mail balloting polling places where said election
 3216  shall be held. The inspectors and clerks shall make returns to
 3217  the board of county commissioners and said board of county
 3218  commissioners shall canvass said election returns and declare
 3219  the results thereof at a meeting to be held as soon as practical
 3220  after said election.
 3221         Section 86. Subsection (1) of section 155.04, Florida
 3222  Statutes, is amended to read:
 3223         155.04 County hospitals; petition; election;
 3224  establishment.—
 3225         (1) Whenever the board of county commissioners of any
 3226  county in the state shall be presented with a petition signed by
 3227  5 percent of the resident freeholders of such county, asking
 3228  that an annual tax may be levied for the establishment and
 3229  maintenance of a public hospital at a place in the county named
 3230  therein, and shall specify in said petition the maximum amount
 3231  of money proposed to be expended in purchasing or building said
 3232  hospital, such board of county commissioners shall submit the
 3233  question to the qualified electors of the county who are
 3234  freeholders at the next general election to be held in the
 3235  county, or at a special election called for that purpose, first
 3236  giving 30 days’ notice thereof in one or more newspapers
 3237  published in the county, if any be published therein, or posting
 3238  written or printed notices at each voter services center in each
 3239  precinct of the county, which notice shall include the text of
 3240  the petition and state the amount of the tax to be levied upon
 3241  the assessed property of the said county which tax shall not
 3242  exceed 5 mills on the dollar, and be for the issue of the county
 3243  bonds, to provide funds for the purchase of the site, or sites,
 3244  and the erection thereon of a public hospital and hospital
 3245  buildings, and for the support of same, which bonds shall be
 3246  payable within 30 years, which said election shall be held at
 3247  the usual places in such county for voting upon county officers,
 3248  and shall be canvassed in the same manner as the vote for the
 3249  county officers is canvassed. The ballots to be used in any
 3250  election at which such hospital question is submitted, shall be
 3251  printed with a statement substantially as follows:
 3252  
 3253         For a .... mill tax for a bond issue for a public hospital,
 3254  and for maintenance of same:
 3255         YES ....
 3256         NO ....
 3257  
 3258         Section 87. Paragraph (a) of subsection (16) of section
 3259  163.514, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 3260         163.514 Powers of neighborhood improvement districts.
 3261  Unless prohibited by ordinance, the board of any district shall
 3262  be empowered to:
 3263         (16)(a) Subject to referendum approval, make and collect
 3264  special assessments pursuant to ss. 197.3632 and 197.3635 to pay
 3265  for improvements to the district and for reasonable expenses of
 3266  operating the district, including the payment of expenses
 3267  included in the district’s budget, subject to an affirmative
 3268  vote by a majority of the registered voters residing in the
 3269  district. Such assessments shall not exceed $500 for each
 3270  individual parcel of land per year. Notwithstanding the
 3271  provisions of s. 101.6102, the referendum to approve the special
 3272  assessment shall be by mail ballot.
 3273         Section 88. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section
 3274  171.0413, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 3275         171.0413 Annexation procedures.—Any municipality may annex
 3276  contiguous, compact, unincorporated territory in the following
 3277  manner:
 3278         (2) Following the final adoption of the ordinance of
 3279  annexation by the governing body of the annexing municipality,
 3280  the ordinance shall be submitted to a vote of the registered
 3281  electors of the area proposed to be annexed. The governing body
 3282  of the annexing municipality may also choose to submit the
 3283  ordinance of annexation to a separate vote of the registered
 3284  electors of the annexing municipality. The referendum on
 3285  annexation shall be called and conducted and the expense thereof
 3286  paid by the governing body of the annexing municipality.
 3287         (c) On the day of the referendum on annexation, there shall
 3288  be prominently displayed at each voter services center polling
 3289  place a copy of the ordinance of annexation and a description of
 3290  the property proposed to be annexed. The description shall be by
 3291  metes and bounds and shall include a map clearly showing such
 3292  area.
 3293         Section 89. Section 256.011, Florida Statutes, is amended
 3294  to read:
 3295         256.011 Display of flag at voter services center on
 3296  election day.—
 3297         (1) The supervisor of elections of each county in this
 3298  state shall provide a flag of the United States for each voter
 3299  services center polling place in the county. The flag shall be
 3300  displayed properly and prominently at all designated voter
 3301  services centers polling places on all days when an election is
 3302  being held.
 3303         (2) The supervisor of elections of each county in the state
 3304  shall make the flags available to each municipality or
 3305  governmental body holding an election within such county for
 3306  each election held for any such municipality or governmental
 3307  body within such county. The municipality or governmental body
 3308  shall have the responsibility of properly and prominently
 3309  displaying the flag at each such voter services center polling
 3310  place on all days when an election is being held and shall bear
 3311  the expense of displaying the flag of the United States.
 3312         (3) Each supervisor of elections is authorized to purchase
 3313  a sufficient number of flags to carry out the purpose of this
 3314  act out of the general revenue fund of each such county.
 3315         (4) In lieu of a flag of the United States, a picture or
 3316  representation of the flag may be displayed at the voter
 3317  services center polling place, provided such picture or
 3318  representation measures, at a minimum, 1 square foot in size.
 3319         Section 90. Subsection (7) of section 394.459, Florida
 3320  Statutes, is amended to read:
 3321         394.459 Rights of patients.—
 3322         (7) VOTING IN PUBLIC ELECTIONS.—A patient who is eligible
 3323  to vote according to the laws of the state has the right to vote
 3324  in the primary and general elections. The department shall
 3325  establish rules to enable patients to obtain voter registration
 3326  forms, applications for vote-by-mail ballots, and vote-by-mail
 3327  ballots.
 3328         Section 91. Section 741.406, Florida Statutes, is amended
 3329  to read:
 3330         741.406 Voting by program participant; use of designated
 3331  address by supervisor of elections.—A program participant who is
 3332  otherwise qualified to vote may request a vote-by-mail ballot
 3333  pursuant to s. 101.62. The program participant shall
 3334  automatically receive vote-by-mail ballots for all elections in
 3335  the jurisdictions in which that individual resides in the same
 3336  manner as vote-by-mail voters. The supervisor of elections shall
 3337  transmit a the vote-by-mail ballot to the program participant at
 3338  the address designated by the participant in his or her voter
 3339  registration record in the same manner as other voters
 3340  application as a vote-by-mail voter. However, the name, address,
 3341  and telephone number of a program participant may not be
 3342  included in any list of registered voters available to the
 3343  public.
 3344         Section 92. Paragraph (a) of subsection (12) of section
 3345  790.06, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 3346         790.06 License to carry concealed weapon or firearm.—
 3347         (12)(a) A license issued under this section does not
 3348  authorize any person to openly carry a handgun or carry a
 3349  concealed weapon or firearm into:
 3350         1. Any place of nuisance as defined in s. 823.05;
 3351         2. Any police, sheriff, or highway patrol station;
 3352         3. Any detention facility, prison, or jail;
 3353         4. Any courthouse;
 3354         5. Any courtroom, except that nothing in this section would
 3355  preclude a judge from carrying a concealed weapon or determining
 3356  who will carry a concealed weapon in his or her courtroom;
 3357         6. Any voter services center polling place;
 3358         7. Any meeting of the governing body of a county, public
 3359  school district, municipality, or special district;
 3360         8. Any meeting of the Legislature or a committee thereof;
 3361         9. Any school, college, or professional athletic event not
 3362  related to firearms;
 3363         10. Any elementary or secondary school facility or
 3364  administration building;
 3365         11. Any career center;
 3366         12. Any portion of an establishment licensed to dispense
 3367  alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, which
 3368  portion of the establishment is primarily devoted to such
 3369  purpose;
 3370         13. Any college or university facility unless the licensee
 3371  is a registered student, employee, or faculty member of such
 3372  college or university and the weapon is a stun gun or nonlethal
 3373  electric weapon or device designed solely for defensive purposes
 3374  and the weapon does not fire a dart or projectile;
 3375         14. The inside of the passenger terminal and sterile area
 3376  of any airport, provided that no person shall be prohibited from
 3377  carrying any legal firearm into the terminal, which firearm is
 3378  encased for shipment for purposes of checking such firearm as
 3379  baggage to be lawfully transported on any aircraft; or
 3380         15. Any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited
 3381  by federal law.
 3382         Section 93. Subsection (7) of section 916.107, Florida
 3383  Statutes, is amended to read:
 3384         916.107 Rights of forensic clients.—
 3385         (7) VOTING IN PUBLIC ELECTIONS.—A forensic client who is
 3386  eligible to vote according to the laws of the state has the
 3387  right to vote in the primary and general elections. The
 3388  department and agency shall establish rules to enable clients to
 3389  obtain voter registration forms, applications for vote-by-mail
 3390  ballots, and vote-by-mail ballots.
 3391         Section 94. This act shall take effect January 1, 2021.