Reference is to Printer's date 4/20/16-H.
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all after the enacting words and inserting:
/ SECTION 1. Section 7-13-35 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 434 of 1996, is further amended to read:
"Section 7-13-35.
The authority charged by law with conducting an election
must publish two notices of general, municipal, special, and
primary elections held in the county in a newspaper of general
circulation in the county or municipality, as appropriate.
Included in each notice must be a reminder of the last day
persons may register to be eligible to vote in the election for
which notice is given, notification of the date, time, and
location of the hearing on ballots challenged in the election, a
list of the precincts involved in the election, the location of
the polling places in each of the precincts, and notification
that the process of examining the return-addressed envelopes
containing absentee ballots may begin at 2:00 p.m.
on 9:00 a.m. on the day immediately prior
to election day at a place designated in the notice by the
authority charged with conducting the election. The first notice
must appear not later than sixty days before the election and
the second notice must appear not later than two weeks after the
first notice."
SECTION 2. Section 7-15-420 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 284 of 2006, is further amended to read:
"Section 7--15-420.
The county board of voter registration and elections,
municipal election commission, or executive committee of each
municipal party in the case of municipal primary elections is
responsible for the tabulation and reporting of absentee
ballots. At 9:00 a.m. on election day the
calendar day immediately preceding election day, the
managers appointed pursuant to Section 7-5-10, and in the
presence of any watchers who have been appointed pursuant to
Section 7-13-860, may begin the process of examining the
return-addressed envelopes that have been received by the county
board of voter registration and elections making certain that
each oath has been properly signed and witnessed and includes
the address of the witness. All return-addressed envelopes
received by the county board of voter registration and elections
before the time for closing the polls must be examined in this
manner. A ballot may not be counted unless the oath is properly
signed and witnessed nor may any a
ballot be counted which is received by the county board of voter
registration and elections after time for closing of the polls.
The printed instructions required by Section 7-15-370(2) to be
sent each absentee ballot applicant must notify him that his
vote will not be counted in either of these events. If a ballot
is not challenged, the sealed return-addressed envelope must be
opened by the managers, and the enclosed envelope marked 'Ballot
Herein' removed and placed in a locked box or boxes. After all
return-addressed envelopes have been emptied in this manner, the
managers shall remove the ballots contained in the envelopes
marked 'Ballot Herein', placing each one in the ballot box
provided for the applicable contest. Beginning at 9:00 a.m. on
election day the calendar day immediately
preceding election day, the absentee ballots may be
tabulated, including any absentee ballots received on election
day before the polls are closed. If any
a ballot is challenged, the return-addressed envelope
must not be opened, but must be put aside and the procedure set
forth in Section 7-13-830 must be utilized; but the absentee
voter must be given reasonable notice of the challenged ballot.
Results of the tabulation must not be publicly reported until
after the polls are closed." /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.