Senate reconsiders absentee-ballot envelope requirement, advances SB2587 after debate

Senate lawmakers reconsidered and advanced Senate Bill 2587, a measure intended to remove the envelope requirement for absentee ballots so those ballots may be deposited directly into tabulating scanners.

Senator England called up SB2587 and moved to reconsider the vote by which the measure had failed. England said the change aims to "get rid of the absentee ballot envelopes that you have to cast your in person absentee ballots in" and described efforts to work with county clerks on implementation.

Senator Turner Ford asked how the process would protect the security and tracking of ballots — "And what if any procedure would be in place to, log how many individuals have voted versus the ballots that are in the machine?" England replied that the state uses a SIMS election management system, saying, "There's actually a a SIMS system, the statewide election management system. And anytime anyone shows up to vote... that data is logged to show that you have voted." He said the machines are secured and ballots would not be tabulated until the designated time on election day.

Senator Sanders urged caution and recommended a slower approach while the written amendment was prepared, noting differences between the House and Senate versions and referencing clerks' preferences. An amendment was discussed but then withdrawn while the chamber waited for written language, and the sponsor proceeded with a motion for final adoption by morning roll call.

During the morning roll-call procedure several senators were recorded as voting no; the presiding officer announced the measure passed by use of the morning roll call. The transcript does not provide a complete numeric tally in the text of the debate.

The bill, as presented on the floor, would change the mechanics of absentee voting at the ballot-processing stage and was advanced after floor discussion about security, clerks' input and procedural safeguards.