Permanent absentee voter status.

2017
STATE OF WYOMING
17LSO-0244
Introduced
1.2

HOUSE BILL

NO.

HB0046

Permanent absentee voter status.

Sponsored by:
Joint Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Interim Committee

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to elections; modifying provisions related to absentee ballot applications; authorizing an elector to apply for an absentee ballot electronically; authorizing an elector to apply for permanent absentee voter status and to receive an absentee ballot for all subsequent elections as specified; requiring distribution of absentee ballots to electors who qualify for permanent absentee voter status as specified; specifying termination of permanent absentee voter status; requiring rulemaking; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 22
‑
9
‑
104(
a)
(intro)
,
(i) and by creating a new paragraph (vi),
22
‑
9
‑
105 and 22
‑
9
‑
107 are amended to read:

22
‑
9
‑
104
.

How to apply; information required.

(a)

A qualified elector may apply for an absentee ballot either in person, in writing,

electronically
or by telephone, by furnishing the following information:

(i)

Legal n
ame in full, social security number (optional), date of birth, and current Wyoming residence address by street, city, county, and zip code or last Wyoming residence address and month and year of leaving Wyoming to live temporarily in another state or nation, if applicable;

(vi)

The
request for permanent absentee
voter
status if desired.

22
‑
9
‑
105
.

Application
; permanent absentee voter status
.

(a)

A qualified elector may apply for an absentee ballot at
anytime

any time
during the calendar year in which the election is held, but not on the day of the election

being held
.

(b)

When applying for an absentee ballot pursuant to subsection (a) of this section
, a
qualified elector may
request
permanent absentee voter status to receive an absentee ballot
for a
ll
subsequent election
s

conducted
in the precinct in which the elector is eligible to vote.
An elector's permanent absentee voter status terminates
upon
:

(i)

The elector's request;

(ii)

The elector's death;

(iii)

The elector's
failure to satisfy the requirements
to vote as provided in W.S. 22
‑
3
‑
102(
a);

(i
v
)

The
return of a
n

absent
ee
ballot
as undeliverable
;

(v)

The return of a permanent absentee ballot confirmation form sent in accordance with W.S. 22
‑
9
‑
107(c) as undeliverable.

22
‑
9
‑
107
.

Delivering ballots to qualified applicants
; permanent absentee
voter
confirmation forms
.

(a)

If the clerk determines that the applicant is entitled to vote, he shall mark the application "Accepted" and shall, not more than forty
‑
five (45) days prior to the election, distribute to the applicant, or the individual designated by the applicant, the absentee ballot or ballots requested, instructions for marking the ballot and the required envelopes for use in returning the ballot.

(b)

If the clerk determines that the applicant is qualified for permanent absentee
voter
status,
the clerk
shall place the applicant's name on a list
.
The clerk shall distribute an absentee ballot to each elector on the
list for all
election
s
conducted in the precinct for which the elector is eligible to vote.

The clerk shall remove from the list any elector whose permanent absentee voter status is terminated and shall not distribute an absentee ballot to the elector for any subsequent election unless the elector
re
applies
for an absentee ballot in accordance with W.S. 22
‑
9
‑
105.

(c)

In January of each even
‑
numbered year, t
he clerk shall
mail a nonforwarding address confirmation form to each elector on the list
maintained
pursuant to
subsection (b) of t
his
section
. The form shall:

(i)

Be developed by
rule of
the secretary of state in conjunction with county clerks;

(ii)

Apply to all elections to be held
between February 1 following the mailing of the form through January of the next even
‑
numbered year
.

Section

2
.

This
act is effective July 1,
201
7
.

(END)

1
HB0046