Author: Kim Strach, Executive Director
As you are aware, the General Assembly authorized the State Board to temporarily change statutory requirements for the June primary election. In March, the State Board issued the following temporary order, directing that all mail-in absentee ballot requests from the March statewide primary be carried over to June:
Temporary Order 2016-01: Regarding Mail-in Absentee Requests
Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, county boards of election shall treat all absentee ballot requests received in connection with the March statewide primary as standing requests for the June primary election; the State Board staff shall prepare a letter of explanation that:
- Informs voters of the reason they are receiving a new absentee ballot.
- Provides notice of the voter’s right to change their party affiliation by the statutory deadline.
- Indicates that unaffiliated voters have the right to request a ballot for a different political party than they selected in March; county boards of election shall enclose the letter of explanation and a blank Absentee Ballot Request Form when mailing absentee ballots pursuant to this order.
Letter of explanation: The mandated letter to voters is attached. Please enclose it with the absentee ballot when filling carry-over requests from March.
Absentee Ballot Request Form: The temporary order requires that county boards of elections enclose an absentee ballot request form when filling carry-over requests from March.
Updates to voter registration: Because registration opened back up after the March primary, our office performed a number of audits to account for party and eligibility changes to correctly populate absentee correspondence records on April 5.
Note: The temporary order in no way limits ordinary responsibilities to process absentee ballot requests received for the June primary. Please continue to fill those requests as you receive them.
Thank you for your work on behalf of the voters.
[Download the PDF below to see the mandated letter of explanation and 2016 Absentee Ballot Request Form.]