Drop boxes are frequently placed intentionally in public, high-traffic spaces. Other states, like California, allow for a ballot to submitted by anyone chosen by the voter as long as they are not paid per ballot they . It says the following: "The elector shall mail the identification envelope to the director from whom it was received in the return envelope, postage prepaid, or the elector may personally deliver it to the director, or the spouse of the elector, the father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother, or sister of the whole or half blood, or the son, daughter, adopting parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece of the elector may deliver it to the director.". Each drop box location . In Pennsylvania, a voter who qualifies for an emergency absentee ballot may authorize in writing a representative to return their ballot. (4) For a person other than those listed in these instructions to return, offer to return, agree to return, or solicit to return an absent voter ballot to the clerk. Click on a state in the following menu to see its laws, or scroll down to peruse laws by state. The law also specifies that an individual assisting a voter who is blind or has a disability may return an absentee ballot upon signing a statement on the affidavit envelope and that such individual may not return more than four ballots unless they are a family member, nursing home administrator/staff, or residential care facility administrator/staff. New Mexico law states that a caregiver or immediate family member (defined by the law) can return a voter's absentee ballot. ", Mississippi law does not specify whether someone may return absentee ballots on voters' behalf.[1]. After the 2020 election, a discredited film claimed without evidence that a multistate network of Democrat-aligned ballot mules were paid to illegally collect and drop off ballots in five states. Michigan law permits a household member or a family member (defined by law), or an election official if those options are not available, to return a voter's absentee ballot. Laws allowing ballot collection are designed to make voting more convenient, and to make it possible for people who cant travel to deliver a ballot on their own. provided, however, that this prohibition shall not apply to a voter's near (b) As used in this section and section 9-150c, designee means (1) a person who is caring for the applicant because of the applicant's illness or physical disability, including but not limited to, a licensed physician or a registered or practical nurse, (2) a member of the applicant's family, who is designated by an absentee ballot applicant and who consents to such designation, or (3) if no such person consents or is available, then a police officer, registrar of voters, deputy registrar of voters or assistant registrar of voters in the municipality in which the applicant resides.[3]. Benjamin Graff, center, and his son Jacob Graff, 19, drop off their mail ballots for the Pennsylvania primary election, in Philadelphia, Tuesday, June 2, 2020. "[13], Four commission members are appointed by the four state legislative leaders and two are appointed by the governor. DATES AND DEADLINES. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Pennsylvania's top state elections official is pushing back against a county district attorney's plans to have detectives monitor ballot drop box location Laws allowing ballot collection are designed to make voting more convenient, and to make it possible for people who cant travel to deliver a ballot on their own. In Connecticut, a designee may return the ballot of a voter who obtained an absentee ballot due to illness or disability, and an immediate family member may return a ballot for a student. (b) A voter to whom an election official delivered the ballot in person at a designated health care facility, as provided in subsection (b) of section ninety-one B, shall return it to such election official, who shall return it in his custody to the office of the city or town clerk. A few states require designated agents to sign a document confirming they have the authority to deliver someones ballot. [3], Wisconsin law does not specify whether someone may return mail ballots on behalf of voters. (13)A person, except an elections official in performance of duties, may not provide elections advice or attempt to collect voted ballots within any building in which any state or local government elections office designated for the deposit of ballots under ORS 254.470 (Procedures for conducting election by mail) is located, or within 100 feet measured radially from any entrance to the building. Delaware law does not specify whether someone can return an absentee ballot on a voter's behalf. [1], Wyoming law does not specify whether someone may return mail ballots on behalf of voters.[1]. A designated bearer receiving an absentee ballot from a voter shall obtain the absentee ballot directly from the voter and deliver the absentee ballot directly to the county clerk. This can be a positive development given the pandemic. (14)A person, except an elections official in performance of duties, may not establish a location to collect ballots voted by electors unless: (a)The person prominently displays at the location a sign stating: NOT AN OFFICIAL BALLOT DROP SITE; and, (b)The sign is printed in all capital letters in bold 50-point type.[3]. (1) To vote an absent voter ballot at a meeting or gathering at which other people are voting absent voter ballots. The deadline for your application to be received is November 1st by 5 p.m.. For example, some states, like Arizona, only allow caregivers, family members or household members to drop off a ballot for someone else. Other states, like California, allow for a ballot to submitted by anyone chosen by the voter as long as they are not paid per ballot they collect. It establishes the collection of early ballots by anyone outside those groups as a class 6 felony. FILE - A county worker collects a mail-in ballots in a drive-thru mail-in ballot drop off area at the Clark County Election Department in Las Vegas, Nov. 2, 2020. Click on the state name for more details on its law. The question is simple, yet often asked: Am I allowed to drop off a ballot for someone else? An election official, a United States postal service worker or any other person who is allowed by law to transmit United States mail is deemed not to have collected an early ballot if the official, worker or other person is engaged in official duties. It falls under a state law that prohibits "ballot harvesting." On Wednesday, an appeals court upheld a 2016 Arizona law banning people from picking up and dropping off other voters' ballots. 6.87(4)(b)1 provides that electors must place their ballot in an envelope and follow certain procedures. To learn which states fall into each category, see the map below. Your absent voter ballot will then be picked up by the clerk or an election assistant sent by the clerk. If your ballot is still missing, you can request a replacement by calling 215-686-3469, filling out the City Commissioners online form, or going to Room 140 in City Hall between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m . Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. TV Q&A: Is a Pittsburgher writing for CBSs East New York? The commission's three Republican members voted in favor of a motion to draft regulations around absentee ballot return, and the three Democratic members voted against it. Allentown, PA 18101-2400 Phone 610-782-3194 Fax 610-770-3845. Business Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00p.m. A few states require designated agents to sign a document confirming they have the authority to deliver someones ballot. (c) Scott Van Blarcom - Stock.Adobe.com. Apply today! The film also pointed to cellphone geolocation data, which experts say is not precise enough to identify whether someone used a drop box or simply traveled near it. Those who support restricting who may return mail ballots often refer to the practice of campaign and union workers returning ballots as ballot harvesting. The absentee ballot shall be delivered to the city or town clerk from whom it was received in one of the following ways: (a) The voter or the voter's delivery agent may personally deliver the envelope; or Subsection (c) of section 91B reads as follows: "(c) To a voter who states, under penalty of perjury, that he has been admitted to a health care facility, as defined in section twenty-five B of chapter one hundred and eleven after noon of the fifth day before the relevant election, the ballot and accompanying papers shall, unless the clerk determines that there is insufficient time, be delivered in the same manner as provided in subsection (b); provided, however, that if permitted in the sole discretion of the city or town clerk, a person designated in writing by the voter and who is not a candidate for an office at the election, may instead perform the functions of an election official. It is a class I felony for anyone else to return absentee ballots on behalf of others. See the state-by-state details section below to learn more about your state's mail ballot laws. Surveys after the 2020 election found that voters who cast ballots for President Joe Biden were far more likely to report voting by mail than voters for Trump. The oath shall be upon a voter assistance form prescribed by the State Board of Elections. Most states do allow residents to return a ballot for someone else but with various levels of restriction. Submit them at: FactCheck@AP.org. Click here for more on support and opposition arguments. Notwithstanding subdivision (d), a ballot shall not be disqualified from being counted solely because it was returned or mailed more than three days after the designated person received it from the voter, provided that the ballot is returned by the designated person before the close of polls on election day. the ballot to the applicant or the applicant's agent, which agent may not, at that time, In California, voters can choose someone else to drop off their ballot as long as that person isn't paid by the ballot to do so, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). (A) Authorized agent shall show some form of current photographic identification to the clerk; (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) In a 4-3 decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that absentee ballot drop boxes are illegal and voters must send their ballots by mail or deliver . As used in this section, immediate family means a dependent relative who resides in the individual's household or any spouse, child or parent of the individual. For example, some states only allow caregivers, family members or household members to drop off your ballot for you. [10] Click here for more information about the case. The law says the following: [A] person other than the voter may return the advance voting ballot by personal delivery or mail if authorized by the voter in writing except that a written designation shall not be required from a voter who has a disability preventing the voter from writing or signing a written designation. Arguments for and against restricting who may return mail ballots, Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, Election Administration Legislation Tracker, Election legislation tracking: weekly digest, Election legislation tracking: list of sub-topics, Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy, https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Ballot_harvesting_(ballot_collection)_laws_by_state&oldid=9078999, Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022, Special Congressional elections (2023-2024), 2022 Congressional Competitiveness Report, State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2022, State Legislative Competitiveness Report, 2022, Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections, Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments, We translate bill text into summaries that are easy-to-digest everyday language, And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan. The law states that a voter may do the following after sealing their absentee envelope: Deliver the envelope to a member of the voter's household or a person designated as the attorney in fact for the voter under IC 30-5 for delivery to the county election board: (i)in person; FILE - A person drops off a mail-in ballot at an election ballot return box in Willow Grove, Pa., Oct. 25, 2021. Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. The agent must be at least 18 years old and may not be a candidate. For the purposes of this paragraph: (a) "Caregiver" means a person who provides medical or health care assistance to the voter in a residence, nursing care institution, hospice facility, assisted living center, assisted living facility, assisted living home, residential care institution, adult day health care facility or adult foster care home. (2)For purposes of this paragraph, compensation means any form of monetary payment, goods, services, benefits, promises or offers of employment, or any other form of consideration offered to another person in exchange for returning another voter's vote by mail ballot. Some states have stricter rules. In most states, you can drop off a ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions. The bearer, by signing the certification provided for in section 12 of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-12), certifies that he or she received a mail-in ballot directly from the voter, and no other person, and is authorized to deliver the ballot to the appropriate board of election or designee on behalf of the voter.". And a few states explicitly prohibit dropping off someone elses ballot. Surveys after the 2020 election found that voters who cast ballots for President Joe Biden were far more likely to report voting by mail than voters for Trump. Heres how to double check your registration status before you head to the polls. ", Tennessee law does not specify whether someone may return mail ballots on behalf of voters.[1]. The clerk shall inform the 3rd person of the deadline for the return of the ballot.[3]. No person shall act as agent for more than two registered voters in any election. Am I allowed to drop off a ballot for someone else? Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Mail it back using the pre-addressed, postage paid envelope included with your ballot packet. At the time, Dean Heller - Republican and former U.S. senator - said that allowing voters to request someone else to hand in their ballot made the state susceptible to election fraud. By Associated Press | Oct. 17, 2022. (b) If the voter is a resident of a nursing home as defined in RSA 151-A:1, IV, the nursing home administrator, licensed pursuant to RSA 151-A:2, or a nursing home staff member designated in writing by the administrator to deliver ballots; or All rights reserved. Purpose. It shall be unlawful for any person not the voter or a person authorized by the voter to take the ballot and ballot envelope of a voter for deposit into the mail unless the ballot has been issued pursuant to application by a physically incapacitated elector under Section 3-3 or a hospitalized voter under Section 19-13, in which case any employee or person under the direction of the facility in which the elector or voter is located may deposit the ballot and ballot envelope into the mail. 5) Sending your ballot back too late. You can track your absentee ballot using our absentee ballot look-up tool at the link here. You'll notice that . for return to a county board of elections the absentee ballot of any voter, In most states, you can drop off a ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions. This statement is in conflict with the law. Deliver the return envelope by 1 of the following methods: (a) Place the necessary postage upon the return envelope and deposit it in the United States mail or with another public postal service, express mail service, parcel post service, or common carrier. No person who is a candidate in the election for which the voter requests a mail-in ballot shall be permitted to serve as an authorized messenger or bearer. The provisions of this Article do not apply to polling places. The agent cannot be a candidate for office, cannot accept compensation for acting as agent, and can serve as agent for no more than four voters. WARNING In total, more than half of states have laws that explicitly allow a third party to return a completed ballot, according to a tally from the National Conference of State Legislatures. receive compensation, including money, goods, or services, for acting as an agent for More than half of states have laws that explicitly allow a third party to return a voted ballot. Pa. Gov. They point to a 2018 congressional election in North Carolina, when a Republican political operative and his staff illegally gathered ballots and forged signatures, as one of the few instances of voter fraud related to ballot collection. Once your ballot is in the mail, you may not vote in person at the polls. (6) a common or contract carrier working in the normal course of the carrier's authorized duties if the official ballot is sealed in an official carrier envelope that is accompanied by an individual delivery receipt for that particular carrier envelope. That election was overturned. In most states, the answer is yes but there might be restrictions. (b) The voter or the person assisting the blind voter or voter with a disability may mail the envelope to the city or town clerk, with postage affixed. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. An Associated Press survey in May 2022 found that among states that used drop boxes in the 2020 presidential election, none reported instances of drop boxes being involved in fraud that could have affected the results. Certificate of Designated Agent forms can be found at www.vote.pa.gov This will allow you to drop off someone else's ballot if they are physically unable to do so. Be Proactive. FILE - A county worker collects a mail-in ballots in a drive-thru mail-in ballot drop off area at the Clark County Election Department in Las Vegas, Nov. 2, 2020. In New Jersey, an authorized messenger may return mail-in ballots for a voter. 2)A vote by mail voter who is unable to return the ballot may designate another person to return the ballot to the elections official who issued the ballot, to the precinct board at a polling place or vote center within the state, or to a vote by mail ballot dropoff location within the state that is provided pursuant to Section 3025 or 4005 . The law states the following: The applicant must then return the return-addressed envelope to the board of voter registration and elections by mail, by personal delivery, or by authorizing another person to return the envelope for him. (3) For a person who is present and knows that a person is voting an absent voter ballot to suggest or in any manner attempt to influence the absent voter on how he or she should vote. In most states, you can drop off a ballot for someone else but there might be restrictions. Tom Wolf on Tuesday revealed his wife, First Lady Frances Wolf, dropped his mail ballot off for him, a violation of Pennsylvania election law. The person designated shall return the ballot in person, or put the ballot in the mail, no later than three days after receiving it from the voter or before the close of the polls on election day, whichever time period is shorter. Can I still drop off my mail-in ballot at a drop box? sign the agent's name before receiving the ballot and deposit with the auditor or [3], KRS 117.255 contains the following: "Except for those voters who have been certified as requiring assistance on a permanent basis, no voter shall be permitted to receive any assistance in voting at the polls unless he makes and signs an oath that, because of blindness, other physical disability, or an inability to read English, he is unable to vote without assistance. (d) You may request by telephone that the clerk who issued the ballot provide assistance in returning the ballot. Not specified. The authorization must be given in writing on a form prescribed by the State Election Commission and must be turned in to the board of voter registration and elections at the time the envelope is returned. Election Day is six weeks away, and mail-in ballots are already arriving for Pennsylvania voters. "[11], On June 17, the Wisconsin Elections Commission approved the letter that accompanied absentee ballot applications that went to most voters ahead of the general election. It also states that the third person cannot have more than five absentee ballots outstanding at a time. Other states, like California, allow for a ballot to submitted by anyone chosen by the voter as long as they are not paid per ballot they collect. Tom Wolf's wife dropped off his mail ballot, violating state election law. However, in 2020, when the use of drop boxes spiked because of the coronavirus pandemic, some criticized the practice. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. the county clerk by United States mail or by depositing the ballot at the office of the county clerk, at State law provides crime classifications for different types of violations. Laws in the following 12 states place limits on how many ballots a person may return on others' behalf or on how many voters for whom one may return ballots. This section details restrictions on ballot collection and return by state in addition to the general categories provided above. (b) The elector may return the marked ballot to (1) Unexpected absence from the municipality during the entire time the polls are open on election day; The law states the following: (a)A qualified applicant may designate a duly authorized agent to pick up and deliver an absentee ballot under this subtitle. A person authorized by the voter. 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