The Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Committee voted to sponsor 26 LSO 0041, a bill that would prohibit unsupervised ballot drop boxes and restrict where ballots may be deposited.

Representative Brown moved the bill and members debated an amendment, described as a Senate standing-committee amendment, that would have allowed a single secured receptacle under county-clerk control: the amendment would have permitted a county clerk or a sworn designee to receive ballots through a secured receptacle in the courthouse or another government building, required daily checks and video surveillance, and limited access to the clerk or designee. The amendment also included a provision allowing counties to be reimbursed from the election account for removal or relocation of drop boxes.

Committee members discussed the amendment but the motion to adopt the Senate amendment failed. The committee then returned to the original motion to sponsor 26 LSO 0041; a roll-call vote carried and the committee recorded the bill for committee sponsorship.

Members said the intent is to centralize custody of ballots in clerk-supervised locations and to prevent unsupervised or unsanctioned external receptacles. The debate touched on operational questions such as memoranda of understanding when a county uses a government building other than the courthouse, surveillance and daily checks, and reimbursement for relocation costs.

Votes at a glance: the committee moved 26 LSO 0041 forward as a committee-sponsored draft. Roll-call recorded Aye votes from: (as recorded) Senator (name not specified), Senator Dockstader, Senator Steinmetz, Representative Brown, Representative Heft, Representative Johnson, Representative Locke, Representative Lucas, Representative Webb, Representative Weber, Chairman Knapp; No: Senator Landon, Representative Yin, Co-chairman Case.

Outlook: The bill will proceed as a committee draft for further consideration; the rejected Senate amendment’s language may be reintroduced or revised in later stages.