Massachusetts Statutes § 54:91C Handling of absentee ballot from Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA)

Statute Text

(a) For the purposes of this section, "voter" shall mean an individual voting pursuant to the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.

(b) A voter wishing to cast an absentee ballot in any preliminary, primary or election may apply for such ballot in a form and manner prescribed by the state secretary; provided, however, that the secretary shall permit a voter to apply through an electronic application that:

(i) includes clear instructions for completing and returning the application; and

(ii) can be:

(A) completed by the voter electronically;

(B) signed with a wet signature or hand-drawn electronic signature; and

(C) submitted electronically, by mail or by delivering it to the office of the appropriate city or town clerk. The most recent version of the Federal Post Card Application shall be one such application that shall be accepted by the state secretary pursuant to this section.

(i) by mail, in accordance with section 91B;

(ii) by fax;

(iii) by email; or

(iv) electronically through an electronic system that is approved by the state secretary and allows a voter to receive, mark, verify and cast a ballot electronically; provided, however, that any electronic system approved by the state secretary under this section shall:

(A) provide an electronic voter affidavit that may be used for certification of an electronic ballot and signed with a wet signature or hand-drawn electronic signature; and

(B) not store personal identifying information beyond the time necessary to confirm the identity of the voter.

(d) Upon receipt of a properly executed application for an absentee ballot from a voter, the city or town clerk shall retain the application and, without delay, enter the application in the voter registration information system. The city or town clerk shall expeditiously transmit a ballot or access to an electronic ballot to all voters for whom an application was received in accordance with subsection (c).

(e) The state secretary shall provide clear instructions to voters for returning the marked absentee ballot to the appropriate city or town clerk to be counted; provided, however, that the voter may return the ballot to the city or town clerk:

(i) by mail;

(ii) by fax;

(iii) by email;

(iv) electronically through the electronic system approved by the state secretary, subject to the regulations promulgated by the secretary; or

(v) by delivering it to the office of the city or town clerk or a secured municipal drop box for the city or town where the voter is registered.

(f) If a request for an absentee ballot is received from a voter 45 or more days before a federal election and the state secretary has determined that the city or town clerk is unwilling or unable to transmit the ballot not less than 45 days before the election, the state secretary may, on behalf of the city or town clerk, after notice to the city or town clerk and in accordance with the voter's choice, electronically transmit or mail the appropriate absentee ballot and instructions to the voter not later than 45 days prior to the federal election. The state secretary shall enter in the voter registration information system the transmission date on which absentee voters were sent ballots by the state secretary pursuant to this subsection.

(g) The state secretary shall promulgate regulations to implement this section.

History

Amended by Acts 2022 , c. 92 , § 18 , eff. 12/1/2022 .

Added by Acts 2014 , c. 165 , § 84 , eff. 7/1/2014 .

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