HB0194 Ballot harvesting. | Wyoming Bill

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's status as 'Did Not Pass' means it did not become law and its provisions are not enforceable.

Ballot Harvesting Act

The bill changes how ballots can be returned to election officials and limits who can return them.

What This Bill Does

Changes the definition of 'immediate family' in Wyoming's Election Code to include any person living in the same household, not just blood relatives.

Requires voters to notify their county clerk if someone else is returning their ballot for them.

Limits designated individuals to deliver no more than two absentee ballots per election, unless they are delivering ballots for immediate family members.

Who It Names or Affects

Voters who use absentee ballots

People who return absentee ballots on behalf of others

Terms To Know

Immediate Family

A person's spouse, parent, sibling, child or other person living in the same household.

Designated Person

Someone a voter chooses to return their ballot for them.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass and was never introduced.

It is unclear how many people will be affected by the changes since it did not become law.

Bill History

2021-03-08 House

H Did Not Consider for Introduction

2021-03-08 House

H Did not Consider for Introduction

2021-03-04 House

H Received for Introduction

2021-03-02 LSO

Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

21LSO-0562
2021
STATE OF WYOMING
21LSO-0562
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0194

Ballot harvesting.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Olsen, Blackburn, Brown, Clausen, Duncan, Eyre, Gray and Hunt and Senator(s) Biteman, Boner and Case

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to elections; specifying the return of ballots to the clerk; amending a related definition; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1.

W.S. 22
‑
1
‑
102(a)(xxxvii) and 22
‑
9
‑
113 are amended to read:

22
‑
1
‑
102.

Definitions.

(a)

The definitions contained in this chapter apply to words and phrases used in this Election Code and govern
the construction of those words and phrases unless they are specifically modified by the context in which they appear. As used in this Election Code:

(xxxvii)

"Immediate family" means a spouse, parent, sibling, child or other
person
blood relative
living in the individual's household;

22
‑
9
‑
113.

Completing and return of ballot; prohibition of collecting ballots; penalty.

(a)

Upon receipt, a qualified elector shall mark the ballot and sign the affidavit.

The ballot shall then be sealed in the inner ballot envelope and
mailed or
delivered to the
county
clerk
by the voter or a designated person, subject to the requirements in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, using one (1) of the following methods:

(i)

Mail; or

(ii)

Hand delivery to the location of the county clerk's office
.

(b)

A voter who has designated another person to return their ballot on their behalf shall notify the county clerk of their designee using a form prescribed by the secretary of state.

(c)

Designated individuals returning absentee ballots to the county clerk on behalf of a voter shall deliver not more than two (2) absentee ballots for any primary, general or special election. The restriction in this subsection shall not apply to designated individuals delivering the absentee ballots of immediate family members, as defined in W.S. 22
‑
1
‑
102(a)(xxxvii)
.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2021
.

(END)

1
HB0194