HB 1679 — Various elections matters.

Summary

Modifies the definition of "candidate". Provides that certain documents and material generated for or used by a political party caucus to select a person to fill a vacancy in an elected office are the property of the political party. Provides that the office of the circuit court clerk must remain closed on primary election day and general election day. Provides that the circuit court clerk shall perform required duties to conduct elections on primary election day and general election day. Specifies that the circuit court clerk is not required to perform on primary election day and general election day a duty other than conducting elections. Requires a county, city, town, township, or school to provide to an employee of a local government office who requests leave to serve: (1) on primary election day or general election day; and (2) as a precinct election officer; a paid day of leave to serve as a precinct election officer. Specifies an exception. Requires certain redistricting authorities to redistrict election districts or recertify existing election districts within the statutory deadlines and withholds payment to aa member of a redistricting authority for failure to do so. Prescribes fees to be charged by the election division for particular products and services. Changes the manner in which a copy of a complaint is to be provided to members of the Indiana election commission. Specifies the term of a chairman of a county election board, circumstances under which the chairman is considered to have vacated the office, and the process for electing a member of the board to serve as chairman following a vacancy. Provides that a person must: (1) be at least 18 years of age at the next general, municipal, or special election; (2) be a United States citizen; and (3) reside in a precinct continuously before a general, municipal, or special election for at least 30 days; to register to vote in that precinct and may, upon making a proper application, register to vote in that precinct. Requires absentee activity reports and other election day reports to be provided by a certain time and provides exceptions. Requires the county voter registration official to take certain actions concerning potential nonresidential addresses not later than August 1 of each year. Provides that the county voter registration official may not enter a nonresidential address into the statewide voter registration system as a voter's registration address. Provides that the spouse of a service member may elect to use the same residence as the member. Requires a county voter registration office to conduct a voter list maintenance program within 48 hours of receiving certain information. Allows a county voter registration office to use, for purposes of voter list maintenance: (1) information received by the county voter registration office indicating that a voter has moved to another state; (2) the return of an absentee ballot sent by the county election board to a voter because of an unknown or insufficient address. Requires a county voter registration office that receives information indicating that a voter has moved to another state to mail a specified form to the voter. Specifies that a full-time employee of the department of homeland security who is prohibited from participating in political activities is disqualified from assuming or being a candidate for an elected office. Requires a write-in candidate for a school board office to file a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate with the county election board. Provides, for purposes of stating a candidate's affiliation with a political party in a declaration of candidacy, that if a candidate cast a nonpartisan ballot at an election held at either of the two most recent primary elections in which the candidate voted, a certification by the county chairman is required. Provides that, under certain circumstances, a county election board is not required to compile: (1) the addresses of persons for whom declarations of candidacy have been filed; or (2) information concerning precinct committeemen or state convention delegates. Specifies that a circuit court clerk who is required to conduct a special election is not required to publish the address of a candidate. Requires candidates for school board office and their candidate's committees to file required instruments with the county election board. Requires the names of all: (1) candidates for presidential electors and alternate presidential electors; and (2) nominees for President and Vice President of the United States; to be certified to the election division not later than noon September 1 before the general election. (Current law requires certification not later than noon on the second Tuesday in September before the general election.) Allows the county election board, by unanimous vote of the board's entire membership, to use bound materials instead of a paper envelope or bag in certain circumstances. Requires a voter registration application or absentee ballot application requested through electronic mail by a voter with print disabilities to be provided by electronic mail. (Current law permits providing these documents by fax or mail in certain circumstances.) Allows an individual to submit: (1) a replacement ballot statement request; and (2) a written replacement ballot request; by electronic mail. Repeals a provision that prohibits a voter from: (1) taking a digital image or photograph of the voter's ballot while in a polling place, except in specified circumstances; and (2) distributing or sharing the image using social media or by any other means. Requires that a voter entitled to cast an absentee ballot before an absentee voter board mark the voter's political party ballot selection on the electronic poll book instead of communicating the selection to the poll clerks. Permits a vendor to dispose of a voting system unit or an electronic poll book unit by transferring possession of the unit to a state or county historical society in Indiana. Specifies circumstances in which a candidate filing a petition for a recount or contest is liable for the expenses chargeable to another party. Provides that a petition for a recount or contest may not be filed earlier than noon 10 days after election day. Specifies, with regard to filling a candidate vacancy for a local office, that an authorization to fill vacancies given to a county chairman or a county committee expires at the time of the next election for precinct committeemen for the party with which the county chairman or county committee is affiliated. Provides that action to fill an early candidate vacancy must be taken not earlier than May 8 after the primary election if the vacancy exists on a general or municipal election ballot. Provides that if only one person seeks to fill a vacancy in a local office held by a major political party, a caucus vote is not required and the county chairman may select that person to fill the vacancy. Provides that certain state officers are liable to impeachment for crime, incapacity, or negligence in office. (Current law provides that these officers are liable to impeachment for any misdemeanor in office.) Specifies, for purposes of nepotism provisions, that the performance of certain duties of an absentee voter board, an absentee ballot counter, a provisional ballot counter, or an absentee ballot courier is not considered employment by a unit.

Bill Text

Action History

1. May 06, 2025

   Signed by the Governor

2. May 06, 2025

   Public Law 240

3. April 29, 2025

   Signed by the President of the Senate

4. April 28, 2025

   Signed by the President Pro Tempore

5. April 25, 2025

   Signed by the Speaker

6. April 24, 2025

   CCR # 1 filed in the Senate

7. April 24, 2025

   CCR # 1 filed in the House

8. April 24, 2025

   Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 526: yeas 41, nays 7

9. April 24, 2025

   Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 559: yeas 63, nays 24

10. April 23, 2025

    Representative Smaltz removed as advisor

11. April 23, 2025

    Representative Pryor removed as conferee

12. April 23, 2025

    Representative Smaltz added as conferee

13. April 17, 2025

    House dissented from Senate amendments

14. April 17, 2025

    Senate advisors appointed: Spencer and Rogers

15. April 17, 2025

    Senate conferees appointed: Gaskill and Ford J.D.

16. April 17, 2025

    House advisors appointed: Yocum, Pierce K, Smaltz, Boy, Errington and Jackson C

17. April 17, 2025

    House conferees appointed: Wesco and Pryor

18. April 16, 2025

    Motion to dissent filed

19. April 16, 2025

    Returned to the House with amendments

20. April 15, 2025

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 449: yeas 37, nays 10

21. April 14, 2025

    Amendment #1 (Ford J.D.) prevailed; voice vote

22. April 14, 2025

    Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

23. April 10, 2025

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

24. April 01, 2025

    Committee report: amend do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on Appropriations

25. March 03, 2025

    First reading: referred to Committee on Elections

26. February 14, 2025

    Referred to the Senate

27. February 13, 2025

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 163: yeas 87, nays 8

28. February 13, 2025

    Senate sponsors: Senators Gaskill and Rogers

29. February 11, 2025

    Appeal the ruling of the chair (Jackson C); ruling of the chair sustained Roll Call 122: yeas 66, nays 27

30. February 11, 2025

    Appeal the ruling of the chair (Pryor); ruling of the chair sustained Roll Call 123: yeas 64, nays 27

31. February 11, 2025

    Amendment #4 (Boy) prevailed; Roll Call 124: yeas 87, nays 3

32. February 11, 2025

    Amendment #1 (Jackson C) ruled out of order

33. February 11, 2025

    Amendment #5 (Wesco) prevailed; voice vote

34. February 11, 2025

    Amendment #6 (Boy) failed; voice vote

35. February 11, 2025

    Amendment #3 (Pryor) ruled out of order

36. February 11, 2025

    Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

37. February 06, 2025

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

38. January 21, 2025

    Authored by Representative Wesco

39. January 21, 2025

    First reading: referred to Committee on Elections and Apportionment

Sponsors

• Linda Rogers · Primary
• Mike Gaskill · Primary
• Timothy Wesco · Primary

Votes

Subjects