20A-3-302.5 - Absentee voting -- No polling place in elections for certain districts.
20A-3-302.5. Absentee voting -- No polling place in elections for certain districts.
(1) As used in this section, "district" means a:
(a) local district, as defined in Section 17B-1-102; or
(b) special service district, as defined in Section 17D-1-102.
(2) Notwithstanding Sections 17B-1-306 and 17D-1-303, at least 60 days before the dayof an election, a district may elect to administer an election entirely by absentee ballot.
(3) If a district decides to administer an election entirely by absentee ballot, the districtshall mail to each registered voter within the district:
(a) an absentee ballot;
(b) a statement that there will be no polling place for the election;
(c) instructions for returning the ballot that include an express notice about any relevantdeadlines that the voter must meet in order for the voter's vote to be counted; and
(d) a warning, on a separate page of colored paper in bold face print, indicating that if thevoter fails to follow the instructions included with the absentee ballot, the voter will be unable tovote in that election because there will be no polling place on the day of the election.
(4) Any voter who votes by absentee ballot under this section is not required to apply foran absentee ballot as required by this part.
(5) (a) A district that administers an election entirely by absentee ballot shall:
(i) (A) obtain, in person, the signatures of each voter within the district before theelection; and
(B) maintain the signatures on file in the district's office; or
(ii) obtain the signatures of each voter within the district from the county clerk.
(b) (i) Upon receiving the returned absentee ballots, the district shall compare thesignature on each absentee ballot with the voter's signature that is maintained on file and verifythat the signatures are the same.
(ii) If the district questions the authenticity of the signature on the absentee ballot, thedistrict shall immediately contact the voter to verify the signature.
(iii) If the voter does not confirm the voter's signature on the absentee ballot, the districtshall:
(A) immediately send another absentee ballot and other voting materials as required bythis section to the voter; and
(B) disqualify the initial absentee ballot.
Enacted by Chapter 24, 2009 General Session