CS/HB 215 Summary

• Authorizes absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters to use the federal write-in absentee ballot in any state or local election, in addition to federal elections.

• Allows voters using federal write-in absentee ballots to vote on any ballot measure and permits votes in judicial merit retention elections to be treated as ballot measures with only "Yes" and "No" responses.

• Permits voters to designate candidates by writing candidate names or, except in primary/nonpartisan elections, by writing political party names on the ballot.

• Requires the Department of State to adopt specific rules defining what constitutes a "clear indication" that a voter made a definite choice on federal write-in ballots, addressing candidate name variations, office designations, political party designations, and ballot measure identifications.

• Takes effect July 1, 2014.