Relating to the conduct of elections, including the recounting of ballots, the mailing of absentee ballots, and in-person absentee voting

This bill relates to the conduct of elections, including the recounting of ballots, the mailing of absentee ballots, and in-person absentee voting. The ballot changes the size of a recount board based on the population of the county. For a county with a population of fewer than 25,000 people, the bill requires a recount board to consist of two designees of each contestant and one person agreed upon by the designees. For a county of at least 25,000 but less than 90,000 people, the bill requires a recount board to consist of three designees of each contestant and one person agreed upon by the designees. For a county of 90,000 people or greater, the bill requires a recount board to consist of three designees of each contestant and three persons agreed upon by the designees. The bill requires a report of a recount board to be signed by two-thirds of the members of the board. The bill allows the recount board to direct the county commissioner or the county commissioner’s staff to conduct a recount. The board requires the recount board to oversee any recount conducted by the county commissioner or the county commissioner’s staff. The bill allows a recount to be conducted on a per precinct basis using automatic tabulating equipment. The bill requires the recount board to visually examine each ballot that the equipment identifies as containing an undervote, an overvote, or a write-in vote to determine voter intent. The bill allows a county commissioner of elections to begin the mailing of absentee ballots starting days before an election. The bill also allows in-person absentee voting at a county commissioner’s office or at a satellite location to begin days before an election.