SB 27 Ballot security & notices

This bill allows county clerk or other filing officer to not provide a secrecy envelope for a ballot if the SOS has approved a different procedure to ensure secrecy, and to begin opening and counting ballots upon receipt. Requires that cover sheet of initiatives list city and state of residence for chief petitioners, rather than residence address of chief petitioners.

Personal Choice and Responsibility
As politics becomes more violent, the government should not make it easy to target the residences of chief petitioners on initiatives, referenda, or recall petitions. However, it does not outweigh making the ballot process more insecure.

Limited Government
Before gathering signatures on an initiative, chief petitioners must file a prospective petition with the local elections official. The district attorney or city attorney drafts and files a ballot title with the local elections official. The local elections official publishes notice of the ballot title in the next available edition of a newspaper of general circulation. Any registered voter may petition the Circuit Court to review the ballot title. SB 27A changes the requirements for the chief petitioners’ address, clarifies the requirements for district ballot measures, and clarifies the basis for the number of signatures needed for a certificate of nomination. Clarifies the timeline to request a hearing held by the Secretary of State (SOS) for a person against whom a civil penalty may be assessed for failure to file certain campaign finance statements or certificates, and for election conduct violations.

Local Control
SB 27A provides that a county clerk or other filing officer is not required to provide a secrecy envelope for a ballot if the SOS has approved a different procedure to ensure secrecy. Authorizes county clerks to begin opening and counting ballots upon receipt increasing opportunities for fraud. Changes the notice requirements for local initiatives and removes vector control districts from the definition of “district” for the purposes of special district elections. Changes the notice requirements for the election of members for district boards.