Florida Senate - 2016 SB 666
By Senator Legg
17-00694A-16 2016666__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to voter identification; amending s.
3 97.0535, F.S.; expanding the list of acceptable forms
4 of identification for certain voter registration
5 applicants to include veteran health identification
6 cards and licenses to carry a concealed weapon or
7 firearm; amending s. 101.043, F.S.; expanding the list
8 of acceptable forms of identification at a polling
9 place or early voting site to include veteran health
10 identification cards and licenses to carry a concealed
11 weapon or firearm; amending ss. 101.68 and 101.6923,
12 F.S.; revising absentee ballot and special absentee
13 ballot instructions, respectively, to conform to
14 changes made by the act; providing an effective date.
15
16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
19 97.0535, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
20 97.0535 Special requirements for certain applicants.—
21 (3)(a) The following forms of identification shall be
22 considered current and valid if they contain the name and
23 photograph of the applicant and have not expired:
24 1. United States passport.
25 2. Debit or credit card.
26 3. Military identification.
27 4. Student identification.
28 5. Retirement center identification.
29 6. Neighborhood association identification.
30 7. Public assistance identification.
31 8. Veteran health identification card issued by the United
32 States Department of Veterans Affairs.
33 9. A license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued
34 pursuant to s. 790.06.
35 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
36 101.043, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
37 101.043 Identification required at polls.—
38 (1)(a) The precinct register, as prescribed in s. 98.461,
39 shall be used at the polls for the purpose of identifying the
40 elector at the polls before allowing him or her to vote. The
41 clerk or inspector shall require each elector, upon entering the
42 polling place, to present one of the following current and valid
43 picture identifications:
44 1. Florida driver license.
45 2. Florida identification card issued by the Department of
46 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
47 3. United States passport.
48 4. Debit or credit card.
49 5. Military identification.
50 6. Student identification.
51 7. Retirement center identification.
52 8. Neighborhood association identification.
53 9. Public assistance identification.
54 10. Veteran health identification card issued by the United
55 States Department of Veterans Affairs.
56 11. A license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued
57 pursuant to s. 790.06.
58 Section 3. Paragraph (d) of subsection (4) of section
59 101.68, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
60 101.68 Canvassing of absentee ballot.—
61 (4)
62 (d) Instructions must accompany the absentee ballot
63 affidavit in substantially the following form:
64
65 READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE COMPLETING THE
66 AFFIDAVIT. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY CAUSE YOUR
67 BALLOT NOT TO COUNT.
68
69 1. In order to ensure that your absentee ballot will be
70 counted, your affidavit should be completed and returned as soon
71 as possible so that it can reach the supervisor of elections of
72 the county in which your precinct is located no later than 5
73 p.m. on the 2nd day before the election.
74 2. You must sign your name on the line above (Voter’s
75 Signature).
76 3. You must make a copy of one of the following forms of
77 identification:
78 a. Identification that includes your name and photograph:
79 United States passport; debit or credit card; military
80 identification; student identification; retirement center
81 identification; neighborhood association identification; or
82 public assistance identification; veteran health identification
83 card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs;
84 or a Florida license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm; or
85 b. Identification that shows your name and current
86 residence address: current utility bill, bank statement,
87 government check, paycheck, or government document (excluding
88 voter identification card).
89 4. Place the envelope bearing the affidavit into a mailing
90 envelope addressed to the supervisor. Insert a copy of your
91 identification in the mailing envelope. Mail, deliver, or have
92 delivered the completed affidavit along with the copy of your
93 identification to your county supervisor of elections. Be sure
94 there is sufficient postage if mailed and that the supervisor’s
95 address is correct.
96 5. Alternatively, you may fax or e-mail your completed
97 affidavit and a copy of your identification to the supervisor of
98 elections. If e-mailing, please provide these documents as
99 attachments.
100 Section 4. Subsection (2) of section 101.6923, Florida
101 Statutes, is amended to read:
102 101.6923 Special absentee ballot instructions for certain
103 first-time voters.—
104 (2) A voter covered by this section shall be provided with
105 printed instructions with his or her absentee ballot in
106 substantially the following form:
107
108 READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE MARKING YOUR
109 BALLOT. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY CAUSE
110 YOUR BALLOT NOT TO COUNT.
111
112 1. In order to ensure that your absentee ballot will be
113 counted, it should be completed and returned as soon as possible
114 so that it can reach the supervisor of elections of the county
115 in which your precinct is located no later than 7 p.m. on the
116 date of the election. However, if you are an overseas voter
117 casting a ballot in a presidential preference primary or general
118 election, your absentee ballot must be postmarked or dated no
119 later than the date of the election and received by the
120 supervisor of elections of the county in which you are
121 registered to vote no later than 10 days after the date of the
122 election.
123 2. Mark your ballot in secret as instructed on the ballot.
124 You must mark your own ballot unless you are unable to do so
125 because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write.
126 3. Mark only the number of candidates or issue choices for
127 a race as indicated on the ballot. If you are allowed to “Vote
128 for One” candidate and you vote for more than one, your vote in
129 that race will not be counted.
130 4. Place your marked ballot in the enclosed secrecy
131 envelope and seal the envelope.
132 5. Insert the secrecy envelope into the enclosed envelope
133 bearing the Voter’s Certificate. Seal the envelope and
134 completely fill out the Voter’s Certificate on the back of the
135 envelope.
136 a. You must sign your name on the line above (Voter’s
137 Signature).
138 b. If you are an overseas voter, you must include the date
139 you signed the Voter’s Certificate on the line above (Date) or
140 your ballot may not be counted.
141 c. An absentee ballot will be considered illegal and will
142 not be counted if the signature on the Voter’s Certificate does
143 not match the signature on record. The signature on file at the
144 start of the canvass of the absentee ballots is the signature
145 that will be used to verify your signature on the Voter’s
146 Certificate. If you need to update your signature for this
147 election, send your signature update on a voter registration
148 application to your supervisor of elections so that it is
149 received no later than the start of canvassing of absentee
150 ballots, which occurs no earlier than the 15th day before
151 election day.
152 6. Unless you meet one of the exemptions in Item 7., you
153 must make a copy of one of the following forms of
154 identification:
155 a. Identification which must include your name and
156 photograph: United States passport; debit or credit card;
157 military identification; student identification; retirement
158 center identification; neighborhood association identification;
159 or public assistance identification; veteran health
160 identification card issued by the United States Department of
161 Veterans Affairs; or a Florida license to carry a concealed
162 weapon or firearm; or
163 b. Identification which shows your name and current
164 residence address: current utility bill, bank statement,
165 government check, paycheck, or government document (excluding
166 voter identification card).
167 7. The identification requirements of Item 6. do not apply
168 if you meet one of the following requirements:
169 a. You are 65 years of age or older.
170 b. You have a temporary or permanent physical disability.
171 c. You are a member of a uniformed service on active duty
172 who, by reason of such active duty, will be absent from the
173 county on election day.
174 d. You are a member of the Merchant Marine who, by reason
175 of service in the Merchant Marine, will be absent from the
176 county on election day.
177 e. You are the spouse or dependent of a member referred to
178 in paragraph c. or paragraph d. who, by reason of the active
179 duty or service of the member, will be absent from the county on
180 election day.
181 f. You are currently residing outside the United States.
182 8. Place the envelope bearing the Voter’s Certificate into
183 the mailing envelope addressed to the supervisor. Insert a copy
184 of your identification in the mailing envelope. DO NOT PUT YOUR
185 IDENTIFICATION INSIDE THE SECRECY ENVELOPE WITH THE BALLOT OR
186 INSIDE THE ENVELOPE WHICH BEARS THE VOTER’S CERTIFICATE OR YOUR
187 BALLOT WILL NOT COUNT.
188 9. Mail, deliver, or have delivered the completed mailing
189 envelope. Be sure there is sufficient postage if mailed.
190 10. FELONY NOTICE. It is a felony under Florida law to
191 accept any gift, payment, or gratuity in exchange for your vote
192 for a candidate. It is also a felony under Florida law to vote
193 in an election using a false identity or false address, or under
194 any other circumstances making your ballot false or fraudulent.
195 Section 5. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.