Upon receipt of the ballots and envelopes, the county board of voter registration and elections must, as soon as possible, furnish the following items to each person qualified to receive an absentee ballot and who has validly completed a written application for an absentee ballot:

1. (1) one of each ballot to be used in the election;
2. (2) printed instructions as to the marking, folding, and return of each ballot and as to the signing (and return) of the oath;
3. (3) an envelope marked 'Ballot Herein' in which all completed ballots are to be placed;
4. (4) a return-addressed envelope imprinted on the back with the oath set forth in Section 7-15-385 to be used for the return of the unmarked envelope (and enclosed ballots) to the board of voter registration and elections;

5. (5) any additional oath, instructions, or information necessary to enable the absentee ballot applicant to execute and return a ballot legally acceptable by the officials charged with conducting the election.

   The board of voter registration and elections must record in the record book required by Section 7-15-330 to be kept by the board the date these materials are requested by written application and the date they are issued to the qualified elector. Election materials which are mailed must be sent to the voter's absentee mailing address.

   If absentee ballots are not available at the time the voter requests one, the board of voter registration and elections must provide a blank ballot to allow the voter to write in his: (1) selections of candidates; (2) selection of party, if he wishes to vote straight party ticket; and (3) support or opposition of any ballot measure.

HISTORY: 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982; 1990 Act No. 357, Section 5, eff March 19, 1990; 1996 Act No. 434, Section 23, eff June 4, 1996.

Code Commissioner's Note

Pursuant to the directive in 2014 Act No. 196, Section 8, at the direction of the Code Commissioner, references in this section to county election commissions or commissioners or county boards of voter registration were changed to the "Board of Voter Registration and Elections" and board members as appropriate.

Effect of Amendment

The 1990 amendment deleted "unmarked", and added "marked 'Ballot Herein'" after "envelope", in item (3).

The 1996 amendment substituted "must" for "shall" throughout this section; replaced "such" with "the" in two places in item (5) and with "these" in the second undesignated paragraph; added the final undesignated paragraph; and made other nonsubstantive changes.