§ 26-14-108. Return of ballots - Witnessing of affidavit.

A.  The voter shall be required to mark the ballot in ink or other manner as prescribed by the Secretary of the State Election Board; seal the ballots in the plain opaque envelope; fill out completely and sign the affidavit, such signature to be notarized at no charge by a notary public; seal the plain opaque envelope inside the envelope bearing the affidavit and return both envelopes, sealed inside the return envelope, by United States mail or by a private mail service, provided such service has delivery documentation, to the county election board.  No person who is a candidate for an office on the ballot or who is the chair or treasurer of the campaign of a candidate for office or who is related within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity to a candidate on the ballot may witness any absentee ballot affidavit.

B.  The ballot shall not be notarized by any person whose name appears on the ballot as a candidate or by any campaign chairperson or campaign treasurer for a candidate whose name appears on the ballot.

Added by Laws 1974, c. 201, § 8, operative July 1, 1974.  Renumbered from § 327.8 of this title by Laws 1976, c. 90, § 11, emerg. eff. May 6, 1976.  Amended by Laws 1981, c. 344, § 5, eff. Jan. 1, 1984; Laws 1984, c. 204, § 5, operative July 1, 1984; Laws 1991, c. 321, § 37, eff. March 1, 1992; Laws 2002, c. 447, § 15, emerg. eff. June 5, 2002; Laws 2003, c. 485, § 10; Laws 2004, c. 5, § 17, emerg. eff. March 1, 2004.

Note

NOTE:  Laws 2003, c. 403, § 2 repealed by Laws 2004, c. 5, § 18, emerg. eff. March 1, 2004.