Senate Bill 2217 Summary

• Requires absentee ballots to be placed in an unmarked envelope inside the envelope containing required affidavits to ensure ballot secrecy.

• Modifies absentee ballot procedures for both registrar-issued ballots and ballots cast outside the county of residence to include the unmarked envelope step.

• Updates election manager procedures for examining and counting absentee ballots to open the unmarked envelopes during the counting process rather than before placing ballots in the ballot box.

• Changes ballot examination requirements so election managers open unmarked envelopes and inspect ballots only at the time of counting, not during initial envelope verification.

• Effective date is July 1, 2017.