House Bill 1169 Summary

• Allows absentee ballots for 2020 elections to be witnessed by a single person (instead of two) who must sign the application and print their name and address on the envelope.

• Permits county boards of elections to appoint precinct workers from outside their home precinct if insufficient local residents are available, provided at least one worker per position resides within the precinct.

• Authorizes delivery of absentee ballot requests by mail, email, or fax, and allows multipartisan teams trained by county boards to assist voters in completing and delivering requests and serving as witnesses.

• Establishes a secure online portal for absentee ballot requests requiring electronic signature and tracking of IP addresses, with the State Board of Elections developing the website by September 1, 2020.

• Appropriates $13.8 million in federal CARES Act and HAVA funds to the State Board of Elections and counties for election security improvements, early voting expansion, poll worker recruitment, personal protective equipment, and multipartisan assistance team support during the 2020 elections.