H.B. 124 Summary

• Requires counties with populations under 100,000 to implement elections by mail beginning with the 2016 primary election, expanding to counties under 500,000 by 2018, and all counties by 2020.

• Establishes mail-in ballot procedures including ballot packages with prepaid postage, secrecy envelopes, and instructions; requires county clerks to mail ballots 14-18 days before elections.

• Creates "places of deposit" for ballot drop-off and "voter service centers" that remain open on election day to serve voters with disabilities and provide absentee ballot services.

• Splits election expenses and responsibilities between the State and counties based on election type; State handles ballot mailing and tabulation while counties manage voter registration and voter service centers.

• Appropriates unspecified funds for fiscal years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 to implement the election-by-mail system and requires annual legislative reports on implementation progress through 2021.