SB 1060 — federal candidates; observers; elections

House Engrossed Senate BillEngrossed federal candidates;

The early election board shall check the voter's mail ballot affidavit on the envelope containing the early ballot.

If the mail ballot affidavit is insufficient, the vote shall not be allowed.

Beginning in 2026, for an early ballot that is received and verified as prescribed by section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 4, additional signature verification is not required.

If an early ballot is challenged, it shall be set aside and retained in the possession of the early election board or other officer in charge of early ballot processing until a time that the early election board sets for determination of the challenge, subject to the procedure in subsection E of this section, at which time the early election board shall hear the - 1 - S.B.

1060 ballot processing until a time that the early election board sets for determination of the challenge, subject to the procedure in subsection E of this section, at which time the early election board shall hear the grounds for the challenge and shall decide what disposition shall be made of the early ballot by majority vote.

If the vote is allowed, the board shall open the envelope containing the ballot in such a manner that the mail ballot affidavit thereon ON THE ENVELOPE is not destroyed, take out the ballot without unfolding it or permitting ALLOWING it to be opened or examined and show by the records of the election that the elector has voted.

If the vote is not allowed, the mail ballot affidavit envelope containing the early ballot shall not be opened and the board shall mark across the face of such envelope the grounds for rejection.

The mail ballot affidavit envelope and its contents shall then be deposited with the opened mail ballot affidavit envelopes and shall be preserved with official returns.

If the voter does not enter an appearance, the board -shall 2send -the S.B.voter a notice stating whether the early ballot was disallowed and, if disallowed, providing the grounds for the determination.

1060The shall send the voter a notice statingshall whetherbe themailed earlyby ballotfirst wasclass disallowed- and,2 if- disallowed,S.B. providing the grounds for the determination.

The1060 notice shall be mailed by first class mail to the voter's mailing address as shown on the registration rolls within three days after the board's determination.

Party representatives and alternates may be appointed as provided in subsection C of this section to be present and to challenge the verification of questioned ballots pursuant to section 16-584 on any grounds allowedpermitted ALLOWED by this section.

Each county chairman CHAIRPERSON of a political party that is entitled to continued representation on the state ballot or the chairman's CHAIRPERSON'S designee shall select by lot the individual races to be hand counted pursuant to this section.

The county chairman CHAIRPERSON of each political party shall designate and provide the number of election board members as designated by the county officer in charge of elections who shall perform the hand count under the supervision of the county officer in charge of elections.

For each - 5 - S.B.

1060 For each precinct that is to be audited, the county chairmen CHAIRPERSONS shall designate at least two board workers who are registered members of any or no political party to assist with the audit.

A county party chairman CHAIRPERSON shall approve only those substitute electors who are provided by the county chairman's CHAIRPERSON'S political party.

andAnd 2.