SB 229 BALLOT COLLECTION BOX PROCEDURES

Sen Greg Nibert

Actions: [4] SCC/SRC/SFC-SCC

Scheduled: Not Scheduled

 Senate Bill 229 (SB 229) amends the Election Code by revising the manner of picking up ballots from ballot collections boxes, and appropriates $50,000 to the Secretary of State to help pay for the cost of collecting ballots.  

 Senate Bill 229 (SB 229) amends the Election Code by changing the manner of picking up ballots from ballot collection boxes.  The bill provides that at least every 24 hours, teams of two members of the Election Board must collect the ballots from the ballot collection boxes.  The two members of the Election Board must not be from the same political party.  

The bill then requires the county clerk ensure that teams of two members of the Election Board (from different political parties) are present at each collection box at 7:00pm on election day.  

Voters who are in line by 7:00pm to deposit their ballot must be allowed to do so.  The team must then collect all the ballots and lock the container so no more ballots can be deposited. 

SB 229 appropriates $50,000 from the General Fund to the Secretary of State for use in Fiscal Year 2025 to help pay for the cost of members of the Election Board to collect ballots from the containers. 

SB 229 is effective July 1, 2024.
 

 Currently, ballots must be picked up from the ballot collection boxes at least every three days and on election day after the polls close and the county clerk, deputy county clerk, election board member or messenger must collect the ballots.  

 SB 229 is identical to HB 243