Relating to the automatic mailing of ballots, and including applicability provisions

This bill relates to the mailing of absentee ballots. The bill requires county commissioners of elections to automatically mail absentee ballots to all registered voters days before an election and to electronically confirm the receipt of returned absentee ballots. Current law requires registered voters to submit an application prior to receiving an absentee ballot, and provides that commissioners mail absentee ballots not earlier than days before the election. The special precinct election board must convene starting on November to begin counting ballots. The bill requires voter registration cards and absentee ballots to include instructions on how absentee ballots may be tracked by the voter.3.2, subsection 3, which would relieve a political subdivision from complying with a state mandate if funding for the cost of the state mandate is not provided or specified. Therefore, political subdivisions are required to comply with any state mandate included in the bill. The bill applies to all elections taking place on or after July 1, 2024.