This amendment clarifies a qualified, unaffiliated voter who intends to vote in a political party's primary election may also request an absentee ballot to vote in a primary election, and adds an effective date of January 1, 2028.

Plain English Breakdown

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Clarifying Absentee Ballots for Unaffiliated Voters

This amendment allows unaffiliated voters who want to vote in a political party's primary election to request an absentee ballot and sets the law to take effect on January 1, 2028.

What This Bill Does

• Clarifies that unaffiliated voters can ask for an absentee ballot if they plan to vote in a primary election.

Who It Names or Affects

• Unaffiliated voters who want to participate in political party primaries.

Terms To Know

unaffiliated voter

A person who is registered to vote but does not belong to a specific political party.

absentee ballot

A special voting paper that allows someone to cast their vote before election day or from another location.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill only affects unaffiliated voters who want to participate in primary elections.
• It does not change how absentee ballots are processed for general elections.
• The law will not take effect until January 1, 2028.

Official Summary Text

This amendment clarifies a qualified, unaffiliated voter who intends to vote in a political party's primary election may also request an absentee ballot to vote in a primary election, and adds an effective date of January 1, 2028.

Current Bill Text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Michael Smith

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1

TO

HOUSE BILL NO. 188

AMEND House Bill No. 188 on line 19 by inserting between the word “

election

” and the word “

and

” the phrase “

, or requests an absentee ballot to vote in a primary election,

”.

FURTHER AMEND House Bill No. 188 by inserting after line 21 the following:

Section 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2028.

SYNOPSIS

This amendment clarifies a qualified, unaffiliated voter who intends to vote in a political party's primary election may also request an absentee ballot to vote in a primary election, and adds an effective date of January 1, 2028.