Absent voter's ballots

Current law uses the terms "absent voter's ballot" and "absentee ballot" to refer to ballots that are available to any qualified elector 35 days prior to the date of each primary, general, or special election (or 25 days prior to a presidential primary election). These ballots may be voted at any time after a qualified elector receives the ballot, but generally must be returned by the close of the polls on the day of an election.

The bill replaces the terms "absent voter's ballot" and "absentee ballot" with "early voting ballot."

Military and overseas voters

Although the bill generally replaces references to absentee ballots and absent voter's ballots with references to early voting ballots, absentee ballot references were retained in two sections. Specifically, sections 3509.03 and 3511.02 of the Revised Code include references to absentee voting under federal law. The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act permits members of the military and other Americans who are living overseas to apply for absentee ballots using a federal postcard form (100 Stat. 924, 42 U.S.C. 1973ff (1986)). The bill clarifies that applicants who use the federal postcard form will receive an early voting ballot, and that early voting ballot will be considered to be an absentee ballot for the purpose of the act.

HISTORY

ACTION	DATE

Introduced	02-26-08

S0299-I-127.doc/jc