House Bill 782 - Elections Certainty Act

• Mail-in absentee ballots must be received by county boards by 5:00 p.m. on election day to be counted, with limited exceptions for federal law requirements and ballots postmarked on or before election day but received within three days.

• County boards of elections must meet at 5:00 p.m. on election day and again at 5:00 p.m. the day after election day to count absentee ballots, with results not to be announced before 7:30 p.m.

• Absentee ballots received after the election day deadline may only be counted if postmarked on or before election day and received within three days, or if they comply with Article 21A provisions regarding electronically transmitted ballots.

• Absentee ballots and container-return envelopes must be made available 60-63 days before general elections in even-numbered years and 50-53 days before other elections, increased from previous 60 and 50-day requirements.

• County boards may challenge absentee ballots received by the election day deadline between noon and 5:00 p.m. on election day, while ballots received after the deadline may be challenged beginning noon the day after the election through 5:00 p.m. the next business day.