Florida 2025 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H1203 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
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2	2
3	3	HB 1203 2025
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5	5
6	6
7	7	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
8	8	hb1203-00
9	9	Page 1 of 116
10	10	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
11	11
12	12
13	13
14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to elections; amending s. 97.012, 2
16	16	F.S.; requiring the Secretary of State to take certain 3
17	17	actions regarding independent procedural audits for 4
18	18	elections; amending s. 97.021, F.S.; defining the 5
19	19	terms "absentee vote processing worker" and "othe r 6
20	20	election system"; amending s. 101.015, F.S.; requiring 7
21	21	the Department of State to adopt rules relating to the 8
22	22	security of certain voting procedures; requiring the 9
23	23	department to create a certain manual; requiring the 10
24	24	department to adopt by rule certain mi nimum security 11
25	25	standards; requiring county canvassing boards to 12
26	26	enforce such standards; requiring county canvassing 13
27	27	board manuals to include specified information; 14
28	28	requiring county canvassing boards to reconcile 15
29	29	certain ballots and forms; requiring the dep artment to 16
30	30	develop and adopt certain rules for the physical 17
31	31	security of election materials and technology, 18
32	32	absentee vote process reporting and observation, and 19
33	33	manual cross-checks for certain systems; amending s. 20
34	34	101.131, F.S.; authorizing political action committees 21
35	35	and political committees to have poll watchers in 22
36	36	polling rooms and early voting areas; revising the 23
37	37	date before which poll watchers must be designated; 24
38	38	revising the information that must be on a poll 25
39	39
40	40	HB 1203 2025
41	41
42	42
43	43
44	44	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
45	45	hb1203-00
46	46	Page 2 of 116
47	47	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
48	48
49	49
50	50
51	51	watcher's identification badge; prohibiting a poll 26
52	52	watcher from wearing another poll watcher's 27
53	53	identification badge; creating s. 101.132, F.S.; 28
54	54	authorizing certain persons to designate poll watchers 29
55	55	for absentee vote processing centers; providing 30
56	56	requirements for absentee vote processing center wor k 31
57	57	areas and the number of poll watchers who may observe 32
58	58	in each area; providing requirements for such 33
59	59	watchers; requiring the Department of State to 34
60	60	establish a certain telephone hotline; requiring the 35
61	61	department to adopt by rule a certain manual; 36
62	62	requiring the department to prescribe certain forms; 37
63	63	requiring a supervisor of elections to accept certain 38
64	64	forms; requiring a supervisor of elections to furnish 39
65	65	a specified list to county canvassing boards; 40
66	66	authorizing certain persons to be designated as poll 41
67	67	watchers; authorizing poll watchers to enter into 42
68	68	specified areas and watch operations in compliance 43
69	69	with certain safety recommendations; providing 44
70	70	requirements for poll watcher identification badges; 45
71	71	amending s. 101.21, F.S.; requiring a supervisor of 46
72	72	elections to determine the actual number of voter 47
73	73	certificate envelopes to be printed for each election; 48
74	74	providing requirements for printed ballots and voter 49
75	75	certificate envelopes; requiring a supervisor of 50
76	76
77	77	HB 1203 2025
78	78
79	79
80	80
81	81	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
82	82	hb1203-00
83	83	Page 3 of 116
84	84	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
85	85
86	86
87	87
88	88	elections to complete a certain report; requiring the 51
89	89	county canvassing boards to complete and reconcile the 52
90	90	review and approval of such report before an election 53
91	91	is certified; amending s. 101.545, F.S.; requiring a 54
92	92	supervisor of elections to retain envelopes, seals, 55
93	93	and video recordings for a certain time peri od; 56
94	94	authorizing the destruction of certain election 57
95	95	materials after a certain audit is completed and 58
96	96	published on the supervisor of election's website; 59
97	97	amending s. 101.5614, F.S.; requiring certain 60
98	98	information to be entered on certain forms; requiring 61
99	99	precinct poll workers to conduct certain hand -counted 62
100	100	audits; providing requirements and procedures for such 63
101	101	audits; providing that certain results may be provided 64
102	102	to county canvassing boards for a specified purpose; 65
103	103	prohibiting a tabulator from using networki ng 66
104	104	communication hardware; authorizing a supervisor of 67
105	105	elections to collect certain data in a certain manner; 68
106	106	requiring certain ballots to be duplicated in the 69
107	107	presence of certain watchers; authorizing a duplicate 70
108	108	to be made by hand duplication; authorizin g certain 71
109	109	persons to observe the duplication of ballots; 72
110	110	requiring a county canvassing board to convene in the 73
111	111	presence of certain parties for certain discussions 74
112	112	before certification of the election; amending s. 75
113	113
114	114	HB 1203 2025
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116	116
117	117
118	118	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
119	119	hb1203-00
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121	121	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
122	122
123	123
124	124
125	125	101.595, F.S.; requiring that a certain aud it be 76
126	126	conducted after each election in certain 77
127	127	circumstances; providing requirements for such audit; 78
128	128	requiring the department to adopt rules; amending s. 79
129	129	101.6103, F.S.; requiring a supervisor of elections to 80
130	130	mail ballots with certain envelopes; requiring a 81
131	131	supervisor of elections to use separate postal service 82
132	132	billing permits for certain purposes; revising actions 83
133	133	an elector must take upon receipt of his or her 84
134	134	ballot; revising information to be included on the 85
135	135	voter's certificate; requiring an elector who requests 86
136	136	a replacement ballot to provide certain 87
137	137	identification; requiring a supervisor of elections to 88
138	138	verify signatures on certain sworn statements; 89
139	139	revising the circumstances in which such a ballot is 90
140	140	counted; requiring a supervisor of elections to kee p 91
141	141	such ballots stored in an area secured in a specified 92
142	142	manner; requiring that the canvassing of mail ballots 93
143	143	be open for public observation; amending s. 101.6104, 94
144	144	F.S.; requiring a ballot to be treated in a certain 95
145	145	manner upon county canvassing board rece ipt of a 96
146	146	challenge of a voter certificate envelope or cure 97
147	147	affidavit signature; amending s. 101.62, F.S.; 98
148	148	revising the methods by which a request for a vote -by-99
149	149	mail ballot may be made; requiring an absentee ballot 100
150	150
151	151	HB 1203 2025
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153	153
154	154
155	155	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
156	156	hb1203-00
157	157	Page 5 of 116
158	158	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
159	159
160	160
161	161
162	162	request form to require the signature of t he voter; 101
163	163	requiring a person requesting a vote -by-mail ballot to 102
164	164	provide and attest to an authorized reason for such 103
165	165	request; providing such authorized reasons; requiring 104
166	166	voters to provide certain information in certain 105
167	167	written requests for vote -by-mail ballots; revising 106
168	168	circumstances under which the supervisor of elections 107
169	169	must cancel a request for a vote -by-mail ballot; 108
170	170	requiring the supervisor of elections to provide 109
171	171	certain information to the voter after such 110
172	172	cancelation; deleting provisions relating to absent 111
173	173	uniformed services voters and overseas voters; 112
174	174	requiring a supervisor of elections to record certain 113
175	175	information for each vote -by-mail ballot request; 114
176	176	revising a statement that must be marked on certain 115
177	177	envelopes; requiring verification of certain 116
178	178	information on a request form; providing that a person 117
179	179	who provides false information on an absentee ballot 118
180	180	request form commits a felony; providing criminal 119
181	181	penalties; amending s. 101.64, F.S.; revising the 120
182	182	specified envelopes that a supervisor of electio ns 121
183	183	must enclose with a vote -by-mail ballot; revising the 122
184	184	voter's certificate that accompanies vote -by-mail 123
185	185	ballots; amending s. 101.65, F.S.; revising the 124
186	186	instructions that a supervisor of elections must 125
187	187
188	188	HB 1203 2025
189	189
190	190
191	191
192	192	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
193	193	hb1203-00
194	194	Page 6 of 116
195	195	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
196	196
197	197
198	198
199	199	enclose with a vote-by-mail ballot; amending s. 126
200	200	101.655, F.S.; requiring a supervisor of elections to 127
201	201	provide bipartisan supervised voting for certain 128
202	202	absent electors at the request of certain persons; 129
203	203	providing requirements for the transportation and 130
204	204	chain of custody for ballots delivered to and 131
205	205	completed by certain absent electors; requiring a 132
206	206	supervised voting team to verify an elector's identity 133
207	207	in a certain manner; amending s. 101.68, F.S.; 134
208	208	requiring a supervisor of elections to verify a 135
209	209	certificate signature, a voter certificate envelope, 136
210	210	and ballot material in a specified manner; requiring a 137
211	211	supervisor of elections to evaluate certain photo 138
212	212	identification in a certain manner; requiring a county 139
213	213	canvassing board to complete the canvass of certain 140
214	214	ballots within a certain timeframe; requiring a county 141
215	215	canvassing board to make certain ballot comparisons 142
216	216	according to specified records and reports; specifying 143
217	217	that certain identification is considered ballot 144
218	218	material and must be presented to certain persons; 145
219	219	providing that certain envelopes are considered 146
220	220	illegal; requiring that logs of certain information be 147
221	221	kept; requiring that certain materials be preserved in 148
222	222	a specified manner and reviewed for certain purposes; 149
223	223	requiring a supervisor of elections to provide direct 150
224	224
225	225	HB 1203 2025
226	226
227	227
228	228
229	229	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
230	230	hb1203-00
231	231	Page 7 of 116
232	232	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
233	233
234	234
235	235
236	236	links to his or her website in certain ci rcumstances; 151
237	237	revising the vote-by-mail cure affidavit; authorizing 152
238	238	certain persons to inspect certain materials; 153
239	239	requiring the review of certain materials in certain 154
240	240	circumstances; requiring a supervisor of elections to 155
241	241	provide certain persons with certain access to certain 156
242	242	ballot materials; prohibiting a supervisor of 157
243	243	elections from limiting the time available to certain 158
244	244	persons to complete a cure affidavit review during 159
245	245	certain periods; providing that a ballot for which a 160
246	246	cure affidavit protest is rejecte d shall be counted; 161
247	247	requiring county canvassing board minutes to contain 162
248	248	certain information; requiring a supervisor of 163
249	249	elections to research certain electors to determine 164
250	250	their voter eligibility; requiring that certain 165
251	251	information be made available to cer tain persons; 166
252	252	amending s. 101.69, F.S.; revising the process for 167
253	253	marking certain returned ballots as canceled; 168
254	254	requiring that certain materials be submitted to the 169
255	255	Office of Election Crimes and Security for 170
256	256	investigation; revising locations at which secure 171
257	257	ballot intake stations may be placed; requiring 172
258	258	certain daily inspection of secure ballot intake 173
259	259	stations during early voting; providing a civil 174
260	260	penalty for supervisors of elections for deploying 175
261	261
262	262	HB 1203 2025
263	263
264	264
265	265
266	266	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
267	267	hb1203-00
268	268	Page 8 of 116
269	269	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
270	270
271	271
272	272
273	273	secure ballot intake stations that do not meet certain 176
274	274	standards; amending s. 101.6921, F.S.; revising the 177
275	275	specified envelopes that a supervisor of elections 178
276	276	must enclose with a vote -by-mail ballot; revising the 179
277	277	voter's certificate; amending s. 101.6923, F.S.; 180
278	278	revising the instructions that a supervisor of 181
279	279	elections must enclose with certain vote -by-mail 182
280	280	ballots; amending s. 102.012, F.S.; requiring a 183
281	281	supervisor of elections to recruit absentee vote 184
282	282	processing workers; requiring such workers to 185
283	283	subscribe to an oath or affirmation and meet certain 186
284	284	qualifications; amending s. 102.014, F.S.; requiring a 187
285	285	supervisor of elections to conduct required training 188
286	286	for absentee vote processing workers; requiring the 189
287	287	department to develop a certain uniform training 190
288	288	curriculum for use by supervisors of elections; 191
289	289	requiring such workers to demonstrate a working 192
290	290	knowledge of certain laws and procedures; requiring a 193
291	291	supervisor of elections to appoint a replacement for 194
292	292	such a worker in certain circumstances; prohibiting an 195
293	293	absentee vote processing worker from working in a work 196
294	294	area unless he or she completes certain minimum 197
295	295	training requirements; revising the contents of the 198
296	296	polling place procedures manual; requiring the 199
297	297	department to create and adopt by rule an absentee 200
298	298
299	299	HB 1203 2025
300	300
301	301
302	302
303	303	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
304	304	hb1203-00
305	305	Page 9 of 116
306	306	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
307	307
308	308
309	309
310	310	vote processing center procedures manual; providing 201
311	311	requirements for such manual; requiring the department 202
312	312	to revise such manual as necessary; amending s. 203
313	313	102.141, F.S.; revising the composition of county 204
314	314	canvassing boards; authorizing a supervisor of 205
315	315	elections to appoint a municipal official as a 206
316	316	substitute member of th e county canvassing board; 207
317	317	requiring a specified quorum of the county canvassing 208
318	318	board for certain proceedings; requiring real -time 209
319	319	video monitoring of county canvassing board meetings; 210
320	320	requiring meeting minutes to be published on the 211
321	321	supervisor of electio n's website; requiring the county 212
322	322	canvassing board to review certain reports each day 213
323	323	and take certain actions; authorizing candidates and 214
324	324	political parties to view certain forms and file 215
325	325	specified objections; requiring the county canvassing 216
326	326	board to review certain information before certifying 217
327	327	an election; requiring the county canvassing board to 218
328	328	address certain discrepancies in a certain manner; 219
329	329	requiring a special election in certain circumstances; 220
330	330	authorizing the supervisor of elections to be removed 221
331	331	from office in certain circumstances; requiring a 222
332	332	manual recount to use original paper ballots and voter 223
333	333	certificate envelopes in certain circumstances; 224
334	334	revising requirements for a county canvassing board 225
335	335
336	336	HB 1203 2025
337	337
338	338
339	339
340	340	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
341	341	hb1203-00
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343	343	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
344	344
345	345
346	346
347	347	conducting a recount; amending s. 102.166, F.S.; 226
348	348	authorizing a candidate to request a manual recount of 227
349	349	certain votes after a first set of unofficial returns 228
350	350	in certain circumstances; revising the percentage of 229
351	351	votes by which a candidate is defeated upon which a 230
352	352	manual recount of certain votes is required; p roviding 231
353	353	requirements for such recounts; authorizing certain 232
354	354	governmental entities to request a manual recount in 233
355	355	certain circumstances; requiring a certain audit to be 234
356	356	conducted upon delivery of a certain petition; 235
357	357	providing requirements for such audit; r equiring a 236
358	358	manual audit in certain races for which a specified 237
359	359	discrepancy exists; amending s. 104.21, F.S.; 238
360	360	providing that an election worker who changes certain 239
361	361	envelope information or markings commits a 240
362	362	misdemeanor; providing criminal penalties; creatin g s. 241
363	363	104.291, F.S.; providing that a poll watcher who wears 242
364	364	the identification badge of another person commits a 243
365	365	misdemeanor; providing criminal penalties; amending s. 244
366	366	104.30, F.S.; providing that a person who prints 245
367	367	certain ballots or voter certificate en velopes without 246
368	368	authorization commits a felony; providing criminal 247
369	369	penalties; providing an effective date. 248
370	370	249
371	371	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 250
372	372
373	373	HB 1203 2025
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375	375
376	376
377	377	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
378	378	hb1203-00
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380	380	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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382	382
383	383
384	384	251
385	385	Section 1. Subsection (18) is added to section 97.012, 252
386	386	Florida Statutes, to rea d: 253
387	387	97.012 Secretary of State as chief election officer. —The 254
388	388	Secretary of State is the chief election officer of the state, 255
389	389	and it is his or her responsibility to: 256
390	390	(18) Organize, participate in, and provide legislative 257
391	391	reports on independent procedural audits to ensure election laws 258
392	392	and rules are consistently followed. 259
393	393	Section 2. Subsections (4) through (24) and (25) through 260
394	394	(47) of section 97.021, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as 261
395	395	subsections (5) through (25) and (27) through (49), 262
396	396	respectively, and new subsections (3) and (26) are added to that 263
397	397	section to read: 264
398	398	97.021 Definitions. —For the purposes of this code, except 265
399	399	where the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term: 266
400	400	(3) "Absentee vote processing worker" means a person who 267
401	401	performs functions related to absentee ballots including 268
402	402	receiving and transporting such ballots, signature verification, 269
403	403	ballot duplication, opening of voter certificates, tabulation, 270
404	404	storage, and administration of information systems used for 271
405	405	absentee ballot processi ng. 272
406	406	(26) "Other election system" means any information 273
407	407	technology other than a voting system which is used in the 274
408	408	election process and which is capable of adding, deleting, or 275
409	409
410	410	HB 1203 2025
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412	412
413	413
414	414	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
415	415	hb1203-00
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417	417	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
418	418
419	419
420	420
421	421	modifying ballots or votes or which stores critical election 276
422	422	data. The term includes hosted technologies and service 277
423	423	providers that store or have access to critical election data. 278
424	424	The term also includes, but is not limited to, the voter 279
425	425	registration system, electronic precinct registers, tabulation 280
426	426	systems, mail sorters, election ni ght reporting systems, ballot 281
427	427	tracking solutions, and future technologies integrated into the 282
428	428	election process. 283
429	429	Section 3. Subsections (5), (6), and (7) of section 284
430	430	101.015, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (9), 285
431	431	(10), and (11), respective ly, new subsections (5), (6), and (7) 286
432	432	and subsection (8) are added to that section, and subsections 287
433	433	(3) and (4) and present subsection (6) of that section are 288
434	434	amended, to read: 289
435	435	101.015 Standards for voting systems. — 290
436	436	(3) The Department of State shall ad opt rules to achieve 291
437	437	and maintain the maximum degree of correctness, impartiality, 292
438	438	and efficiency, and security of the procedures of in-person and 293
439	439	absentee voting, including write -in voting, and of counting, 294
440	440	tabulating, and recording votes by voting system s and other 295
441	441	election systems used in this state. 296
442	442	(4)(a) The Department of State shall adopt rules 297
443	443	establishing minimum security standards for voting systems and 298
444	444	create an absentee ballot processing manual adopted by rule 299
445	445	which is composed of such standar ds. The standards, at a 300
446	446
447	447	HB 1203 2025
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449	449
450	450
451	451	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
452	452	hb1203-00
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454	454	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
455	455
456	456
457	457
458	458	minimum, must address the following: 301
459	459	1. chain of custody of ballots, including chain of custody 302
460	460	forms and procedures for ballots returned by mail, secure ballot 303
461	461	intake stations, in-person return, or facsimile, which extends 304
462	462	through the work areas of the absentee vote counting location 305
463	463	and to storage. Chain of custody standards must: 306
464	464	1. Enable monitoring of the ballot transport and receiving 307
465	465	process by the county canvassing board and monitoring of 308
466	466	precertification audits and postc ertification procedural audits. 309
467	467	2. Include validation and reporting by the county 310
468	468	canvassing board on a daily basis during the election that the 311
469	469	required chain of custody forms are properly completed, that 312
470	470	chain of custody is not broken, that any exceptions are noted 313
471	471	with an action plan to resolve the issue, and that sent and 314
472	472	received ballot quantities and seals match and are consistent 315
473	473	with the seal number ranges and ballot transport container 316
474	474	numbers assigned to particular locations. Such validat ion and 317
475	475	reporting must include objective measures for determining ballot 318
476	476	quantities received at the vote counting location and 319
477	477	determining ballot quantities when moved between work areas of 320
478	478	the vote counting location. 321
479	479	3. Require that appropriate correcti ve measures as 322
480	480	determined by the department be taken immediately when the chain 323
481	481	of custody is broken. Such measures must include notification 324
482	482	and reasonable steps to correct the issue, employee education, 325
483	483
484	484	HB 1203 2025
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488	488	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
489	489	hb1203-00
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491	491	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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493	493
494	494
495	495	disciplinary actions, reassignment, penalties, or c riminal 326
496	496	referral. 327
497	497	4. Provide definitions for and examples of an excessive 328
498	498	transport time; a broken seal; a marking that is not legally 329
499	499	binding, such as overwritten data entry without proper notation; 330
500	500	missing or disparate ballot quantities; and other circ umstances 331
501	501	that break chain of custody. 332
502	502	5. Prohibit the comingling of absentee ballots from a 333
503	503	secure ballot intake station, the United States Postal Service, 334
504	504	in-person return at the supervisor's office or vote counting 335
505	505	location, or facsimile until the cha in of custody validation is 336
506	506	completed from each source by election officials, political 337
507	507	action committee designees, and major political party designees. 338
508	508	6. If return ballot postage is prepaid by a supervisor, 339
509	509	require the supervisor to have separate post office billing 340
510	510	permits dedicated to and used exclusively for outgoing ballots 341
511	511	and returned ballots to enable auditing. Post office billing 342
512	512	records must be reconciled on a daily basis with the number of 343
513	513	absentee ballots sent to and received from the United States 344
514	514	Postal Service. The supervisor may not use the post office 345
515	515	billing permits required under this subparagraph for mailing of 346
516	516	other items. 347
517	517	7. If return ballot postage is not prepaid by a 348
518	518	supervisor, require the supervisor to employ other means to 349
519	519	reconcile the number of completed ballots transported between 350
520	520
521	521	HB 1203 2025
522	522
523	523
524	524
525	525	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
526	526	hb1203-00
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528	528	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
529	529
530	530
531	531
532	532	the post office box and the absentee vote counting location or 351
533	533	have the ballots delivered directly to the absentee vote 352
534	534	counting location. 353
535	535	8. Require that ballots returned by registered mail be 354
536	536	accepted and tracked in a log used for auditing purposes, if the 355
537	537	supervisor or voter chooses to pay for the service. 356
538	538	9. Require that chain of custody forms for completed 357
539	539	ballots from secure intake stations include fields for all of 358
540	540	the following: 359
541	541	a. The address of the secure ballot intake station 360
542	542	location and ballot transport container number. 361
543	543	b. The date and time. 362
544	544	c. Verification that the secure ballot intake station was 363
545	545	empty at the beginning of the day, with one verifier from each 364
546	546	major political party who shall sign and print his or her name 365
547	547	and write either "empty" or "not empty" to reflect the state in 366
548	548	which he or she found the intake receptacle. 367
549	549	d. The printed names and signatures of two persons who 368
550	550	count the ballots in the secure ballot inta ke station for 369
551	551	transport at the close of the day's authorized voting hours, 370
552	552	place the ballots in an assigned ballot transport container, and 371
553	553	place a seal on the ballot transport container. 372
554	554	e. The seal number placed on the ballot transport 373
555	555	container. 374
556	556	f. The printed names and signatures of two transporters 375
557	557
558	558	HB 1203 2025
559	559
560	560
561	561
562	562	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
563	563	hb1203-00
564	564	Page 16 of 116
565	565	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
566	566
567	567
568	568
569	569	accepting custody of the sealed voter certificate envelopes and 376
570	570	the seal number observed. 377
571	571	g. The transport vehicle type and license plate number. 378
572	572	h. The transporter departure time, the seal number o n the 379
573	573	ballot transport container, and a checkbox to confirm that the 380
574	574	seal is intact at the handoff. 381
575	575	i. The printed names and signatures of two vote counting 382
576	576	center staff accepting custody of the voter certificate 383
577	577	envelopes from transporters, the date, th e time, the seal 384
578	578	number, a checkbox to confirm that the seal is intact, the 385
579	579	quantity counted, and the method used to count. 386
580	580	j. The ballot transport container number. 387
581	581	k. Explanations for form anomalies or missing data, 388
582	582	including excessive transport time s, which includes any 389
583	583	documented period of transport that exceeds 12 hours. 390
584	584	10. Require that the supervisor be notified if a ballot is 391
585	585	found in the secure ballot intake station at the beginning of 392
586	586	the day. The supervisor shall research the origin of the ballot, 393
587	587	and if the supervisor determines that the ballot was placed in 394
588	588	the intake receptacle during authorized voting hours during the 395
589	589	previous day, the ballot must be processed. If the supervisor 396
590	590	determines that the ballot was placed in the intake recepta cle 397
591	591	outside of authorized voting hours or that the ballot envelope 398
592	592	does not display a valid county election serial number, the 399
593	593	supervisor must notify the voter that his or her ballot may not 400
594	594
595	595	HB 1203 2025
596	596
597	597
598	598
599	599	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
600	600	hb1203-00
601	601	Page 17 of 116
602	602	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
603	603
604	604
605	605
606	606	be counted unless it is cured, send the voter instructions to 401
607	607	complete a cure affidavit, and refer the matter to the Office of 402
608	608	Election Crimes and Security for investigation. 403
609	609	11. Provide that the facsimile used to send and receive 404
610	610	uniformed and overseas voter ballots may be used only for that 405
611	611	function, and the facsimi le transmission logs must be printed 406
612	612	daily, retained, and made available to the county canvassing 407
613	613	board, state and county inspectors and auditors, and public 408
614	614	watchers. 409
615	615	12. Require the maintenance of ballot -on-demand print 410
616	616	logs. The logs must be made avai lable to the county canvassing 411
617	617	board, state and county inspectors and auditors, and public 412
618	618	watchers. 413
619	619	13. Require, after the county canvassing board completes 414
620	620	the daily validation of the chain of custody, the number of 415
621	621	absentee ballots received at the vote counting location to be 416
622	622	posted daily, by source, on the supervisor's website. Any chain 417
623	623	of custody or validation issues and any observer objections must 418
624	624	be noted in the daily chain of custody report, entered into the 419
625	625	county canvassing board's minutes, and reported to the 420
626	626	department. 421
627	627	14. Require each ballot and envelope to have a unique 422
628	628	county election serial number. The unique county election serial 423
629	629	number must include at least 11 digits. The first three digits 424
630	630	must identify the county, the next four digits must identify the 425
631	631
632	632	HB 1203 2025
633	633
634	634
635	635
636	636	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
637	637	hb1203-00
638	638	Page 18 of 116
639	639	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
640	640
641	641
642	642
643	643	year of the election, and the next two digits must identify the 426
644	644	month of the election. Such numbers may not be repeated for 5 427
645	645	years. A supervisor must ensure that vendors are properly 428
646	646	allocated distinct ranges of numbers and that produced materials 429
647	647	contain only the allocated ranges of numbers before the ballots 430
648	648	and envelopes are mailed. Additional security measures must be 431
649	649	implemented to protect ballots from being illegally duplicated, 432
650	650	distributed, or inserted, including the sourci ng of ballots and 433
651	651	envelopes to separate vendors. 434
652	652	(b) The standards included in the absentee ballot 435
653	653	processing manual must be enforced by the county canvassing 436
654	654	board before opening voter certificate envelopes and by audit 437
655	655	before election certification, wi th disciplinary penalties for 438
656	656	noncompliance. The county canvassing board manual must include 439
657	657	procedures for monitoring of the chain of custody of ballots and 440
658	658	portable storage media, manual cross -check reports, and manual 441
659	659	counts. 442
660	660	(c) Before certifying an election, the county canvassing 443
661	661	board shall reconcile the number of ballots transported from 444
662	662	secure ballot intake stations, the United States Postal Service, 445
663	663	in-person return at the supervisor's office or vote counting 446
664	664	location, and facsimile with the numb er of absentee ballots 447
665	665	counted. The county canvassing board shall also reconcile the 448
666	666	chain of custody forms with the number of ballots transported 449
667	667	from the vote counting location to storage and the number of 450
668	668
669	669	HB 1203 2025
670	670
671	671
672	672
673	673	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
674	674	hb1203-00
675	675	Page 19 of 116
676	676	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
677	677
678	678
679	679
680	680	ballots counted. Both reconciliation reports req uire approval by 451
681	681	the Department of State before certification of the election and 452
682	682	must be promptly published on the supervisor's website. 453
683	683	(5) The Department of State shall develop and adopt rules 454
684	684	for the physical security of election materials and techno logy, 455
685	685	which must include all of the following: 456
686	686	(a) Standards for building security at absentee vote 457
687	687	counting locations. Electronic badge access must be required to 458
688	688	gain access to the absentee vote counting location and to secure 459
689	689	storage areas within the building. All employees and visitors, 460
690	690	including vendors, must be required to visibly wear photo 461
691	691	identification badges at all times. 462
692	692	(b) That an absentee vote counting location be in the 463
693	693	supervisor of election's office or a stand -alone building that 464
694	694	may include gated fencing. Absentee vote counting locations must 465
695	695	have video surveillance of all building and parking lot entries 466
696	696	and exits. 467
697	697	(c) That cable and other ports be sealed on all systems 468
698	698	left unattended overnight at any early voting location. 469
699	699	(d) Standards for secure ballot intake stations. Secure 470
700	700	ballot intake stations must be located inside polling places or 471
701	701	the main office of, and, if used, any branch office of, a 472
702	702	supervisor. A supervisor may only use a brand or model of secure 473
703	703	ballot intake station which the Department of State has 474
704	704	certified as secure. Secure ballot intake stations must be 475
705	705
706	706	HB 1203 2025
707	707
708	708
709	709
710	710	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
711	711	hb1203-00
712	712	Page 20 of 116
713	713	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
714	714
715	715
716	716
717	717	inspected and audited by bipartisan state or county teams 476
718	718	accompanied by public watchers. 477
719	719	(e) That ballots be transported by at least two persons, 478
720	720	each representing a different major political party. A duplicate 479
721	721	copy of the ballot transport form must be placed inside the 480
722	722	ballot transport container before the container is sealed. 481
723	723	(f) That once received at a vote counting location, a 482
724	724	sealed ballot transp ort container be stored in a secured area 483
725	725	under video surveillance and accessible only by electronic badge 484
726	726	access. Compliance must be validated by the county canvassing 485
727	727	board with public observation. 486
728	728	(g) A prohibition on opening any sealed container of 487
729	729	completed ballots without observation by members of both major 488
730	730	political parties and the public. 489
731	731	(h) That portable storage media be stored in a secured 490
732	732	area under video surveillance and accessible only by electronic 491
733	733	badge access. 492
734	734	(i) That the chain of c ustody of ballots, including a 493
735	735	detailed description of forms and procedures to create a 494
736	736	complete record of custody of ballots and paper outputs, begin 495
737	737	with the ballot design and the receipt of ballots from all 496
738	738	sources until such time as the ballots are des troyed. 497
739	739	(6) The Department of State shall adopt rules providing 498
740	740	absentee vote process reporting and observation requirements of 499
741	741	the supervisor of elections to state, county, and public 500
742	742
743	743	HB 1203 2025
744	744
745	745
746	746
747	747	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
748	748	hb1203-00
749	749	Page 21 of 116
750	750	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
751	751
752	752
753	753
754	754	preelection inspectors, election monitors, preelection 501
755	755	certification audits, and postelection certification procedural 502
756	756	audits. The rules must address: 503
757	757	(a) Reporting during and after the election cycle. 504
758	758	(b) Video viewing, video streaming of all ballot 505
759	759	processing, video recording storage, and public records requests 506
760	760	for video recordings. 507
761	761	(c) In-person observation. 508
762	762	(d) United States Postal Service liaison and monitoring. 509
763	763	(e) A ballot accounting report that must be completed by 510
764	764	the supervisor and reviewed by the canvassing board before 511
765	765	election certification. The ballo t accounting report must 512
766	766	reconcile: 513
767	767	1. The number of ballots tabulated in precincts, the 514
768	768	number of voters who checked in, and the number of ballots 515
769	769	counted during each day of early voting and election day. 516
770	770	2. The number of absentee ballots tabulated in the 517
771	771	absentee vote processing center each day and the chain of 518
772	772	custody form ballot totals from secure ballot intake stations, 519
773	773	the United States Postal Service, facsimile logs, and in -person 520
774	774	drop off each day. 521
775	775	3. The number of absentee ballots mailed out equals the 522
776	776	number of outbound ballots billed by the post office. 523
777	777	4. The number of ballots acquired or printed, including 524
778	778	ballot-on-demand ballots, and the number of ballots used, 525
779	779
780	780	HB 1203 2025
781	781
782	782
783	783
784	784	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
785	785	hb1203-00
786	786	Page 22 of 116
787	787	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
788	788
789	789
790	790
791	791	unused, spoiled, duplicated, and unreturned. 526
792	792	(f) Audits conducted by bipa rtisan state and county audit 527
793	793	teams with public observation to confirm that the required chain 528
794	794	of custody forms and processes are in compliance. Such audits 529
795	795	must include examination of post office billing records, fax 530
796	796	logs, and chain of custody forms. The rules must provide for 531
797	797	disciplinary actions and criminal referrals when appropriate. 532
798	798	The rules must require that if it is determined in a 533
799	799	postcertification audit that the number of ballots involved in 534
800	800	chain of custody breaches in an election exceed the mar gin of 535
801	801	victory in any race in that election, such race must be deemed 536
802	802	invalid and a special election must be held to fill the office 537
803	803	in accordance with chapter 100. If an audit failure is 538
804	804	determined to be due to chain of custody mismanagement, an audit 539
805	805	failure report must be generated by the Secretary of State and 540
806	806	made available to the public, and the supervisor overseeing the 541
807	807	process may be disciplined or removed from office. 542
808	808	(7) The Department of State shall adopt rules that include 543
809	809	manual cross-checks for legacy systems and systems that have 544
810	810	networking or other communication capability to ensure that such 545
811	811	systems have not been compromised by unauthorized changes in 546
812	812	settings, data manipulation, or malware. The rules must require: 547
813	813	(a) That early voting sites reconcile and report daily at 548
814	814	the close of authorized voting hours the: 549
815	815	1. Number of ballots tabulated by precinct tabulator, as 550
816	816
817	817	HB 1203 2025
818	818
819	819
820	820
821	821	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
822	822	hb1203-00
823	823	Page 23 of 116
824	824	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
825	825
826	826
827	827
828	828	calculated by subtracting the cumulative tabulator count at the 551
829	829	end of the prior day from the cumulative tabulator coun t of the 552
830	830	current day. 553
831	831	2. Number of completed ballots processed through the 554
832	832	precinct tabulator and transported to storage. 555
833	833	3. Number of voters who checked in to the precinct. 556
834	834	4. Number of blank ballots processed through the precinct 557
835	835	tabulator. All blank ballots must be placed in a separate 558
836	836	envelope to enable auditing. 559
837	837	(b) That, after the polls are closed on the first day of 560
838	838	early voting and on election day, precinct poll workers conduct 561
839	839	a hand-counted audit of both a randomly chosen race and the race 562
840	840	for the highest office on the ballot. In view of the public, 563
841	841	ballots must be placed in stacks according to the candidate 564
842	842	chosen on the ballots for that race. A poll worker from each of 565
843	843	the two largest political parties shall hand count those ballots 566
844	844	and verify the candidate choice. This process must be repeated 567
845	845	as necessary until the hand -counted totals from each poll worker 568
846	846	match. Hand-counted totals must be noted and compared to the 569
847	847	machine count. Any discrepancies must be flagged and reported to 570
848	848	the supervisor of elections and posted for the public. The 571
849	849	supervisor shall verify any discrepancies over the next 3 days 572
850	850	with interested members of the public and at least one person 573
851	851	from each major political party present. If the supervisor 574
852	852	determines that ther e is a discrepancy, all ballots for the 575
853	853
854	854	HB 1203 2025
855	855
856	856
857	857
858	858	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
859	859	hb1203-00
860	860	Page 24 of 116
861	861	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
862	862
863	863
864	864
865	865	entire precinct must be hand counted, and those results, once 576
866	866	verified, override the machine count. 577
867	867	(c) That, at least once during each day of absentee ballot 578
868	868	canvassing, election workers conduct hand -counted cross-checks 579
869	869	of each tabulator for a randomly chosen race on batches of 580
870	870	ballots. In view of the public, ballots must be placed in stacks 581
871	871	according to the candidate chosen on the ballots for that race. 582
872	872	An election worker shall hand count those ballots and verify any 583
873	873	discrepancies flagged, reported, and verified according to the 584
874	874	process required under paragraph (b). If the supervisor 585
875	875	determines that there is a discrepancy, all ballots for the 586
876	876	entire precinct must be hand counted, and those results, once 587
877	877	verified, override the machine count. Any tabulator that 588
878	878	produces erroneous results must be taken out of service until 589
879	879	the cause of the error is determined and corrected. When random 590
880	880	batches are analyzed, the contents of output sorter bins must be 591
881	881	inspected to validate proper sorting. 592
882	882	(d) That, if an automated signature verification system is 593
883	883	used, the settings be verified and documented four times each 594
884	884	day. The settings must be corrected if the settings are found to 595
885	885	be out of compliance. After such verification an d, if necessary, 596
886	886	correction, signatures on 20 voters' certificates must be 597
887	887	compared manually to determine if the signature verification 598
888	888	algorithm is functioning properly. If there is a discrepancy, 599
889	889	the signatures must be verified manually until the system is 600
890	890
891	891	HB 1203 2025
892	892
893	893
894	894
895	895	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
896	896	hb1203-00
897	897	Page 25 of 116
898	898	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
899	899
900	900
901	901
902	902	replaced or the cause of the issue is determined and corrected. 601
903	903	The employee performing this verification must sign the 602
904	904	verification form and print his or her name, the date, the time, 603
905	905	and the outcome. 604
906	906	(e) That, if an automated target duplication is u sed, 20 605
907	907	original ballots be compared four times each day to the original 606
908	908	ballot displayed on the duplication machine console to ensure 607
909	909	that the ballot is correctly displayed. If the display is 608
910	910	inconsistent, duplication must be completed manually until the 609
911	911	cause of the issue is determined and corrected. 610
912	912	(f) That, if an outbound mail assembly and sorter is used, 611
913	913	the transfer of outgoing ballots from the dock be under video 612
914	914	surveillance. After each batch is assembled and sorted, the 613
915	915	batch report quantity mus t be compared to the number of ballots 614
916	916	received at the dock, as determined by weight. 615
917	917	(g) That, if an inbound mail sorter is used, the number of 616
918	918	inbound envelopes processed daily be compared to the number of 617
919	919	ballots received at the dock as documented in chain of custody 618
920	920	forms from secure ballot intake stations and the United States 619
921	921	Postal Service. 620
922	922	(h) That the voter registration database be analyzed 621
923	923	monthly for registration anomalies. Any anomalies must be 622
924	924	investigated and corrected. The database must b e backed up daily 623
925	925	using a method that preserves the history of any changes made in 624
926	926	a manner that allows for restoration to previous versions of the 625
927	927
928	928	HB 1203 2025
929	929
930	930
931	931
932	932	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
933	933	hb1203-00
934	934	Page 26 of 116
935	935	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
936	936
937	937
938	938
939	939	history at any time. The supervisor shall use a department -626
940	940	approved storage device that uses technologies su ch as a write 627
941	941	once, read many, or "WORM," device, as appropriate. The 628
942	942	supervisor shall immediately, automatically, and securely 629
943	943	transmit to the department an identical copy of the database 630
944	944	backup. The supervisor and the department shall each retain the 631
945	945	database backup for at least 5 years. Such backups may be used 632
946	946	by internal auditors, independent third -party auditors, major 633
947	947	political parties, and the public for the purpose of auditing 634
948	948	voter registration transactions. 635
949	949	(i) That any changes or additions mad e in the 60-day 636
950	950	period preceding election day be tracked and audited by an 637
951	951	independent auditor. Audit reports must be made available to the 638
952	952	public at no charge and must include the mode and location of 639
953	953	unauthorized new registrations, registration updates, or 640
954	954	deletions occurring in the 60 -day period preceding election day, 641
955	955	and the voted status of every registrant registered to vote in 642
956	956	the election. A person may not be removed from the voter roll 643
957	957	until the audit is complete. An archived dataset of persons 644
958	958	removed from the voter roll, including each person's voting 645
959	959	history, must be maintained for auditing purposes. The archived 646
960	960	dataset must be included upon request with any distribution of 647
961	961	the voter roll. 648
962	962	(j) That, if new technologies are tested during an 649
963	963	election, the supervisor posts, in a conspicuous location 650
964	964
965	965	HB 1203 2025
966	966
967	967
968	968
969	969	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
970	970	hb1203-00
971	971	Page 27 of 116
972	972	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
973	973
974	974
975	975
976	976	visible to the public within the vote counting center and all 651
977	977	election locations, a notice providing the location, date, and 652
978	978	time of such testing. All machines and election equipment in 653
979	979	testing must clearly be labeled as such. 654
980	980	(k) That procedures for manual counts include video 655
981	981	recording and public observation a detailed description of 656
982	982	procedures to create a complete written record of the chain of 657
983	983	custody of ballots and paper outputs beginning with th eir 658
984	984	receipt from a printer or manufacturer until such time as they 659
985	985	are destroyed. 660
986	986	2. Transport of ballots, including a description of the 661
987	987	method and equipment used and a detailed list of the names of 662
988	988	all individuals involved in such transport. 663
989	989	3. Ballot security, including a requirement that all 664
990	990	ballots be kept in a locked room in the supervisor's office, a 665
991	991	facility controlled by the supervisor or county canvassing 666
992	992	board, or a public place in which the county canvassing board is 667
993	993	canvassing votes until n eeded for canvassing and returned 668
994	994	thereafter. 669
995	995	(8)(a)(b)1. Each supervisor shall establish written 670
996	996	procedures to assure accuracy and security in his or her county, 671
997	997	including procedures related to early voting pursuant to s. 672
998	998	101.657. Such procedures shall be reviewed in each odd -numbered 673
999	999	year by the department. 674
1000	1000	(b)2. Each supervisor shall submit any revisions to the 675
1001	1001
1002	1002	HB 1203 2025
1003	1003
1004	1004
1005	1005
1006	1006	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1007	1007	hb1203-00
1008	1008	Page 28 of 116
1009	1009	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1010	1010
1011	1011
1012	1012
1013	1013	security procedures to the department at least 45 days before 676
1014	1014	early voting commences pursuant to s. 101.657 in an election in 677
1015	1015	which they are to take effect. 678
1016	1016	(10)(6) All electronic and electromechanical voting 679
1017	1017	systems purchased on or after January 1, 1990, must meet the 680
1018	1018	minimum standards established under subsection (1). All 681
1019	1019	electronic and electromechanical voting systems in use on or 682
1020	1020	after July 1, 1993, must meet the minimum standards established 683
1021	1021	under subsection (1) or subsection (9) (5). 684
1022	1022	Section 4. Subsections (1), (2), and (5) of section 685
1023	1023	101.131, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 686
1024	1024	101.131 Watchers at polls. — 687
1025	1025	(1) Each political p arty, political action committee, 688
1026	1026	political committee, and each candidate may have one watcher in 689
1027	1027	each polling room or early voting area at any one time during 690
1028	1028	the election. A political committee formed for the specific 691
1029	1029	purpose of expressly advocating the passage or defeat of an 692
1030	1030	issue on the ballot may have one watcher for each polling room 693
1031	1031	or early voting area at any one time during the election. A No 694
1032	1032	watcher may shall be permitted to come as close closer to the 695
1033	1033	officials' table, tabulator, secure ballot i ntake station, or 696
1034	1034	the voting booths as than is reasonably necessary to properly 697
1035	1035	perform his or her functions, and must but each shall be allowed 698
1036	1036	within the polling room or early voting area to watch and 699
1037	1037	observe the conduct of electors and officials. The po ll watchers 700
1038	1038
1039	1039	HB 1203 2025
1040	1040
1041	1041
1042	1042
1043	1043	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1044	1044	hb1203-00
1045	1045	Page 29 of 116
1046	1046	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1047	1047
1048	1048
1049	1049
1050	1050	shall furnish their own materials and necessities and may shall 701
1051	1051	not obstruct the orderly conduct of any election. The poll 702
1052	1052	watchers shall pose any questions regarding polling place 703
1053	1053	procedures directly to the clerk for resolution. Poll watchers 704
1054	1054	They may not interact with voters. Each poll watcher must shall 705
1055	1055	be a qualified and registered elector of the county in which he 706
1056	1056	or she serves. 707
1057	1057	(2) Each political party, political action committee, each 708
1058	1058	political committee, and each candidate requesting t o have poll 709
1059	1059	watchers shall designate, in writing to the supervisors of 710
1060	1060	elections, on a form prescribed by the division, before noon of 711
1061	1061	the second Tuesday preceding the election poll watchers for each 712
1062	1062	polling room on election day. Designations of poll watch ers for 713
1063	1063	early voting areas must shall be submitted in writing to the 714
1064	1064	supervisor of elections, on a form prescribed by the division, 715
1065	1065	before noon on the 5th business day at least 14 days before 716
1066	1066	early voting begins. The poll watchers for polling rooms must 717
1067	1067	shall be approved by the supervisor of elections on or before 718
1068	1068	the Tuesday before the election. Poll watchers for early voting 719
1069	1069	areas must shall be approved by the supervisor of elections no 720
1070	1070	later than 7 days before early voting begins. The supervisor 721
1071	1071	shall furnish to each election board a list of the poll watchers 722
1072	1072	designated and approved for such polling rooms or early voting 723
1073	1073	areas. Designation of poll watchers shall be made by the chair 724
1074	1074	of the county executive committee of a political party, the 725
1075	1075
1076	1076	HB 1203 2025
1077	1077
1078	1078
1079	1079
1080	1080	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1081	1081	hb1203-00
1082	1082	Page 30 of 116
1083	1083	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1084	1084
1085	1085
1086	1086
1087	1087	chair of a political action committee, the chair of a political 726
1088	1088	committee, or the candidate requesting to have poll watchers. 727
1089	1089	(5) The supervisor of elections shall provide to each 728
1090	1090	designated poll watcher an identification badge which identifies 729
1091	1091	the poll watcher by first name and last initial. Each poll 730
1092	1092	watcher must wear his or her identification badge while 731
1093	1093	performing his or her duties. A poll watcher may not wear 732
1094	1094	another poll watcher's identification badge. A poll watcher who 733
1095	1095	wears another poll watcher's identificati on badge must be 734
1096	1096	reported to the supervisor and may be removed from the premises 735
1097	1097	for the day. 736
1098	1098	Section 5. Section 101.132, Florida Statutes, is created 737
1099	1099	to read: 738
1100	1100	101.132 Watchers at absentee vote processing centers. — 739
1101	1101	(1) Each political party, political action committee, 740
1102	1102	political committee, and candidate may designate one absentee 741
1103	1103	vote processing watcher to observe in each of the following work 742
1104	1104	areas of the absentee vote counting location or any other 743
1105	1105	location at any time during the election pr ocess where the 744
1106	1106	following functions are performed: 745
1107	1107	(a) Outgoing ballot assembly, sorting, and mailing. 746
1108	1108	(b) Securing of secure ballot intake stations. 747
1109	1109	(c) Loading and unloading of transport vehicles. 748
1110	1110	(d) Receiving and sorting of incoming ballots. 749
1111	1111	(e) Verifying voter certificate envelope signatures by an 750
1112	1112
1113	1113	HB 1203 2025
1114	1114
1115	1115
1116	1116
1117	1117	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1118	1118	hb1203-00
1119	1119	Page 31 of 116
1120	1120	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1121	1121
1122	1122
1123	1123
1124	1124	automated process. 751
1125	1125	(f) Manual review of voter certificate envelopes. 752
1126	1126	(g) Review of staff signatures of cure affidavits. 753
1127	1127	(h) Opening of voter certificate envelopes. 754
1128	1128	(i) Duplication. 755
1129	1129	(j) Tabulation. 756
1130	1130	(2)(a) Each work area must be designed and arranged in 757
1131	1131	advance by the supervisor to provide adequate space for at least 758
1132	1132	four watchers at any given time. Different watchers may observe 759
1133	1133	simultaneously on behalf of a candidate, political party, 760
1134	1134	political action committee, or political committee in different 761
1135	1135	work areas. 762
1136	1136	(b) If more than two political party, political action 763
1137	1137	committee, political committee, or candidate watchers are 764
1138	1138	designated to observe in a specified work area with limited 765
1139	1139	space in the same time period, the first two watchers from each 766
1140	1140	major political party for which designations are received must 767
1141	1141	be allowed to observe. 768
1142	1142	(c) Two public watchers may also be present in each work 769
1143	1143	area at any given time. If more than two public watcher s request 770
1144	1144	to observe in a specified work area with limited space in the 771
1145	1145	same time period, the first two watchers from different major 772
1146	1146	political parties for which requests are received shall be 773
1147	1147	allowed to observe. 774
1148	1148	(d) If a work area is not large enough to accommodate at 775
1149	1149
1150	1150	HB 1203 2025
1151	1151
1152	1152
1153	1153
1154	1154	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1155	1155	hb1203-00
1156	1156	Page 32 of 116
1157	1157	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1158	1158
1159	1159
1160	1160
1161	1161	least four watchers, the supervisor may employ alternate 776
1162	1162	observation methods to enable meaningful observation by a 777
1163	1163	watcher, including the use of video, mirrored displays, 778
1164	1164	catwalks, or viewing windows. The department must provide 779
1165	1165	criteria for determining whether an alternate observation method 780
1166	1166	enables meaningful observation. 781
1167	1167	(e) When direct observation of manual processes or machine 782
1168	1168	operators is conducted, each work area is limited to one watcher 783
1169	1169	for each staff member conducting operations. 784
1170	1170	(f) Work area watchers may come as close as is reasonably 785
1171	1171	necessary to properly observe workers and technology without 786
1172	1172	impeding workflow. The absentee vote processing center watchers 787
1173	1173	shall furnish their own materials and necessities and may not 788
1174	1174	obstruct the orderly conduct of any election. Watchers shall 789
1175	1175	pose any questions regarding absentee vote processing procedures 790
1176	1176	directly to the work area supervisor for resolution. Watchers 791
1177	1177	may not provide work direction to absentee vote processing 792
1178	1178	personnel but may ask questions for understanding and offer 793
1179	1179	personal greetings. Each watcher must be a qualified and 794
1180	1180	registered elector of the county in which he or she serves. The 795
1181	1181	department must establish a telephone hotline through which a 796
1182	1182	watcher may report violations of law, including required 797
1183	1183	security standards, and submit a work ticket to a state 798
1184	1184	official. 799
1185	1185	(g) The department shall adopt by rule an absentee vote 800
1186	1186
1187	1187	HB 1203 2025
1188	1188
1189	1189
1190	1190
1191	1191	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1192	1192	hb1203-00
1193	1193	Page 33 of 116
1194	1194	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1195	1195
1196	1196
1197	1197
1198	1198	processing manual that includes guidelines for meaningful 801
1199	1199	observation and reporting for all methods of ob servation. 802
1200	1200	(3)(a) The department shall prescribe an absentee vote 803
1201	1201	processing watcher request form that allows a person to request 804
1202	1202	to serve as an absentee vote processing watcher at any given 805
1203	1203	location and an absentee vote processing watcher designation 806
1204	1204	form that allows a political party, political action committee, 807
1205	1205	political committee, or candidate to designate a watcher for a 808
1206	1206	specific work area. 809
1207	1207	(b) A request to serve as a watcher for a political party, 810
1208	1208	political action committee, political committee, o r candidate 811
1209	1209	must be accepted by the supervisor if received at least 5 days, 812
1210	1210	including weekends, before the first day of requested 813
1211	1211	observation. A watcher may complete a form for multiple 814
1212	1212	political parties, political action committees, political 815
1213	1213	committees, or candidates. A watcher is not required to be a 816
1214	1214	member of or align with a political party to observe vote 817
1215	1215	processing activities. 818
1216	1216	(c) Public requests to be absentee vote processing 819
1217	1217	watchers must be accepted by the supervisor if received at least 820
1218	1218	5 days, including weekends, before the first day of requested 821
1219	1219	observation. A watcher may alternate between work areas and 822
1220	1220	participate on any day of the absentee vote counting process 823
1221	1221	without notice. 824
1222	1222	(d) Different watchers may observe election activities 825
1223	1223
1224	1224	HB 1203 2025
1225	1225
1226	1226
1227	1227
1228	1228	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1229	1229	hb1203-00
1230	1230	Page 34 of 116
1231	1231	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1232	1232
1233	1233
1234	1234
1235	1235	occurring simultaneously on behalf of any candidate, political 826
1236	1236	party, political action committee, or political committee. A 827
1237	1237	watcher who has previously completed an absentee vote processing 828
1238	1238	watcher request form that is filed with the supervisor may 829
1239	1239	substitute for another watcher without prior notice. 830
1240	1240	(e) A watcher may be relieved by another watcher 831
1241	1241	designated for the same political party, political action 832
1242	1242	committee, political committee, or candidate whenever necessary. 833
1243	1243	(f) The supervisor shall furnish to each ca nvassing board 834
1244	1244	member a list of watchers for whom an absentee vote processing 835
1245	1245	watcher request form has been approved and for whom an absentee 836
1246	1246	vote processing watcher designation form has been received. 837
1247	1247	Designation forms must be completed by the chair of th e county 838
1248	1248	executive committee of each political party, chair of a 839
1249	1249	political action committee, chair of a political committee, or 840
1250	1250	candidate. 841
1251	1251	(4) A candidate or a sheriff, a deputy sheriff, a police 842
1252	1252	officer, or another law enforcement officer may be designa ted as 843
1253	1253	an absentee vote processing watcher. 844
1254	1254	(5) An absentee vote processing watcher may enter into and 845
1255	1255	watch operations in any work area listed in subsection (1) if 846
1256	1256	the number of watchers in the work area does not exceed the 847
1257	1257	number recommended by the dep artment or the absentee vote 848
1258	1258	processing center capacity safety recommendations by the local 849
1259	1259	fire department. 850
1260	1260
1261	1261	HB 1203 2025
1262	1262
1263	1263
1264	1264
1265	1265	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1266	1266	hb1203-00
1267	1267	Page 35 of 116
1268	1268	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1269	1269
1270	1270
1271	1271
1272	1272	(6) The supervisor shall provide to each designated 851
1273	1273	absentee vote processing watcher an identification badge that 852
1274	1274	identifies the watcher by first name and last initial. Each 853
1275	1275	watcher must wear his or her identification badge while 854
1276	1276	performing his or her duties. The designated absentee vote 855
1277	1277	processing watcher badge must be surrendered to the supervisor 856
1278	1278	at the end of the day. 857
1279	1279	Section 6. Section 101 .21, Florida Statutes, is amended to 858
1280	1280	read: 859
1281	1281	101.21 Official ballots and envelopes; number; printing; 860
1282	1282	payment.— 861
1283	1283	(1) Where applicable, The supervisor of elections shall 862
1284	1284	determine the actual number of ballots and voter certificate 863
1285	1285	envelopes to be printed for each election. The ballots and voter 864
1286	1286	certificate envelopes must be sourced from different vendors, 865
1287	1287	and the voter certificate envelopes must have serial numbers or 866
1288	1288	other markings that may be used to detect unauthorized printing 867
1289	1289	or submission of illegal e nvelopes. 868
1290	1290	(2) The supervisor of elections shall complete a ballot, 869
1291	1291	envelope, and seal accounting report before an election may be 870
1292	1292	certified. The ballot, envelope, and seal accounting report must 871
1293	1293	reconcile the number of ballots printed by an official prin ter 872
1294	1294	or in-house with the number of ballots: 873
1295	1295	(a) Distributed to absentee voters. 874
1296	1296	(b) Distributed to in -person voting sites. 875
1297	1297
1298	1298	HB 1203 2025
1299	1299
1300	1300
1301	1301
1302	1302	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1303	1303	hb1203-00
1304	1304	Page 36 of 116
1305	1305	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1306	1306
1307	1307
1308	1308
1309	1309	(c) Completed and received from absentee voters. 876
1310	1310	(d) Completed and received from in -person voting sites. 877
1311	1311	(e) Distributed but not returned by absentee voters. 878
1312	1312	(f) Distributed and returned unvoted from in -person voting 879
1313	1313	sites. 880
1314	1314	(g) Not distributed. 881
1315	1315	(h) Spoiled. 882
1316	1316	(i) Used for duplication. 883
1317	1317	(j) Placed in storage at the end of the election as voted 884
1318	1318	or unvoted. 885
1319	1319	(3) Review and approval of the ballot, envelope, and seal 886
1320	1320	accounting report must be completed and reconciled by the county 887
1321	1321	canvassing board before the election is certified and by a state 888
1322	1322	or county auditing team after the election is certified. 889
1323	1323	Purchase order records of marksense ballots and envelopes as 890
1324	1324	well as print-on-demand and facsimile records must be made 891
1325	1325	available to auditors and the public at no charge. 892
1326	1326	(4) The printing and delivery of ballots and cards of 893
1327	1327	instruction shall, in a municipal election, be paid for by the 894
1328	1328	municipality, and in all other elections by the county. 895
1329	1329	Section 7. Section 101.545, Florida Statutes, is amended 896
1330	1330	to read: 897
1331	1331	101.545 Retention and destruction of certain election 898
1332	1332	materials.—All ballots, envelopes, seals, video recordings, 899
1333	1333	forms, and other election materials shall be retained in the 900
1334	1334
1335	1335	HB 1203 2025
1336	1336
1337	1337
1338	1338
1339	1339	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1340	1340	hb1203-00
1341	1341	Page 37 of 116
1342	1342	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1343	1343
1344	1344
1345	1345
1346	1346	custody of the supervisor of elections for a minimum of 22 901
1347	1347	months after an election and in accordance with the schedule 902
1348	1348	approved by the Division of Library and Information Services of 903
1349	1349	the Department of State. All unused ballots, envelopes, seals, 904
1350	1350	forms, and other election materials may, with the approval of 905
1351	1351	the Department of State, be destroyed by the supervisor after a 906
1352	1352	postcertification audit is completed and published on the 907
1353	1353	supervisor's website the election for which such ballots, forms, 908
1354	1354	or other election materials were to be used . 909
1355	1355	Section 8. Section 101.5614, Florida Statutes, is amended 910
1356	1356	to read: 911
1357	1357	101.5614 Canvass of returns. — 912
1358	1358	(1) As soon as the polls are closed, the election board 913
1359	1359	shall secure the voting devices against further voting. The 914
1360	1360	election board shall thereafter, in the presence of members of 915
1361	1361	the public desiring to witness the proceedings, verify the 916
1362	1362	number of voted ballots, unused ballots, provisional ballots, 917
1363	1363	and spoiled ballots to ascertain whether such number corresponds 918
1364	1364	with the number of ballots issued by the supervisor. If there is 919
1365	1365	a difference, this fact shall be reported in writing to the 920
1366	1366	county canvassing board with the reasons therefor if known. The 921
1367	1367	total number of voted ballots shall be entered on the forms 922
1368	1368	provided. The number of ballots processed through the tabulator 923
1369	1369	on election day, the number of blank ballots processed through 924
1370	1370	the tabulator, and the number of persons checking in at the 925
1371	1371
1372	1372	HB 1203 2025
1373	1373
1374	1374
1375	1375
1376	1376	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1377	1377	hb1203-00
1378	1378	Page 38 of 116
1379	1379	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1380	1380
1381	1381
1382	1382
1383	1383	precinct shall also be entered on the forms provided. Precinct 926
1384	1384	poll workers shall conduct a hand -counted audit of a randomly 927
1385	1385	chosen race. Ballots must be placed in stacks according to the 928
1386	1386	candidate chosen on the ballots for that race. Those ballots 929
1387	1387	must be hand counted by two poll work ers from different major 930
1388	1388	political parties, and candidate choice must be verified in the 931
1389	1389	process. Totals must be noted and compared to the machine count. 932
1390	1390	Any discrepancies must be flagged and reported to the supervisor 933
1391	1391	of elections office and noted on the poll tape posted for the 934
1392	1392	public. The supervisor shall verify any discrepancies over the 935
1393	1393	next 3 days with interested members of the public and a member 936
1394	1394	of each party present. If the supervisor determines that there 937
1395	1395	is a discrepancy, all ballots for the enti re precinct must be 938
1396	1396	hand counted using the original paper ballots, and those 939
1397	1397	results, once verified, override the machine counts. The number 940
1398	1398	of tickets printed to receive ballots must be compared with the 941
1399	1399	number of persons noted by the electronic precinct register 942
1400	1400	system as checked in, and any discrepancies must be resolved or 943
1401	1401	documented. The proceedings of the election board at the 944
1402	1402	precinct after the polls have closed must shall be open to the 945
1403	1403	public; however, no person except for a member of the election 946
1404	1404	board, a person may not shall touch any ballot or ballot 947
1405	1405	container or interfere with or obstruct the orderly count of the 948
1406	1406	ballots. 949
1407	1407	(2) The results of ballots tabulated at precinct locations 950
1408	1408
1409	1409	HB 1203 2025
1410	1410
1411	1411
1412	1412
1413	1413	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1414	1414	hb1203-00
1415	1415	Page 39 of 116
1416	1416	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1417	1417
1418	1418
1419	1419
1420	1420	may be provided to the county canvassing board transmitted to 951
1421	1421	the main computer system for the purpose of reconciliation of 952
1422	1422	chain of custody and compilation of complete returns. The 953
1423	1423	tabulator may not use networking communication hardware. 954
1424	1424	However, the supervisor may collect preliminary precinct 955
1425	1425	election results data fr om tabulators using a portable storage 956
1426	1426	device secure from manipulation, such as a write once, read 957
1427	1427	many, or "WORM," device, and insert the data into a secure 958
1428	1428	computer dedicated to transmitting such data to the elections 959
1429	1429	office. The security guidelines for transmission of returns 960
1430	1430	shall conform to rules adopted by the Department of State 961
1431	1431	pursuant to s. 101.015. 962
1432	1432	(3) For each ballot or ballot image on which write -in 963
1433	1433	votes have been cast, the canvassing board shall compare the 964
1434	1434	write-in votes with the votes cas t on the ballot; if the total 965
1435	1435	number of votes for any office exceeds the number allowed by 966
1436	1436	law, such votes may shall not be counted. All valid votes shall 967
1437	1437	be tallied by the canvassing board. 968
1438	1438	(4)(a) If any vote-by-mail ballot is physically damaged so 969
1439	1439	that it cannot properly be counted by the voting system's 970
1440	1440	automatic tabulating equipment, a true duplicate copy shall be 971
1441	1441	made of the damaged ballot in an open and accessible room in the 972
1442	1442	presence of watchers from at least two different political 973
1443	1443	parties witnesses and substituted for the damaged ballot. 974
1444	1444	Likewise, a duplicate ballot must shall be made of a vote-by-975
1445	1445
1446	1446	HB 1203 2025
1447	1447
1448	1448
1449	1449
1450	1450	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1451	1451	hb1203-00
1452	1452	Page 40 of 116
1453	1453	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1454	1454
1455	1455
1456	1456
1457	1457	mail ballot containing an overvoted race if there is a clear 976
1458	1458	indication on the ballot that the voter has made a definite 977
1459	1459	choice in the overvoted race or ballot measure. A duplicate must 978
1460	1460	shall include all valid votes as determined by the canvassing 979
1461	1461	board based on rules adopted by the division pursuant to s. 980
1462	1462	102.166(8) s. 102.166(4). A duplicate may be made of a ballot 981
1463	1463	containing an undervoted race or ballo t measure if there is a 982
1464	1464	clear indication on the ballot that the voter has made a 983
1465	1465	definite choice in the undervoted race or ballot measure. A 984
1466	1466	duplicate may not include a vote if the voter's intent in such 985
1467	1467	race or on such measure is not clear. Upon request, candidates, 986
1468	1468	political party officials, and political committee officials, 987
1469	1469	and authorized designees thereof, and public watchers a 988
1470	1470	physically present candidate, a political party official, a 989
1471	1471	political committee official, or an authorized designee thereof, 990
1472	1472	must be allowed to observe the duplication of ballots upon 991
1473	1473	signing an affidavit affirming his or her acknowledgment that 992
1474	1474	disclosure of election results discerned from observing the 993
1475	1475	ballot duplication process while the election is ongoing is a 994
1476	1476	felony, as provided under subsection (8). The observer must be 995
1477	1477	allowed to observe the duplication of ballots in such a way that 996
1478	1478	the observer is able to see the markings on each ballot and the 997
1479	1479	duplication taking place. All duplicate ballots must be clearly 998
1480	1480	labeled "duplicate," bear a serial number which must shall be 999
1481	1481	recorded on the defective ballot, and be counted in lieu of the 1000
1482	1482
1483	1483	HB 1203 2025
1484	1484
1485	1485
1486	1486
1487	1487	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1488	1488	hb1203-00
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1490	1490	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1491	1491
1492	1492
1493	1493
1494	1494	defective ballot. The duplication of ballots must happen in the 1001
1495	1495	presence of at least one canvassing board member and watchers 1002
1496	1496	from at least two different political parties . After a ballot 1003
1497	1497	has been duplicated, the defective ballot must shall be placed 1004
1498	1498	in an envelope provided for that purpose, and the duplicate 1005
1499	1499	ballot must shall be tallied with the other ballots for that 1006
1500	1500	precinct. If any observer makes a reasonable objection to a 1007
1501	1501	duplicate of a ballot, the ballot must be presented to the 1008
1502	1502	canvassing board for a determination of the validity of the 1009
1503	1503	duplicate. The canvassing board m ust document the serial number 1010
1504	1504	of the ballot in the canvassing board's minutes. The canvassing 1011
1505	1505	board must decide whether the duplication is valid. If the 1012
1506	1506	duplicate ballot is determined to be valid, the duplicate ballot 1013
1507	1507	must be counted. If the duplicate bal lot is determined to be 1014
1508	1508	invalid, the duplicate ballot must be rejected and a proper 1015
1509	1509	duplicate ballot must be made and counted in lieu of the 1016
1510	1510	original. 1017
1511	1511	(b) A true duplicate copy shall be made of each federal 1018
1512	1512	write-in absentee ballot in the presence of watchers witnesses 1019
1513	1513	and substituted for the federal write -in absentee ballot. A 1020
1514	1514	duplicate may be made by hand duplication observed by watchers 1021
1515	1515	of both major political parties. The duplicate ballot must 1022
1516	1516	include all valid votes as determined by the canvassing bo ard 1023
1517	1517	based on rules adopted by the division pursuant to s. 102.166(8) 1024
1518	1518	s. 102.166(4). All duplicate ballots must shall be clearly 1025
1519	1519
1520	1520	HB 1203 2025
1521	1521
1522	1522
1523	1523
1524	1524	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1525	1525	hb1203-00
1526	1526	Page 42 of 116
1527	1527	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1528	1528
1529	1529
1530	1530
1531	1531	labeled "duplicate," bear a serial number that must shall be 1026
1532	1532	recorded on the federal write -in absentee ballot, and be counted 1027
1533	1533	in lieu of the federal write -in absentee ballot. After a ballot 1028
1534	1534	has been duplicated, the federal write -in absentee ballot must 1029
1535	1535	shall be placed in an envelope provided for that purpose, and 1030
1536	1536	the duplicate ballot must shall be tallied with other ballots 1031
1537	1537	for that precinct. 1032
1538	1538	(5) If there is no clear indication on the ballot that the 1033
1539	1539	voter has made a definite choice for an office or ballot 1034
1540	1540	measure, the elector's ballot may shall not be counted for that 1035
1541	1541	office or measure, but the ballot may shall not be invalidated 1036
1542	1542	as to those names or measures which are properly marked. 1037
1543	1543	(6) Vote-by-mail ballots may be counted by the voting 1038
1544	1544	system's automatic tabulating equipment if they have been marked 1039
1545	1545	in a manner which will enable them to be properly counted by 1040
1546	1546	such equipment. 1041
1547	1547	(7) The return printed by the voting system's automatic 1042
1548	1548	tabulating equipment, to which has been added the return of 1043
1549	1549	write-in, vote-by-mail, and manually counted votes and votes 1044
1550	1550	from provisional ballots, constitutes shall constitute the 1045
1551	1551	official return of the election upon certification by the 1046
1552	1552	canvassing board. Upon completion of the count, the returns must 1047
1553	1553	shall be open to the public. A copy of the returns may be posted 1048
1554	1554	at the central counting place or at the office of the supervisor 1049
1555	1555	of elections in lieu of the posting of returns at individual 1050
1556	1556
1557	1557	HB 1203 2025
1558	1558
1559	1559
1560	1560
1561	1561	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1562	1562	hb1203-00
1563	1563	Page 43 of 116
1564	1564	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1565	1565
1566	1566
1567	1567
1568	1568	precincts. 1051
1569	1569	(8) Any supervisor of elections, deputy supervisor of 1052
1570	1570	elections, canvassing board member, election board member, 1053
1571	1571	election employee, or other person authorized to observe, 1054
1572	1572	review, or inspect ballot materi als or observe canvassing who 1055
1573	1573	releases any information about votes cast for or against any 1056
1574	1574	candidate or ballot measure or any results of any election 1057
1575	1575	before the closing of the polls in that county on election day 1058
1576	1576	commits a felony of the third degree, punis hable as provided in 1059
1577	1577	s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 1060
1578	1578	(9) The county canvassing board shall officially convene 1061
1579	1579	in the presence of candidates, designees of political action 1062
1580	1580	committees, political committees, or political parties, and the 1063
1581	1581	public to discuss all election results and the necessary next 1064
1582	1582	steps required to officially determine election results, 1065
1583	1583	including recounts, runoffs, hand counts, audits, or any other 1066
1584	1584	activities necessary before certification of the election. 1067
1585	1585	Section 9. Subsection ( 4) is added to section 101.595, 1068
1586	1586	Florida Statutes, to read: 1069
1587	1587	101.595 Analysis and reports of voting problems. — 1070
1588	1588	(4) A postcertification procedural audit to verify 1071
1589	1589	compliance with all laws and rules must be conducted after each 1072
1590	1590	election in counties with a population of greater than 500,000 1073
1591	1591	after the general election or the election with the most voters. 1074
1592	1592	A postcertification procedural audit shall be conducted in 1075
1593	1593
1594	1594	HB 1203 2025
1595	1595
1596	1596
1597	1597
1598	1598	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1599	1599	hb1203-00
1600	1600	Page 44 of 116
1601	1601	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1602	1602
1603	1603
1604	1604
1605	1605	counties with a population of 500,000 or fewer upon request of a 1076
1606	1606	major political party or the Off ice of Election Crimes and 1077
1607	1607	Security and whenever a recount is conducted. If not requested 1078
1608	1608	or required as part of a recount, a postcertification procedural 1079
1609	1609	audit shall be conducted at least every 3 years after a primary, 1080
1610	1610	special, or general election in coun ties with a population of 1081
1611	1611	500,000 or fewer. The department shall adopt rules for the 1082
1612	1612	conduct of such audit, which must include separate audits to 1083
1613	1613	verify that each of the following are being properly conducted 1084
1614	1614	and comply with all requirements of law and rul e: 1085
1615	1615	(a) Chain of custody forms and procedures. 1086
1616	1616	(b) Signature verification on vote -by-mail ballot 1087
1617	1617	requests, envelope certificates, and ballot curing. 1088
1618	1618	(c) Handling of public inspector protests and challenges. 1089
1619	1619	(d) Duties of the canvassing board. 1090
1620	1620	(e) Physical security, including compliance with security 1091
1621	1621	plan requirements. 1092
1622	1622	(f) Hand counting of all blank ballots, undervoted 1093
1623	1623	ballots, overvoted ballots, provisional ballots, and other 1094
1624	1624	ballots that were separated from the main bin by the tabulator 1095
1625	1625	or that require separate adjudication or handling for any reason 1096
1626	1626	to ensure that the number of ballots equals the number shown on 1097
1627	1627	the reports. 1098
1628	1628	(g) Seal accounting and management. 1099
1629	1629	(h) Vote-by-mail requests, including collection of voter 1100
1630	1630
1631	1631	HB 1203 2025
1632	1632
1633	1633
1634	1634
1635	1635	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1636	1636	hb1203-00
1637	1637	Page 45 of 116
1638	1638	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1639	1639
1640	1640
1641	1641
1642	1642	credentials for absentee ballot requests and the timely mailing 1101
1643	1643	of ballots. 1102
1644	1644	(i) First-time vote-by-mail identification requirements, 1103
1645	1645	specifically the enforcement of ss. 101.043 and 101.6921. 1104
1646	1646	(j) New voter registration, specifically verification of 1105
1647	1647	citizenship and documentation requirements. 1106
1648	1648	(k) Requirements for voter identification at polling 1107
1649	1649	places. 1108
1650	1650	(l) Storage of ballots, election systems, and portable 1109
1651	1651	data, including compliance with security plan requirements. 1110
1652	1652	(m) Ballot duplication and documentation. 1111
1653	1653	(n) Reconciliation of the number of ballots duplicated and 1112
1654	1654	counted from facsimile machines and the logs from such machines. 1113
1655	1655	(o) Information technology audits, including compliance 1114
1656	1656	with security plan requirements. 1115
1657	1657	(p) The composition and actions of the canv assing board. 1116
1658	1658	(q) Election record retention and transparency. 1117
1659	1659	(r) Verification of citizenship of election workers and 1118
1660	1660	onsite vendor personnel. 1119
1661	1661	Section 10. Section 101.6103, Florida Statutes, is amended 1120
1662	1662	to read: 1121
1663	1663	101.6103 Mail ballot election procedure.— 1122
1664	1664	(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (7), the 1123
1665	1665	supervisor of elections shall mail all official ballots with a 1124
1666	1666	voter certificate envelope, an identification secrecy envelope, 1125
1667	1667
1668	1668	HB 1203 2025
1669	1669
1670	1670
1671	1671
1672	1672	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1673	1673	hb1203-00
1674	1674	Page 46 of 116
1675	1675	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1676	1676
1677	1677
1678	1678
1679	1679	a return mailing envelope, and instructions sufficient to 1126
1680	1680	describe the voting process to each elector entitled to vote in 1127
1681	1681	the election within the timeframes specified in s. 101.62(3). 1128
1682	1682	All such ballots must be mailed by first -class mail. If the 1129
1683	1683	supervisor of elections pays return ballot postage, two United 1130
1684	1684	States Postal Service permit billing accounts must be used, with 1131
1685	1685	one account used solely for outbound ballots and the other 1132
1686	1686	account used solely for returned ballots. Ballots must be 1133
1687	1687	addressed to each elector at the address appearing in the 1134
1688	1688	registration records and placed in an envelope which is 1135
1689	1689	prominently marked " Return Service Requested Do Not Forward." 1136
1690	1690	(2) Upon receipt of the ballot , the elector shall read the 1137
1691	1691	instructions, mark the ballot, place only the completed ballot 1138
1692	1692	in the voter certificate it in the secrecy envelope, sign his or 1139
1693	1693	her name as it appears in the voter registration system on the 1140
1694	1694	signature line on the return mailing envelope supplied with the 1141
1695	1695	ballot, and comply with the instructions provided with the 1142
1696	1696	ballot. The elector shall place a copy of t he required 1143
1697	1697	identification into the identification envelope and place the 1144
1698	1698	voter certificate envelope and the identification envelope into 1145
1699	1699	the return mailing envelope. Alternatively, the voter may place 1146
1700	1700	the voter certificate envelope in a voter -provided envelope and 1147
1701	1701	send it by registered mail at the voter's expense to the office 1148
1702	1702	of the supervisor of elections or the address listed on the 1149
1703	1703	return envelope. The elector shall mail, deliver, or have 1150
1704	1704
1705	1705	HB 1203 2025
1706	1706
1707	1707
1708	1708
1709	1709	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1710	1710	hb1203-00
1711	1711	Page 47 of 116
1712	1712	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1713	1713
1714	1714
1715	1715
1716	1716	delivered the marked ballot so that it reaches the supervisor of 1151
1717	1717	elections no later than 7 p.m. on the day of the election. The 1152
1718	1718	ballot must be returned in the sealed and signed voter 1153
1719	1719	certificate return mailing envelope. 1154
1720	1720	(3) The voter certificate return mailing envelope shall 1155
1721	1721	contain a statement in substantially the f ollowing form: 1156
1722	1722	1157
1723	1723	VOTER'S CERTIFICATE 1158
1724	1724	I, ...(Print Name)..., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I 1159
1725	1725	am a qualified voter in this election and that I have not and 1160
1726	1726	will not vote more than one ballot in this election. 1161
1727	1727	I understand that failure to sign this cert ificate and give 1162
1728	1728	my residence address will invalidate my ballot. 1163
1729	1729	...(Date)... 1164
1730	1730	...(Printed Name)... 1165
1731	1731	...(Signature)... 1166
1732	1732	...(Residence Address)... 1167
1733	1733	...(E-mail Address [Optional])... 1168
1734	1734	...(Home Telephone Number [Optional])... 1169
1735	1735	...(Mobile Telephone Number [Optional ])... 1170
1736	1736	1171
1737	1737	(4) If the ballot is destroyed, spoiled, lost, or not 1172
1738	1738	received by the elector, the elector may obtain a replacement 1173
1739	1739	ballot from the supervisor of elections as provided in this 1174
1740	1740	subsection. An elector seeking a replacement ballot shall 1175
1741	1741
1742	1742	HB 1203 2025
1743	1743
1744	1744
1745	1745
1746	1746	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1747	1747	hb1203-00
1748	1748	Page 48 of 116
1749	1749	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1750	1750
1751	1751
1752	1752
1753	1753	provide Tier 1 identification and sign a sworn statement that 1176
1754	1754	the ballot was destroyed, spoiled, lost, or not received and 1177
1755	1755	present such statement to the supervisor of elections before 1178
1756	1756	prior to 7 p.m. on the day of the election. The supervisor of 1179
1757	1757	elections shall verify the signature on the sworn statement and 1180
1758	1758	keep a record of each replacement ballot provided under this 1181
1759	1759	subsection. 1182
1760	1760	(5) A ballot shall be counted only if: 1183
1761	1761	(a) It is returned in the voter certificate return mailing 1184
1762	1762	envelope bearing the elector's signature ; 1185
1763	1763	(b) A copy of a photo identification is placed into the 1186
1764	1764	identification envelope and, if the voter is required to provide 1187
1765	1765	additional documentation under s. 101.68, such documentation is 1188
1766	1766	placed into the identification envelope; 1189
1767	1767	(c) The voter certificat e envelope and the identification 1190
1768	1768	envelope are placed into the return mailing envelope or a voter -1191
1769	1769	provided envelope that is sent by registered mail to the office 1192
1770	1770	of the supervisor of election or the address listed on the 1193
1771	1771	return mailing envelope; 1194
1772	1772	(d)(b) The elector's signature has been verified as 1195
1773	1773	provided in this subsection; and 1196
1774	1774	(e)(c) It is received by the supervisor of elections not 1197
1775	1775	later than 7 p.m. on the day of the election. 1198
1776	1776	1199
1777	1777	The supervisor of elections shall verify the signature of each 1200
1778	1778
1779	1779	HB 1203 2025
1780	1780
1781	1781
1782	1782
1783	1783	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1784	1784	hb1203-00
1785	1785	Page 49 of 116
1786	1786	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1787	1787
1788	1788
1789	1789
1790	1790	elector on the voter certificate return mailing envelope with 1201
1791	1791	the signature on the elector's registration records. Such 1202
1792	1792	verification may commence at any time before prior to the 1203
1793	1793	canvass of votes. The supervisor of elections shall safely keep 1204
1794	1794	the ballot stored in a secure area accessible only by electronic 1205
1795	1795	badge and under video surveillance unopened in his or her office 1206
1796	1796	until the county canvassing board canvasses the vote. If the 1207
1797	1797	supervisor of elections determines that an elector to whom a 1208
1798	1798	replacement ballot has been issued under subsection (4) has 1209
1799	1799	voted more than once, the canvassing board shall determine which 1210
1800	1800	ballot, if any, is to be counted. 1211
1801	1801	(6) The canvassing board may begin the canvassing of mail 1212
1802	1802	ballots as provided by s. 101.68(2)(a). The criminal penalty 1213
1803	1803	specified in that paragraph for the release of results before 7 1214
1804	1804	p.m. on election day is also applicable to canvassing conducted 1215
1805	1805	under this act. The canvassing of mail ballots must be open for 1216
1806	1806	public observation. 1217
1807	1807	(7) With respect to absent electors overseas e ntitled to 1218
1808	1808	vote in the election, the supervisor of elections shall mail an 1219
1809	1809	official ballot with a voter certificate secrecy envelope, a 1220
1810	1810	return mailing envelope, and instructions sufficient to describe 1221
1811	1811	the voting process to each such elector on a date suffi cient to 1222
1812	1812	allow such elector time to vote in the election and to have his 1223
1813	1813	or her marked ballot reach the supervisor by 7 p.m. on the day 1224
1814	1814	of the election. 1225
1815	1815
1816	1816	HB 1203 2025
1817	1817
1818	1818
1819	1819
1820	1820	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1821	1821	hb1203-00
1822	1822	Page 50 of 116
1823	1823	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1824	1824
1825	1825
1826	1826
1827	1827	(8) A ballot that otherwise satisfies the requirements of 1226
1828	1828	subsection (5) shall be counted even if the elector dies after 1227
1829	1829	mailing the ballot but before election day, as long as, before 1228
1830	1830	prior to the death of the voter, the ballot was: 1229
1831	1831	(a) Postmarked by the United States Postal Service; 1230
1832	1832	(b) Date-stamped with a verifiable tracking number by 1231
1833	1833	common carrier; or 1232
1834	1834	(c) Already in the possession of the supervisor of 1233
1835	1835	elections. 1234
1836	1836	Section 11. Section 101.6104, Florida Statutes, is amended 1235
1837	1837	to read: 1236
1838	1838	101.6104 Challenge of votes. —If any elector present for 1237
1839	1839	the canvass of votes believes that any ballot is i llegal due to 1238
1840	1840	any defect apparent on the voter's certificate, the elector may, 1239
1841	1841	at any time before the ballot is removed from the envelope, file 1240
1842	1842	with the canvassing board a protest against the canvass of such 1241
1843	1843	ballot, specifying the reason he or she believes the ballot to 1242
1844	1844	be illegal. No challenge based upon any defect on the voter's 1243
1845	1845	certificate shall be accepted after the ballot has been removed 1244
1846	1846	from the return mailing envelope. When a challenge of a voter 1245
1847	1847	certificate envelope or cure affidavit signature is r eceived, 1246
1848	1848	the ballot must be segregated; left uncounted and, if 1247
1849	1849	applicable, unopened; logged; and treated as provisional to be 1248
1850	1850	reviewed before the end of canvassing. A challenger must be 1249
1851	1851	given an identification number for the challenged ballot or 1250
1852	1852
1853	1853	HB 1203 2025
1854	1854
1855	1855
1856	1856
1857	1857	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1858	1858	hb1203-00
1859	1859	Page 51 of 116
1860	1860	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1861	1861
1862	1862
1863	1863
1864	1864	envelope, as applicable. The identification number and the final 1251
1865	1865	disposition of the ballot must be logged for use in procedural 1252
1866	1866	audits. 1253
1867	1867	Section 12. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1), 1254
1868	1868	subsection (2), and paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section 1255
1869	1869	101.62, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 1256
1870	1870	101.62 Request for vote -by-mail ballots.— 1257
1871	1871	(1) REQUEST.— 1258
1872	1872	(a) The supervisor shall accept a request for a vote -by-1259
1873	1873	mail ballot only from a voter or, if directly instructed by the 1260
1874	1874	voter, a member of the voter's immed iate family or the voter's 1261
1875	1875	legal guardian. A request may be made in person, in writing 1262
1876	1876	through postal mail, by telephone, or through the supervisor's 1263
1877	1877	website. The department shall prescribe by rule by October 1, 1264
1878	1878	2025 2023, a uniform statewide absentee ballot request form that 1265
1879	1879	must require the signature of the voter application to make a 1266
1880	1880	written request for a vote-by-mail ballot which includes fields 1267
1881	1881	for all information required in this subsection. A voter may 1268
1882	1882	request a vote-by-mail ballot if one of the foll owing applies to 1269
1883	1883	the voter: 1270
1884	1884	1. The voter is confined to his or her home or otherwise 1271
1885	1885	physically unable to vote in person, which the voter must attest 1272
1886	1886	to on the absentee ballot request form by providing an affidavit 1273
1887	1887	provided by a medical professional cert ifying a temporary or 1274
1888	1888	permanent condition. If the certification is temporary, it must 1275
1889	1889
1890	1890	HB 1203 2025
1891	1891
1892	1892
1893	1893
1894	1894	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1895	1895	hb1203-00
1896	1896	Page 52 of 116
1897	1897	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1898	1898
1899	1899
1900	1900
1901	1901	include a date on which the certification is no longer valid, 1276
1902	1902	and the vote-by-mail authorization shall expire on that date. 1277
1903	1903	For a permanent condition, no future certifica tion is required. 1278
1904	1904	2. The voter will be out of state during the entire voting 1279
1905	1905	period, which the voter must attest to on the absentee ballot 1280
1906	1906	request form by providing proof of his or her out -of-state 1281
1907	1907	location. 1282
1908	1908	3. The voter is enrolled in a program offere d in person at 1283
1909	1909	an educational institution campus outside of the county in which 1284
1910	1910	he or she is registered, which the voter must attest to on the 1285
1911	1911	absentee ballot request form by providing proof of enrollment. 1286
1912	1912	4. The voter is a first responder or medical pro fessional 1287
1913	1913	who is scheduled to work on election day, which the voter must 1288
1914	1914	attest to on the absentee ballot request form by providing 1289
1915	1915	written proof of his or her employment. 1290
1916	1916	5. The voter is a member of a uniformed service on active 1291
1917	1917	duty or a spouse or depe ndent of such member or a member of the 1292
1918	1918	merchant marine. 1293
1919	1919	1294
1920	1920	One request is deemed sufficient to receive a vote -by-mail 1295
1921	1921	ballot for all elections through the end of the calendar year of 1296
1922	1922	the next regularly scheduled general election, unless the voter 1297
1923	1923	or the voter's designee indicates at the time the request is 1298
1924	1924	made the elections within such period for which the voter 1299
1925	1925	desires to receive a vote -by-mail ballot. The supervisor must 1300
1926	1926
1927	1927	HB 1203 2025
1928	1928
1929	1929
1930	1930
1931	1931	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1932	1932	hb1203-00
1933	1933	Page 53 of 116
1934	1934	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1935	1935
1936	1936
1937	1937
1938	1938	cancel a request for a vote -by-mail ballot when any first -class 1301
1939	1939	return-service-requested mail or nonforwardable mail sent by the 1302
1940	1940	supervisor to the voter is returned as undeliverable or when an 1303
1941	1941	address verification service determines that the mailing address 1304
1942	1942	is undeliverable. If a supervisor cancels a request for a vote -1305
1943	1943	by-mail ballot, he or she must inform the voter, by all 1306
1944	1944	available means, that the voter must vote in person until the 1307
1945	1945	voter's address is updated. If the voter requests a vote -by-mail 1308
1946	1946	ballot thereafter, the voter must provide or confirm his or her 1309
1947	1947	current residential address in a written request that includes 1310
1948	1948	the voter's signature and the voter's Florida driver license 1311
1949	1949	number, the voter's Florida identification card number, or the 1312
1950	1950	last four digits of the voter's social security number . 1313
1951	1951	(b) If the voter's request meets the cri teria under 1314
1952	1952	paragraph (a), the supervisor may accept a request for a vote -1315
1953	1953	by-mail ballot to be mailed to a voter's address on file in the 1316
1954	1954	Florida Voter Registration System from the voter, or, if 1317
1955	1955	directly instructed by the voter, a member of the voter's 1318
1956	1956	immediate family or the voter's legal guardian. If an in -person 1319
1957	1957	or a telephonic request is made, the voter must provide the 1320
1958	1958	voter's Florida driver license number, the voter's Florida 1321
1959	1959	identification card number, or the last four digits of the 1322
1960	1960	voter's social security number, whichever may be verified in the 1323
1961	1961	supervisor's records. If the ballot is requested to be mailed to 1324
1962	1962	an address other than the voter's address on file in the Florida 1325
1963	1963
1964	1964	HB 1203 2025
1965	1965
1966	1966
1967	1967
1968	1968	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1969	1969	hb1203-00
1970	1970	Page 54 of 116
1971	1971	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1972	1972
1973	1973
1974	1974
1975	1975	Voter Registration System, the request must be made in writing. 1326
1976	1976	A written request must be signed by the voter and include the 1327
1977	1977	voter's Florida driver license number, the voter's Florida 1328
1978	1978	identification card number, or the last four digits of the 1329
1979	1979	voter's social security number. However, an absent uniformed 1330
1980	1980	services voter or an overseas voter seeking a vote -by-mail 1331
1981	1981	ballot is not required to submit a signed, written request for a 1332
1982	1982	vote-by-mail ballot that is being mailed to an address other 1333
1983	1983	than the voter's address on file in the Florida Voter 1334
1984	1984	Registration System. The person making the req uest must 1335
1985	1985	disclose: 1336
1986	1986	1. The name of the voter for whom the ballot is requested. 1337
1987	1987	2. The voter's address. 1338
1988	1988	3. The voter's date of birth. 1339
1989	1989	4. The voter's Florida driver license number, the voter's 1340
1990	1990	Florida identification card number, or the last four digits of 1341
1991	1991	the voter's social security number, whichever may be verified in 1342
1992	1992	the supervisor's records. If the voter's registration record 1343
1993	1993	does not already include the voter's Florida driver license 1344
1994	1994	number or Florida identification card number or the last four 1345
1995	1995	digits of the voter's social security number, the number 1346
1996	1996	provided must be verified and recorded in the voter's 1347
1997	1997	registration record. 1348
1998	1998	5. The requester's name. 1349
1999	1999	6. The requester's address. 1350
2000	2000
2001	2001	HB 1203 2025
2002	2002
2003	2003
2004	2004
2005	2005	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2006	2006	hb1203-00
2007	2007	Page 55 of 116
2008	2008	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2009	2009
2010	2010
2011	2011
2012	2012	7. The requester's driver license number, the requester's 1351
2013	2013	identification card number, or the last four digits of the 1352
2014	2014	requester's social security number, if available. 1353
2015	2015	8. The requester's relationship to the voter and an 1354
2016	2016	affirmation that the voter has not been prescribed memory care . 1355
2017	2017	9. The requester's signature (written requests only). 1356
2018	2018	1357
2019	2019	All signatures on the absentee ballot request form and 1358
2020	2020	supporting documentation shall be verified before issuing a 1359
2021	2021	ballot. Absentee ballot request forms missing any of the 1360
2022	2022	required information or documentation must be declined. A person 1361
2023	2023	who provides false information on an absentee ballot request 1362
2024	2024	form commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as 1363
2025	2025	provided in s. 775.082 , s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 1364
2026	2026	(2) ACCESS TO VOTE-BY-MAIL REQUEST INFORMATION. —For each 1365
2027	2027	request for a vote-by-mail ballot received, the supervisor shall 1366
2028	2028	record the following information: the date the request was made; 1367
2029	2029	the identity of the voter's designee m aking the request, if any; 1368
2030	2030	the Florida driver license number, Florida identification card 1369
2031	2031	number, or last four digits of the social security number of the 1370
2032	2032	voter provided with a written request; the date the vote -by-mail 1371
2033	2033	ballot was delivered to the voter or the voter's designee or the 1372
2034	2034	date the vote-by-mail ballot was delivered to the post office or 1373
2035	2035	other carrier; the address to which the ballot was mailed or the 1374
2036	2036	identity of the voter's designee to whom the ballot was 1375
2037	2037
2038	2038	HB 1203 2025
2039	2039
2040	2040
2041	2041
2042	2042	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2043	2043	hb1203-00
2044	2044	Page 56 of 116
2045	2045	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2046	2046
2047	2047
2048	2048
2049	2049	delivered; the date the ballot was receiv ed by the supervisor; 1376
2050	2050	the absence of the voter's signature on the voter's certificate, 1377
2051	2051	if applicable; whether the voter's certificate contains a 1378
2052	2052	signature that does not match the voter's signature in the 1379
2053	2053	registration books or precinct register; in the case of a 1380
2054	2054	signature mismatch, whether the voter was notified of the 1381
2055	2055	signature mismatch and sent instructions to complete a cure 1382
2056	2056	affidavit; and such other information he or she may deem 1383
2057	2057	necessary. This information must be provided in electronic 1384
2058	2058	format as provided by division rule. The information must be 1385
2059	2059	updated and made available no later than 8 a.m. of each day, 1386
2060	2060	including weekends, beginning 60 days before the primary until 1387
2061	2061	15 days after the general election and shall be 1388
2062	2062	contemporaneously provided to the divis ion. This information is 1389
2063	2063	confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and shall be made 1390
2064	2064	available to or reproduced only for the voter requesting the 1391
2065	2065	ballot, a canvassing board, an election official, a political 1392
2066	2066	party or official thereof, a candidate who has f iled 1393
2067	2067	qualification papers and is opposed in an upcoming election, and 1394
2068	2068	registered political committees for political purposes only. 1395
2069	2069	(3) DELIVERY OF VOTE -BY-MAIL BALLOTS.— 1396
2070	2070	(d) Upon a request for a vote -by-mail ballot, the 1397
2071	2071	supervisor shall provide a vote -by-mail ballot to each voter by 1398
2072	2072	whom a request for that ballot has been made, by one of the 1399
2073	2073	following means: 1400
2074	2074
2075	2075	HB 1203 2025
2076	2076
2077	2077
2078	2078
2079	2079	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2080	2080	hb1203-00
2081	2081	Page 57 of 116
2082	2082	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2083	2083
2084	2084
2085	2085
2086	2086	1. By nonforwardable, return -if-undeliverable mail to the 1401
2087	2087	voter's current mailing address on file with the supervisor or 1402
2088	2088	any other address the vo ter specifies in the request. The 1403
2089	2089	envelopes must be prominently marked " Return Service Requested 1404
2090	2090	Do Not Forward." 1405
2091	2091	2. By forwardable mail, e -mail, or facsimile machine 1406
2092	2092	transmission to absent uniformed services voters and overseas 1407
2093	2093	voters. The absent unifor med services voter or overseas voter 1408
2094	2094	may designate in the vote -by-mail ballot request the preferred 1409
2095	2095	method of transmission. If the voter does not designate the 1410
2096	2096	method of transmission, the vote -by-mail ballot must be mailed. 1411
2097	2097	3. By personal delivery to the voter after vote-by-mail 1412
2098	2098	ballots have been mailed and up to 7 p.m. on election day upon 1413
2099	2099	presentation of the identification required in s. 101.043. 1414
2100	2100	4. By delivery to the voter's designee after vote -by-mail 1415
2101	2101	ballots have been mailed and up to 7 p.m. on ele ction day. Any 1416
2102	2102	voter may designate in writing a person to pick up the ballot 1417
2103	2103	for the voter; however, the person designated may not pick up 1418
2104	2104	more than two vote-by-mail ballots per election, other than the 1419
2105	2105	designee's own ballot, except that additional ballots may be 1420
2106	2106	picked up for members of the designee's immediate family. The 1421
2107	2107	designee shall provide to the supervisor the written 1422
2108	2108	authorization by the voter and a picture identification of the 1423
2109	2109	designee and must complete an affidavit. The designee shall 1424
2110	2110	state in the affidavit that the designee is authorized by the 1425
2111	2111
2112	2112	HB 1203 2025
2113	2113
2114	2114
2115	2115
2116	2116	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2117	2117	hb1203-00
2118	2118	Page 58 of 116
2119	2119	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2120	2120
2121	2121
2122	2122
2123	2123	voter to pick up that ballot and shall indicate if the voter is 1426
2124	2124	a member of the designee's immediate family and, if so, the 1427
2125	2125	relationship. The department shall prescribe the form of the 1428
2126	2126	affidavit. If the supervisor is satisfied that the designee is 1429
2127	2127	authorized to pick up the ballot and that the signature of the 1430
2128	2128	voter on the written authorization matches the signature of the 1431
2129	2129	voter on file, the supervisor must give the ballot to that 1432
2130	2130	designee for delivery to t he voter. 1433
2131	2131	5. Except as provided in s. 101.655, the supervisor may 1434
2132	2132	not deliver a vote-by-mail ballot to a voter or a voter's 1435
2133	2133	designee pursuant to subparagraph 3. or subparagraph 4., 1436
2134	2134	respectively, during the mandatory early voting period and up to 1437
2135	2135	7 p.m. on election day, unless there is an emergency, to the 1438
2136	2136	extent that the voter will be unable to go to a designated early 1439
2137	2137	voting site in his or her county or to his or her assigned 1440
2138	2138	polling place on election day. If a vote -by-mail ballot is 1441
2139	2139	delivered, the voter or his or her designee must execute an 1442
2140	2140	affidavit affirming to the facts which allow for delivery of the 1443
2141	2141	vote-by-mail ballot. The department shall adopt a rule providing 1444
2142	2142	for the form of the affidavit. 1445
2143	2143	Section 13. Paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (1 ) and 1446
2144	2144	subsection (5) of section 101.64, Florida Statutes, are amended 1447
2145	2145	to read: 1448
2146	2146	101.64 Delivery of vote -by-mail ballots; envelopes; form. — 1449
2147	2147	(1)(a) The supervisor shall enclose with each vote -by-mail 1450
2148	2148
2149	2149	HB 1203 2025
2150	2150
2151	2151
2152	2152
2153	2153	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2154	2154	hb1203-00
2155	2155	Page 59 of 116
2156	2156	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2157	2157
2158	2158
2159	2159
2160	2160	ballot instructions on completing and returning a ballo t, a 1451
2161	2161	voter certificate envelope, an identification envelope, and a 1452
2162	2162	return two envelopes: a secrecy envelope, into which the absent 1453
2163	2163	elector shall enclose his or her marked ballot; and a mailing 1454
2164	2164	envelope, into which the absent elector shall then place the 1455
2165	2165	voter certificate secrecy envelope, which shall be addressed to 1456
2166	2166	the supervisor and also bear on the back side a certificate in 1457
2167	2167	substantially the following form: 1458
2168	2168	1459
2169	2169	Note: Please Read Instructions Carefully Before 1460
2170	2170	Marking Ballot and Completing Voter's Certificat e. 1461
2171	2171	1462
2172	2172	VOTER'S CERTIFICATE 1463
2173	2173	I, ...., do solemnly swear or affirm that I am a qualified 1464
2174	2174	and registered voter of .... County, Florida, and that I have 1465
2175	2175	not and will not vote more than one ballot in this election. I 1466
2176	2176	understand that if I commit or attempt to commi t any fraud in 1467
2177	2177	connection with voting, vote a fraudulent ballot, or vote more 1468
2178	2178	than once in an election, I can be convicted of a felony of the 1469
2179	2179	third degree and fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 1470
2180	2180	5 years. I also understand that failure to sign th is certificate 1471
2181	2181	will invalidate my ballot. 1472
2182	2182	...(Date)... 1473
2183	2183	...(Voter's Printed Name)... 1474
2184	2184	...(Voter's Signature)... 1475
2185	2185
2186	2186	HB 1203 2025
2187	2187
2188	2188
2189	2189
2190	2190	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2191	2191	hb1203-00
2192	2192	Page 60 of 116
2193	2193	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2194	2194
2195	2195
2196	2196
2197	2197	...(E-Mail Address) [Optional]... 1476
2198	2198	...(Home Telephone Number) [Optional]... 1477
2199	2199	...(Mobile Telephone Number) [Optional]... 1478
2200	2200	1479
2201	2201	(c) A mailing envelope or voter certificate secrecy 1480
2202	2202	envelope may not bear any indication of the political 1481
2203	2203	affiliation of an absent elector. 1482
2204	2204	(5) The voter certificate secrecy envelope must include, 1483
2205	2205	in bold font, substantially the following message: 1484
2206	2206	1485
2207	2207	IN ORDER FOR YOUR VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT TO COUNT, YOUR SUPERVISOR 1486
2208	2208	OF ELECTIONS MUST RECEIVE YOUR BALLOT BY 7 P.M. ON ELECTION DAY. 1487
2209	2209	IF YOU WAIT TO MAIL YOUR BALLOT, YOUR VOTE MIGHT NOT COUNT. TO 1488
2210	2210	PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING, PLEASE MAIL OR TURN IN YOUR BALLOT 1489
2211	2211	AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 1490
2212	2212	Section 14. Section 101.65, Florida Statutes, is amended 1491
2213	2213	to read: 1492
2214	2214	101.65 Instructions to absent electors. —The supervisor 1493
2215	2215	shall enclose with each vote -by-mail ballot separate printed 1494
2216	2216	instructions in substantially the following form; however, where 1495
2217	2217	the instructions appear in capitalized text, the text of the 1496
2218	2218	printed instructions must be in bold font: 1497
2219	2219	1498
2220	2220	READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY 1499
2221	2221	BEFORE MARKING BALLOT. 1500
2222	2222
2223	2223	HB 1203 2025
2224	2224
2225	2225
2226	2226
2227	2227	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2228	2228	hb1203-00
2229	2229	Page 61 of 116
2230	2230	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2231	2231
2232	2232
2233	2233
2234	2234	1501
2235	2235	1. VERY IMPORTANT. In order to ensure that your vote -by-1502
2236	2236	mail ballot will be counted, it should be completed and returned 1503
2237	2237	as soon as possible so that it can reach the supervisor of 1504
2238	2238	elections of the county in which your precinct is located no 1505
2239	2239	later than 7 p.m. on the day of the election. However, if you 1506
2240	2240	are an overseas voter casting a ballot in a presidential 1507
2241	2241	preference primary or general election, your vote -by-mail ballot 1508
2242	2242	must be postmarked or dated no later than the date of the 1509
2243	2243	election and received by the supervisor of elections of the 1510
2244	2244	county in which you are registered to vote no later than 10 days 1511
2245	2245	after the date of the election. Note that the later you return 1512
2246	2246	your ballot, the less time you will have to cure any signature 1513
2247	2247	deficiencies, which is authorized until 5 p.m. on the 2nd day 1514
2248	2248	after the election. 1515
2249	2249	2. Mark your ballot in sec ret as instructed on the ballot. 1516
2250	2250	You must mark your own ballot unless you are unable to do so 1517
2251	2251	because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write. 1518
2252	2252	3. Mark only the number of candidates or issue choices for 1519
2253	2253	a race as indicated on the ballot. I f you are allowed to "Vote 1520
2254	2254	for One" candidate and you vote for more than one candidate, 1521
2255	2255	your vote in that race will not be counted. 1522
2256	2256	4. Place your marked ballot in the enclosed voter 1523
2257	2257	certificate secrecy envelope. Completely fill out the voter's 1524
2258	2258	certificate on the back of the voter certificate envelope. 1525
2259	2259
2260	2260	HB 1203 2025
2261	2261
2262	2262
2263	2263
2264	2264	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2265	2265	hb1203-00
2266	2266	Page 62 of 116
2267	2267	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2268	2268
2269	2269
2270	2270
2271	2271	5. Insert a copy of your photo identification in the 1526
2272	2272	identification envelope. The following photo identifications are 1527
2273	2273	acceptable if you are not a first -time voter: Florida driver 1528
2274	2274	license; Florida identific ation card issued by the Department of 1529
2275	2275	Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles; United States passport; debit 1530
2276	2276	or credit card; military identification; student identification; 1531
2277	2277	public assistance identification; veteran health identification 1532
2278	2278	card issued by the Unit ed States Department of Veterans Affairs; 1533
2279	2279	a license to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm 1534
2280	2280	issued pursuant to s. 790.06, Florida Statutes; or an employee 1535
2281	2281	identification card issued by any branch, department, agency, or 1536
2282	2282	entity of the Federal Gover nment, the state, a county, or a 1537
2283	2283	municipality. 1538
2284	2284	6.5. Insert the voter certificate envelope and the 1539
2285	2285	identification secrecy envelope into the enclosed mailing 1540
2286	2286	envelope which is addressed to the supervisor. 1541
2287	2287	7.6. Seal the mailing envelope and completely fill out the 1542
2288	2288	Voter's Certificate on the back of the mailing envelope . 1543
2289	2289	8.7. VERY IMPORTANT. In order for your vote -by-mail ballot 1544
2290	2290	to be counted, you must sign your name on the line above 1545
2291	2291	(Voter's Signature). If your signature does not appear on the 1546
2292	2292	designated signature line adjacent to the voter certificate oath 1547
2293	2293	on the voter's certificate, you are required to complete a cure 1548
2294	2294	affidavit to validate your signature. A vote-by-mail ballot will 1549
2295	2295	be considered illegal and not be counted if the signature on the 1550
2296	2296
2297	2297	HB 1203 2025
2298	2298
2299	2299
2300	2300
2301	2301	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2302	2302	hb1203-00
2303	2303	Page 63 of 116
2304	2304	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2305	2305
2306	2306
2307	2307
2308	2308	voter's certificate does not match the signature on record. The 1551
2309	2309	signature on file at the time the supervisor of elections in the 1552
2310	2310	county in which your precinct is located receives your vote -by-1553
2311	2311	mail ballot is the signature that will be used to verify your 1554
2312	2312	signature on the voter's certificate. If you need to update your 1555
2313	2313	signature for this election, send your signature update on a 1556
2314	2314	voter registration application to your supervisor of elections 1557
2315	2315	so that it is received before your vote -by-mail ballot is 1558
2316	2316	received. 1559
2317	2317	9.8. VERY IMPORTANT. If you are an overseas voter, you 1560
2318	2318	must include the date you signed the Voter's Certificate on the 1561
2319	2319	line above (Date) or your ballot may not be counted. 1562
2320	2320	10.9. Mail, deliver, or have delivered the completed 1563
2321	2321	mailing envelope. Be sure there is sufficient postage if mailed. 1564
2322	2322	THE COMPLETED MAILING ENVELOPE CAN BE DELIVERED TO THE OFFICE OF 1565
2323	2323	THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS OF THE COUNTY IN WHICH YOUR PRECINCT 1566
2324	2324	IS LOCATED OR DROPPED OFF AT AN AUTHORIZED SECURE BALLOT INTAKE 1567
2325	2325	STATION, AVAILABLE AT EACH EARL Y VOTING LOCATION. 1568
2326	2326	11.10. FELONY NOTICE. It is a felony under Florida law to 1569
2327	2327	accept any gift, payment, or gratuity in exchange for your vote 1570
2328	2328	for a candidate. It is also a felony under Florida law to vote 1571
2329	2329	in an election using a false identity or false add ress, or under 1572
2330	2330	any other circumstances making your ballot false or fraudulent. 1573
2331	2331	Section 15. Section 101.655, Florida Statutes, is amended 1574
2332	2332	to read: 1575
2333	2333
2334	2334	HB 1203 2025
2335	2335
2336	2336
2337	2337
2338	2338	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2339	2339	hb1203-00
2340	2340	Page 64 of 116
2341	2341	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2342	2342
2343	2343
2344	2344
2345	2345	101.655 Supervised voting by absent electors in certain 1576
2346	2346	facilities.— 1577
2347	2347	(1) The supervisor of elections of a county shall provide 1578
2348	2348	bipartisan supervised voting for absent electors residing in any 1579
2349	2349	assisted living facility, as defined in s. 429.02, or nursing 1580
2350	2350	home facility, as defined in s. 400.021, within that county at 1581
2351	2351	the request of an elector living in the facility or the power of 1582
2352	2352	attorney for an elector living in the of any administrator of 1583
2353	2353	such a facility. Such request for supervised voting in the 1584
2354	2354	facility shall be made by submitting a written request to the 1585
2355	2355	supervisor of elections no later than 28 days before prior to 1586
2356	2356	the election for which that request is submitted. The request 1587
2357	2357	shall specify the name and address of the facility and the name 1588
2358	2358	of the electors who wish to vote by mail in that election. If 1589
2359	2359	the request contains the names of fewer than five voters, the 1590
2360	2360	supervisor of elections is not required to provide supervised 1591
2361	2361	voting. 1592
2362	2362	(2) The supervisor of elections may , in the absence of a 1593
2363	2363	request from the administrator of a facility, provide for 1594
2364	2364	supervised voting in the fac ility for those persons who have 1595
2365	2365	requested vote-by-mail ballots and voting assistance . The 1596
2366	2366	supervisor of elections shall notify the administrator of the 1597
2367	2367	facility that supervised voting will occur. 1598
2368	2368	(3) The supervisor of elections shall, in cooperation wit h 1599
2369	2369	the administrator of the facility, select a date and time when 1600
2370	2370
2371	2371	HB 1203 2025
2372	2372
2373	2373
2374	2374
2375	2375	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2376	2376	hb1203-00
2377	2377	Page 65 of 116
2378	2378	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2379	2379
2380	2380
2381	2381
2382	2382	the supervised voting will occur. 1601
2383	2383	(4) The supervisor of elections shall designate supervised 1602
2384	2384	voting teams to provide the services prescribed by this section. 1603
2385	2385	Each supervised voting team sha ll include at least two persons. 1604
2386	2386	Each supervised voting team must include representatives of more 1605
2387	2387	than one political party; however, in any primary election to 1606
2388	2388	nominate party nominees in which only one party has candidates 1607
2389	2389	appearing on the ballot, all supe rvised voting team members may 1608
2390	2390	be of that party. No candidate may provide supervised voting 1609
2391	2391	services. 1610
2392	2392	(5) Ballots must be placed in a sealed envelope for 1611
2393	2393	transport to the facility to be delivered to respective absent 1612
2394	2394	electors. Chain of custody forms must include fields for the 1613
2395	2395	name of the facility, the date, the time, the printed names and 1614
2396	2396	signatures of each person on the supervised voting team assigned 1615
2397	2397	to the facility, the number of ballots delivered to the 1616
2398	2398	facility, the envelope seal number, and the pri nted names and 1617
2399	2399	signatures of each person on the supervised voting team who 1618
2400	2400	opens the envelope. 1619
2401	2401	(6) The seal on the envelope must be maintained until the 1620
2402	2402	supervised voting team is in the facility. 1621
2403	2403	(7)(5) The supervised voting team shall deliver the 1622
2404	2404	ballots to the respective absent electors, and each member of 1623
2405	2405	the team shall jointly supervise the voting of the ballots. If 1624
2406	2406	any elector requests assistance in voting, the oath prescribed 1625
2407	2407
2408	2408	HB 1203 2025
2409	2409
2410	2410
2411	2411
2412	2412	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2413	2413	hb1203-00
2414	2414	Page 66 of 116
2415	2415	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2416	2416
2417	2417
2418	2418
2419	2419	in s. 101.051 shall be completed and the elector may receive the 1626
2420	2420	assistance of two members of the supervised voting team or some 1627
2421	2421	other person of the elector's choice to assist the elector in 1628
2422	2422	casting the elector's ballot. 1629
2423	2423	(8)(6) Before providing assistance, the supervised voting 1630
2424	2424	team must shall disclose to the elector that th e ballot may be 1631
2425	2425	retained by the elector to vote at a later time and that the 1632
2426	2426	elector has the right to seek assistance in voting from some 1633
2427	2427	other person of the elector's choice without the presence of the 1634
2428	2428	supervised voting team. 1635
2429	2429	(9) Before providing assist ance, the supervised voting 1636
2430	2430	team must verify the identity of the elector by photo 1637
2431	2431	identification and attestation by a facility administrator. 1638
2432	2432	(10)(7) If any elector declines to vote a ballot or is 1639
2433	2433	unable to vote a ballot, the supervised voting team must shall 1640
2434	2434	mark the ballot "refused to vote" or "unable to vote." 1641
2435	2435	(11)(8) After the ballots have been voted or marked in 1642
2436	2436	accordance with the provisions of this section, the supervised 1643
2437	2437	voting team shall place the completed and remaining blank 1644
2438	2438	ballots in a sealable envelope and deliver the ballots to the 1645
2439	2439	supervisor of elections, who shall retain them pursuant to s. 1646
2440	2440	101.67. 1647
2441	2441	(12) The chain of custody forms for ballots transported by 1648
2442	2442	supervised voting teams and completed by absent electors in the 1649
2443	2443	facilities must include fields for the printed names and 1650
2444	2444
2445	2445	HB 1203 2025
2446	2446
2447	2447
2448	2448
2449	2449	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2450	2450	hb1203-00
2451	2451	Page 67 of 116
2452	2452	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2453	2453
2454	2454
2455	2455
2456	2456	signatures of two supervised voting team members, the date, the 1651
2457	2457	time, the number of absentee ballots transported to the facility 1652
2458	2458	in which the elector lives, the number of absentee ballots 1653
2459	2459	completed and returned to the supervisor, the number of absentee 1654
2460	2460	ballots retained by electors to be cast at a later date, the 1655
2461	2461	voter identifications of electors who retained ballots, and seal 1656
2462	2462	numbers. 1657
2463	2463	(13) The names of electors living in the facility who 1658
2464	2464	complete ballots, the n ames of electors living in the facility 1659
2465	2465	who refuse to vote, and the names of electors living in the 1660
2466	2466	facility who retain ballots to be cast at a later date must be 1661
2467	2467	logged and reported to the supervisor of elections by the 1662
2468	2468	supervised voting team. 1663
2469	2469	(14) Cast ballots in sealed envelopes from supervised 1664
2470	2470	voting for absent electors residing in an assisted living 1665
2471	2471	facility or a nursing home facility must be returned to the 1666
2472	2472	supervisor of elections for tabulation and retention pursuant to 1667
2473	2473	s. 101.67. 1668
2474	2474	(15) The chain of custody forms for ballots transported by 1669
2475	2475	supervised voting teams and completed by absent electors in the 1670
2476	2476	facilities must include fields for the name of the facility, the 1671
2477	2477	printed names and signatures of two members of the vote counting 1672
2478	2478	center who accept custody of the cast ballots, the date, the 1673
2479	2479	time, the seal number, a checkbox to confirm that the seal is 1674
2480	2480	intact, and the number of absentee ballots received by the vote 1675
2481	2481
2482	2482	HB 1203 2025
2483	2483
2484	2484
2485	2485
2486	2486	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2487	2487	hb1203-00
2488	2488	Page 68 of 116
2489	2489	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2490	2490
2491	2491
2492	2492
2493	2493	counting center from the facility. 1676
2494	2494	(16) The county canvassing board shall validate ch ain of 1677
2495	2495	custody records for ballots received from supervised voting by 1678
2496	2496	absent electors in the facilities as the ballots are returned. 1679
2497	2497	Section 16. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) and 1680
2498	2498	subsections (2) and (4) of section 101.68, Florida Statutes, are 1681
2499	2499	amended to read: 1682
2500	2500	101.68 Canvassing of vote -by-mail ballot.— 1683
2501	2501	(1)(a) The supervisor of the county in which where the 1684
2502	2502	absent elector resides shall receive the voted ballot, verify 1685
2503	2503	that the certificate signature is a personal and manual 1686
2504	2504	signature that was not cr eated by a rubber stamp or an 1687
2505	2505	electronic machine, verify that the voter certificate envelope 1688
2506	2506	and ballot material are consistent with the quality and serial 1689
2507	2507	number sequence issued, and at which time the supervisor shall 1690
2508	2508	compare the signature of the elector on the voter's certificate 1691
2509	2509	with the signature of the elector in the registration books or 1692
2510	2510	the precinct register to determine whether the elector is duly 1693
2511	2511	registered in the county and must record on the elector's 1694
2512	2512	registration record that the elector has vote d. The supervisor 1695
2513	2513	shall also evaluate whether the photo identification provided is 1696
2514	2514	consistent with any Department of Highway Safety and Motor 1697
2515	2515	Vehicles photographs of the elector available. During the 1698
2516	2516	signature comparison process, the supervisor may not use any 1699
2517	2517	knowledge of the political affiliation of the elector whose 1700
2518	2518
2519	2519	HB 1203 2025
2520	2520
2521	2521
2522	2522
2523	2523	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2524	2524	hb1203-00
2525	2525	Page 69 of 116
2526	2526	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2527	2527
2528	2528
2529	2529
2530	2530	signature is subject to verification. 1701
2531	2531	(2)(a) The county canvassing board may begin the 1702
2532	2532	canvassing of vote-by-mail ballots upon the completion of the 1703
2533	2533	public testing of automatic tabulating e quipment pursuant to s. 1704
2534	2534	101.5612(2), but must complete canvassing of all ballots 1705
2535	2535	received at the end of election day begin such canvassing by no 1706
2536	2536	later than the end of the following noon on the day following 1707
2537	2537	the election. However, notwithstanding any such a uthorization to 1708
2538	2538	begin canvassing or otherwise processing vote -by-mail ballots 1709
2539	2539	early, no result shall be released to the state or to the public 1710
2540	2540	until after the closing of the polls in that county on election 1711
2541	2541	day. Any supervisor, deputy supervisor, canvassin g board member, 1712
2542	2542	election board member, or election employee who releases the 1713
2543	2543	results of a canvassing or processing of vote -by-mail ballots 1714
2544	2544	before prior to the closing of the polls in that county on 1715
2545	2545	election day commits a felony of the third degree, punisha ble as 1716
2546	2546	provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 1717
2547	2547	(b) To ensure that all vote -by-mail ballots to be counted 1718
2548	2548	by the canvassing board are accounted for, the canvassing board 1719
2549	2549	shall compare the number of ballots in its possession with the 1720
2550	2550	number of requests for ballots received to be counted according 1721
2551	2551	to the ballot chain of custody records and ballot reconciliation 1722
2552	2552	report, the supervisor's ballot accounting report, and the 1723
2553	2553	supervisor's file or list. 1724
2554	2554	(c)1. The canvassing board must, if the supervisor has not 1725
2555	2555
2556	2556	HB 1203 2025
2557	2557
2558	2558
2559	2559
2560	2560	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2561	2561	hb1203-00
2562	2562	Page 70 of 116
2563	2563	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2564	2564
2565	2565
2566	2566
2567	2567	already done so, compare the signature of the elector on the 1726
2568	2568	voter's certificate or on the vote -by-mail ballot cure affidavit 1727
2569	2569	as provided in subsection (4) with the signature of the elector 1728
2570	2570	in the registration books or the precinct register to see that 1729
2571	2571	the elector is duly registered in the county and to determine 1730
2572	2572	the legality of that vote -by-mail ballot. A vote-by-mail ballot 1731
2573	2573	may only be counted if: 1732
2574	2574	a. The signature on the voter's certificate or the cure 1733
2575	2575	affidavit matches the elector's signature in the registration 1734
2576	2576	books or precinct register; however, in the case of a cure 1735
2577	2577	affidavit, the supporting identification listed in subsection 1736
2578	2578	(4) must also confirm the identity of the elector; or 1737
2579	2579	b. The cure affidavit contains a signature that does not 1738
2580	2580	match the elector's signature in the registration books or 1739
2581	2581	precinct register, but the elector has submitted a current and 1740
2582	2582	valid Tier 1 identification pursuant to subsection (4) which 1741
2583	2583	confirms the identity of the elector. Tier 1 or Tier 2 1742
2584	2584	identification is co nsidered ballot material for purposes of s. 1743
2585	2585	101.572 and must be presented to any candidates, political party 1744
2586	2586	officials, political committee officials, and political action 1745
2587	2587	committee officials, or authorized designees thereof, conducting 1746
2588	2588	a cure affidavit review. 1747
2589	2589	1748
2590	2590	For purposes of this subparagraph, any canvassing board finding 1749
2591	2591	that an elector's signatures do not match must be by majority 1750
2592	2592
2593	2593	HB 1203 2025
2594	2594
2595	2595
2596	2596
2597	2597	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2598	2598	hb1203-00
2599	2599	Page 71 of 116
2600	2600	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2601	2601
2602	2602
2603	2603
2604	2604	vote and beyond a reasonable doubt. 1751
2605	2605	2. The ballot of an elector who casts a vote -by-mail 1752
2606	2606	ballot shall be counted even if the elector dies on or before 1753
2607	2607	election day, as long as, before the death of the voter, the 1754
2608	2608	ballot was postmarked by the United States Postal Service, date -1755
2609	2609	stamped with a verifiable tracking number by a common carrier, 1756
2610	2610	or already in the possession of the su pervisor. 1757
2611	2611	3. A vote-by-mail ballot is not considered illegal if the 1758
2612	2612	signature of the elector does not cross the seal of the mailing 1759
2613	2613	envelope. However, an envelope that appears to have been opened 1760
2614	2614	and resealed or that displays an unauthorized serial numbe r 1761
2615	2615	instead of an authorized serial number is considered illegal. 1762
2616	2616	4. If any elector or candidate present believes that a 1763
2617	2617	vote-by-mail ballot is illegal due to a defect apparent on the 1764
2618	2618	voter's certificate or the cure affidavit, he or she may, at any 1765
2619	2619	time before the ballot is removed from the envelope, file with 1766
2620	2620	the canvassing board a protest against the canvass of that 1767
2621	2621	ballot, specifying the precinct, the voter's certificate or the 1768
2622	2622	cure affidavit, and the reason he or she believes the ballot to 1769
2623	2623	be illegal. A challenge based upon a defect in the voter's 1770
2624	2624	certificate or cure affidavit may not be accepted after the 1771
2625	2625	ballot has been removed from the mailing envelope. A log must be 1772
2626	2626	kept of all challenges, the voter identification, the 1773
2627	2627	resolution, and the signatures compared. The log, the cure 1774
2628	2628	affidavit with accompanying Tier 1 or Tier 2 identification, if 1775
2629	2629
2630	2630	HB 1203 2025
2631	2631
2632	2632
2633	2633
2634	2634	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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2637	2637	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2638	2638
2639	2639
2640	2640
2641	2641	applicable, the envelope, and the ballot, if rejected, therein 1776
2642	2642	must be preserved in the manner that official ballots are 1777
2643	2643	preserved as election materials. The log an d decisions must be 1778
2644	2644	reviewed as part of a postelection process audit. 1779
2645	2645	5. If the canvassing board determines that a ballot is 1780
2646	2646	illegal, a member of the board must, without opening the 1781
2647	2647	envelope, mark across the face of the envelope: "rejected as 1782
2648	2648	illegal." The cure affidavit with accompanying Tier 1 or Tier 2 1783
2649	2649	identification, if applicable, the envelope, and the ballot 1784
2650	2650	therein shall be preserved in the manner that official ballots 1785
2651	2651	are preserved as election materials . 1786
2652	2652	(d) The canvassing board shall record the ballot upon the 1787
2653	2653	proper record, unless the ballot has been previously r ecorded by 1788
2654	2654	the supervisor. The mailing envelopes shall be opened and the 1789
2655	2655	voter certificate secrecy envelopes shall be mixed so as to make 1790
2656	2656	it impossible to determine which voter certificate secrecy 1791
2657	2657	envelope came out of which signed mailing envelope; however , in 1792
2658	2658	any county in which an electronic or electromechanical voting 1793
2659	2659	system is used, the ballots may be sorted by ballot styles and 1794
2660	2660	the mailing envelopes may be opened and the voter certificate 1795
2661	2661	secrecy envelopes mixed separately for each ballot style. The 1796
2662	2662	votes on vote-by-mail ballots shall be included in the total 1797
2663	2663	vote of the county. 1798
2664	2664	(4)(a) As soon as practicable, the supervisor shall, on 1799
2665	2665	behalf of the county canvassing board, attempt to notify an 1800
2666	2666
2667	2667	HB 1203 2025
2668	2668
2669	2669
2670	2670
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2674	2674	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2675	2675
2676	2676
2677	2677
2678	2678	elector who has returned a vote -by-mail ballot that does no t 1801
2679	2679	include the elector's signature or contains a signature that 1802
2680	2680	does not match the elector's signature in the registration books 1803
2681	2681	or precinct register by: 1804
2682	2682	1. Notifying the elector of the signature deficiency by e -1805
2683	2683	mail with a direct link to the supervisor's website and 1806
2684	2684	directing the elector to the cure affidavit and instructions on 1807
2685	2685	the supervisor's website ; 1808
2686	2686	2. Notifying the elector of the signature deficiency by 1809
2687	2687	text message with a direct link to the supervisor's website and 1810
2688	2688	directing the elector to the cu re affidavit and instructions on 1811
2689	2689	the supervisor's website ; or 1812
2690	2690	3. Notifying the elector of the signature deficiency by 1813
2691	2691	telephone and directing the elector to the cure affidavit and 1814
2692	2692	instructions on the supervisor's website. 1815
2693	2693	1816
2694	2694	In addition to the notification required under subparagraph 1., 1817
2695	2695	subparagraph 2., or subparagraph 3., the supervisor must notify 1818
2696	2696	the elector of the signature deficiency by first -class mail and 1819
2697	2697	direct the elector to the cure affidavit and instructions on the 1820
2698	2698	supervisor's website. Beginnin g the day before the election, the 1821
2699	2699	supervisor is not required to provide notice of the signature 1822
2700	2700	deficiency by first-class mail, but shall continue to provide 1823
2701	2701	notice as required under subparagraph 1., subparagraph 2., or 1824
2702	2702	subparagraph 3. 1825
2703	2703
2704	2704	HB 1203 2025
2705	2705
2706	2706
2707	2707
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2709	2709	hb1203-00
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2711	2711	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2712	2712
2713	2713
2714	2714
2715	2715	(b) The supervisor shall allow such an elector to complete 1826
2716	2716	and submit an affidavit in order to cure the vote -by-mail ballot 1827
2717	2717	until 5 p.m. on the 2nd day after the election. 1828
2718	2718	(c) The elector must complete a cure affidavit in 1829
2719	2719	substantially the following form: 1830
2720	2720	1831
2721	2721	VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT CURE AFFIDAVIT 1832
2722	2722	1833
2723	2723	I, ...., am a qualified voter in this election and 1834
2724	2724	registered voter of .... County, Florida. I do solemnly swear or 1835
2725	2725	affirm that I requested and returned the vote -by-mail ballot and 1836
2726	2726	that I have not and will not vote more than one ball ot in this 1837
2727	2727	election. I understand that if I commit or attempt any fraud in 1838
2728	2728	connection with voting, vote a fraudulent ballot, or vote more 1839
2729	2729	than once in an election, I may be convicted of a felony of the 1840
2730	2730	third degree and fined up to $5,000 and imprisoned for up to 5 1841
2731	2731	years. I understand that my failure to sign this affidavit means 1842
2732	2732	that my vote-by-mail ballot will be invalidated. 1843
2733	2733	...(Date)... 1844
2734	2734	...(Voter's Printed Name)... 1845
2735	2735	...(Voter's Signature)... 1846
2736	2736	...(Voter's E-mail Address)[Optional]... 1847
2737	2737	...(Voter's Home Telephone Number)[Optional]... 1848
2738	2738	...(Voter's Mobile Telephone Number)[Optional]... 1849
2739	2739	...(Address)... 1850
2740	2740
2741	2741	HB 1203 2025
2742	2742
2743	2743
2744	2744
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2748	2748	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2749	2749
2750	2750
2751	2751
2752	2752	1851
2753	2753	(d) Instructions must accompany the cure affidavit in 1852
2754	2754	substantially the following form: 1853
2755	2755	1854
2756	2756	READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE COMPLETING THE 1855
2757	2757	AFFIDAVIT. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY CAUSE YOUR 1856
2758	2758	BALLOT NOT TO COUNT. 1857
2759	2759	1858
2760	2760	1. In order to ensure that your vote -by-mail ballot will 1859
2761	2761	be counted, your affidavit should be completed and returned as 1860
2762	2762	soon as possible so that it can reach the supervisor of 1861
2763	2763	elections of the county in which your precinct is located no 1862
2764	2764	later than 5 p.m. on the 2nd day after the election. 1863
2765	2765	2. You must sign your name on the line above (Voter's 1864
2766	2766	Signature). 1865
2767	2767	3. You must make a copy of one of the following forms of 1866
2768	2768	identification: 1867
2769	2769	a. Tier 1 identification. —Current and valid identification 1868
2770	2770	that includes your name and photograph: Florida driver license; 1869
2771	2771	Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway 1870
2772	2772	Safety and Motor Vehicles; United States passport; debit or 1871
2773	2773	credit card; military identification; student identification; 1872
2774	2774	retirement center identification; neighborhood association 1873
2775	2775	identification; public assistance identification; veteran health 1874
2776	2776	identification card issued by the United States Department of 1875
2777	2777
2778	2778	HB 1203 2025
2779	2779
2780	2780
2781	2781
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2785	2785	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2786	2786
2787	2787
2788	2788
2789	2789	Veterans Affairs; a Florida license to carry a concealed weapon 1876
2790	2790	or firearm; or an employee identification card issued by any 1877
2791	2791	branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, 1878
2792	2792	the state, a county, or a municipality; or 1879
2793	2793	b. Tier 2 identification. —ONLY IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A TIER 1 1880
2794	2794	FORM OF IDENTIFICATION, identification that shows your name and 1881
2795	2795	current residence address: current utility bill, bank statement, 1882
2796	2796	government check, paycheck, or government document (excluding 1883
2797	2797	voter information card). 1884
2798	2798	4. Place the envelope bearing the affidavit into a mailing 1885
2799	2799	envelope addressed to the supervisor. Insert a copy of your 1886
2800	2800	identification in the mailing envelope. Mail (if time permits), 1887
2801	2801	deliver, or have delivered the completed affidavit along with 1888
2802	2802	the copy of your identifica tion to your county supervisor of 1889
2803	2803	elections. Be sure there is sufficient postage if mailed and 1890
2804	2804	that the supervisor's address is correct. Remember, your 1891
2805	2805	information MUST reach your county supervisor of elections no 1892
2806	2806	later than 5 p.m. on the 2nd day after the election, or your 1893
2807	2807	ballot will not count. 1894
2808	2808	5. Alternatively, you may fax or e -mail your completed 1895
2809	2809	affidavit and a copy of your identification to the supervisor of 1896
2810	2810	elections. If e-mailing, please provide these documents as 1897
2811	2811	attachments. 1898
2812	2812	1899
2813	2813	(e) The department and each supervisor shall include the 1900
2814	2814
2815	2815	HB 1203 2025
2816	2816
2817	2817
2818	2818
2819	2819	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2820	2820	hb1203-00
2821	2821	Page 77 of 116
2822	2822	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2823	2823
2824	2824
2825	2825
2826	2826	affidavit and instructions on their respective websites. The 1901
2827	2827	supervisor must include his or her office's mailing address, e -1902
2828	2828	mail address, and fax number on the page containing the 1903
2829	2829	affidavit instructions, and the depa rtment's instruction page 1904
2830	2830	must include the office mailing addresses, e -mail addresses, and 1905
2831	2831	fax numbers of all supervisors of elections or provide a 1906
2832	2832	conspicuous link to such addresses. 1907
2833	2833	(f) The supervisor shall attach each affidavit and Tier 1 1908
2834	2834	or Tier 2 identification received to the appropriate voter 1909
2835	2835	certificate vote-by-mail ballot mailing envelope. 1910
2836	2836	(g) A designee for a candidate, political committee, 1911
2837	2837	political action committee, or political party may inspect all 1912
2838	2838	ballot materials in accordance with s. 10 1.572, including Tier 1 1913
2839	2839	and Tier 2 identification necessary to accept or reject a ballot 1914
2840	2840	certificate signature match. 1915
2841	2841	(h) A voter signature mismatch on a voter certificate 1916
2842	2842	envelope that is rejected by the county canvassing board must be 1917
2843	2843	cured by the elector before his or her signature may be accepted 1918
2844	2844	and his or her vote may be counted. The elector shall complete a 1919
2845	2845	cure affidavit and return to the county canvassing board the 1920
2846	2846	affidavit and Tier 1 or Tier 2 identification. 1921
2847	2847	(i) The voter certificate envelop e, the cure affidavit, 1922
2848	2848	and the Tier 1 or Tier 2 identification are considered ballot 1923
2849	2849	materials under s. 101.572. These ballot materials provide 1924
2850	2850	supporting evidence to accept or reject a signature on a 1925
2851	2851
2852	2852	HB 1203 2025
2853	2853
2854	2854
2855	2855
2856	2856	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2857	2857	hb1203-00
2858	2858	Page 78 of 116
2859	2859	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2860	2860
2861	2861
2862	2862
2863	2863	certificate and shall be reviewed by the canvassing boa rd and 1926
2864	2864	made available to a designee for a candidate, political 1927
2865	2865	committee, political action committee, or political party. 1928
2866	2866	(j) The supervisor shall provide to the designee for a 1929
2867	2867	candidate, political committee, political action committee, or 1930
2868	2868	political party access to any materials considered ballot 1931
2869	2869	materials under s. 101.572 which are necessary to complete the 1932
2870	2870	task of cure affidavit review. A time must be arranged each day 1933
2871	2871	and made open to the public for a designee for a candidate, 1934
2872	2872	political committee, poli tical action committee, or political 1935
2873	2873	party to complete a cure affidavit review of unique returned 1936
2874	2874	cure affidavits that have been returned since the previous day. 1937
2875	2875	As long as the vote counting center is open to the public, the 1938
2876	2876	supervisor may not limit the ti me necessary for a designee for a 1939
2877	2877	candidate, political committee, political action committee, or 1940
2878	2878	political party to complete a cure affidavit review of ballot 1941
2879	2879	materials. 1942
2880	2880	(k)(g) If a vote-by-mail ballot is validated following the 1943
2881	2881	submission of a cure affi davit, the supervisor shall make a copy 1944
2882	2882	of the affidavit, affix it to a voter registration application, 1945
2883	2883	and immediately process it as a valid request for a signature 1946
2884	2884	update pursuant to s. 98.077. 1947
2885	2885	(l) A log must be kept of cure challenges levied by public 1948
2886	2886	inspectors, including the voter name, the voter identification, 1949
2887	2887	the voter precinct, the reason for the cure affidavit, the 1950
2888	2888
2889	2889	HB 1203 2025
2890	2890
2891	2891
2892	2892
2893	2893	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2894	2894	hb1203-00
2895	2895	Page 79 of 116
2896	2896	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2897	2897
2898	2898
2899	2899
2900	2900	reason the voter certificate envelope was initially rejected, 1951
2901	2901	the reason for any challenges made to the cure affidavit 1952
2902	2902	signature, the Tier 1 or Tier 2 identification, and the final 1953
2903	2903	disposition of the cure affidavit. 1954
2904	2904	1. The log, the cure affidavit, if applicable, the 1955
2905	2905	envelope, and the ballot, if rejected, must be preserved in the 1956
2906	2906	same manner that official ballots are preserved. The lo g and 1957
2907	2907	decisions must be reviewed as part of a postelection process 1958
2908	2908	audit, and cure reports must be made available to the public by 1959
2909	2909	precinct. 1960
2910	2910	2. If a designee protests a cure affidavit and the protest 1961
2911	2911	is subsequently rejected by the county canvassing boar d, the 1962
2912	2912	ballot must be counted as a cast vote and entered into the final 1963
2913	2913	vote count. The county canvassing board shall record in the log 1964
2914	2914	the reason for the protest, the reason for the protest 1965
2915	2915	rejection, the voter identification, the voter precinct, the 1966
2916	2916	reason the cure affidavit was required, and the voter 1967
2917	2917	certificate envelope that was originally rejected. 1968
2918	2918	3. Daily county canvassing board minutes must contain 1969
2919	2919	board decisions relating to cure affidavits, including the voter 1970
2920	2920	identification and precinct discus sed. 1971
2921	2921	(m)(h) After all election results on the ballot have been 1972
2922	2922	certified, the supervisor shall, on behalf of the county 1973
2923	2923	canvassing board, notify each elector whose ballot has been 1974
2924	2924	rejected as illegal and provide the specific reason the ballot 1975
2925	2925
2926	2926	HB 1203 2025
2927	2927
2928	2928
2929	2929
2930	2930	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2931	2931	hb1203-00
2932	2932	Page 80 of 116
2933	2933	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2934	2934
2935	2935
2936	2936
2937	2937	was rejected. The supervisor shall research the elector whose 1976
2938	2938	ballot was rejected as illegal using all available resources to 1977
2939	2939	determine whether the elector is still eligible to vote. If the 1978
2940	2940	elector is determined to be eligible to vote In addition, unless 1979
2941	2941	processed as a signature update pursuant to paragraph (k) (g), 1980
2942	2942	the supervisor shall mail a voter registration application to 1981
2943	2943	the elector to be completed indicating the elector's current 1982
2944	2944	signature if the signature on the voter's certificate or cure 1983
2945	2945	affidavit did not ma tch the elector's signature in the 1984
2946	2946	registration books or precinct register. 1985
2947	2947	(n) Any information not confidential or exempt from s. 1986
2948	2948	119.07(1) must be made available to candidate, political party, 1987
2949	2949	or political committee designees, including information on 1988
2950	2950	electors who are notified of a signature mismatch and 1989
2951	2951	instructions to complete a cure affidavit by the supervisor. 1990
2952	2952	Section 17. Section 101.69, Florida Statutes, is amended 1991
2953	2953	to read: 1992
2954	2954	101.69 Voting in person; return of vote -by-mail ballot.— 1993
2955	2955	(1) The provisions of this code shall not be construed to 1994
2956	2956	prohibit any elector from voting in person at the elector's 1995
2957	2957	precinct on the day of an election or at an early voting site, 1996
2958	2958	notwithstanding that the elector has requested a vote -by-mail 1997
2959	2959	ballot for that electio n. An elector who has returned a voted 1998
2960	2960	vote-by-mail ballot to the supervisor, however, is deemed to 1999
2961	2961	have cast his or her ballot and is not entitled to vote another 2000
2962	2962
2963	2963	HB 1203 2025
2964	2964
2965	2965
2966	2966
2967	2967	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
2968	2968	hb1203-00
2969	2969	Page 81 of 116
2970	2970	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2971	2971
2972	2972
2973	2973
2974	2974	ballot or to have a provisional ballot counted by the county 2001
2975	2975	canvassing board. An elector wh o has received a vote -by-mail 2002
2976	2976	ballot and has not returned the voted ballot to the supervisor, 2003
2977	2977	but desires to vote in person, shall return the ballot, whether 2004
2978	2978	voted or not, to the election board in the elector's precinct or 2005
2979	2979	to an early voting site. The retu rned ballot voter certificate 2006
2980	2980	envelope containing an uncast ballot must be marked "canceled" 2007
2981	2981	with a permanent marker. In the presence of the elector and a 2008
2982	2982	second poll worker, a member of the board shall open the voter 2009
2983	2983	certificate envelope and mark "cancele d" with a permanent marker 2010
2984	2984	across the ballot and place the ballot shall be marked 2011
2985	2985	"canceled" by the board and placed with other canceled ballots. 2012
2986	2986	However, if the elector does not return the ballot and the 2013
2987	2987	election official: 2014
2988	2988	(a) Confirms that the supervis or has received the 2015
2989	2989	elector's vote-by-mail ballot, the elector shall not be allowed 2016
2990	2990	to vote in person. If the elector maintains that he or she has 2017
2991	2991	not returned the vote -by-mail ballot or remains eligible to 2018
2992	2992	vote, the elector shall be provided a provisional ballot as 2019
2993	2993	provided in s. 101.048. 2020
2994	2994	(b) Confirms that the supervisor has not received the 2021
2995	2995	elector's vote-by-mail ballot, the elector shall be allowed to 2022
2996	2996	vote in person as provided in this code. The elector's vote -by-2023
2997	2997	mail ballot, if subsequently received, shall not be counted and 2024
2998	2998	shall remain in the mailing envelope, and the envelope shall be 2025
2999	2999
3000	3000	HB 1203 2025
3001	3001
3002	3002
3003	3003
3004	3004	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3005	3005	hb1203-00
3006	3006	Page 82 of 116
3007	3007	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3008	3008
3009	3009
3010	3010
3011	3011	marked "Rejected as Illegal 2nd Ballot." If it is determined 2026
3012	3012	that the signature on the voter certificate envelope does not 2027
3013	3013	match the voter's signature, the vote -by-mail ballot and voter 2028
3014	3014	certificate envelope must be submitted to the Office of Election 2029
3015	3015	Crimes and Security for investigation. 2030
3016	3016	(c) Cannot determine whether the supervisor has received 2031
3017	3017	the elector's vote-by-mail ballot, the elector may vote a 2032
3018	3018	provisional ballot as provided in s. 101.048. 2033
3019	3019	(2)(a) The supervisor shall allow an elector who has 2034
3020	3020	received a vote-by-mail ballot to physically return a voted 2035
3021	3021	vote-by-mail ballot to the supervisor by placing the return mail 2036
3022	3022	envelope containing his or her marked ballot i n a secure ballot 2037
3023	3023	intake station. Secure ballot intake stations shall be placed at 2038
3024	3024	the main office of the supervisor, at each permanent branch 2039
3025	3025	office of the supervisor which meets the criteria set forth in 2040
3026	3026	s. 101.657(1)(a) for branch offices used for early voting and 2041
3027	3027	which is open for at least the minimum number of hours 2042
3028	3028	prescribed by s. 98.015(4), and inside at each early voting 2043
3029	3029	site. Secure ballot intake stations may also be placed at any 2044
3030	3030	other site that would otherwise qualify as an early voting site 2045
3031	3031	under s. 101.657(1). Secure ballot intake stations must be 2046
3032	3032	geographically located so as to provide all voters in the county 2047
3033	3033	with an equal opportunity to cast a ballot, insofar as is 2048
3034	3034	practicable. Except for secure ballot intake stations at an 2049
3035	3035	office of the supervisor, A secure ballot intake station may 2050
3036	3036
3037	3037	HB 1203 2025
3038	3038
3039	3039
3040	3040
3041	3041	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3042	3042	hb1203-00
3043	3043	Page 83 of 116
3044	3044	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3045	3045
3046	3046
3047	3047
3048	3048	only be used during the county's early voting hours of operation 2051
3049	3049	if it is located inside an early voting site or inside an office 2052
3050	3050	of the supervisor and must be monitored in person by an employee 2053
3051	3051	of the supervisor's office. A secure ballot intake station at an 2054
3052	3052	office of the supervisor must be continuously monitored in 2055
3053	3053	person by an employee of the supervisor's office when the secure 2056
3054	3054	ballot intake station is accessible for deposit of ballots. 2057
3055	3055	(b) A supervisor shall designate each secure ballot intake 2058
3056	3056	station location at least 30 days before an election. The 2059
3057	3057	supervisor shall provide the address of each secure ballot 2060
3058	3058	intake station location to the division at least 30 days before 2061
3059	3059	an election. After a secure ballot int ake station location has 2062
3060	3060	been designated, it may not be moved or changed except as 2063
3061	3061	approved by the division to correct a violation of this 2064
3062	3062	subsection. 2065
3063	3063	(c)1. On each day of early voting, all secure ballot 2066
3064	3064	intake stations must be inspected to verify that n o ballots are 2067
3065	3065	present at the start of early voting hours and must be emptied 2068
3066	3066	at the end of early voting hours . and All ballots retrieved from 2069
3067	3067	the secure ballot intake stations must be returned to the 2070
3068	3068	supervisor's office using the chain of custody standards 2071
3069	3069	required under s. 101.015 . 2072
3070	3070	2. For secure ballot intake stations located at an office 2073
3071	3071	of the supervisor, all ballots must be retrieved before the 2074
3072	3072	secure ballot intake station is no longer monitored by an 2075
3073	3073
3074	3074	HB 1203 2025
3075	3075
3076	3076
3077	3077
3078	3078	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3079	3079	hb1203-00
3080	3080	Page 84 of 116
3081	3081	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3082	3082
3083	3083
3084	3084
3085	3085	employee of the supervisor. 2076
3086	3086	3. Employees of the supervisor must comply with procedures 2077
3087	3087	for the chain of custody of ballots as required by s. 2078
3088	3088	101.015(4). 2079
3089	3089	(3) If any secure ballot intake station is left accessible 2080
3090	3090	for ballot receipt other than as authorized by this section or a 2081
3091	3091	secure intake station is deployed which does not meet department 2082
3092	3092	standards, the supervisor is subject to a civil penalty of 2083
3093	3093	$25,000. The division is authorized to enforce this provision. 2084
3094	3094	Section 18. Subsections (2) and (3) of section 101.6921, 2085
3095	3095	Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 2086
3096	3096	101.6921 Delivery of special vote -by-mail ballot to 2087
3097	3097	certain first-time voters.— 2088
3098	3098	(2) The supervisor shall enclose with each vote -by-mail 2089
3099	3099	ballot three envelopes: a secrecy envelope, into which the 2090
3100	3100	absent elector will enclose his or her marked ballo t; an 2091
3101	3101	envelope containing the Voter's Certificate ; an identification 2092
3102	3102	envelope, into which the absent elector shall place the secrecy 2093
3103	3103	envelope; and a mailing envelope, which shall be addressed to 2094
3104	3104	the supervisor and into which the absent elector will place t he 2095
3105	3105	envelope containing the Voter's Certificate and the 2096
3106	3106	identification envelope containing a copy of the required 2097
3107	3107	identification. 2098
3108	3108	(3) The Voter's Certificate shall be in substantially the 2099
3109	3109	following form: 2100
3110	3110
3111	3111	HB 1203 2025
3112	3112
3113	3113
3114	3114
3115	3115	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3116	3116	hb1203-00
3117	3117	Page 85 of 116
3118	3118	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3119	3119
3120	3120
3121	3121
3122	3122	2101
3123	3123	Note: Please Read Instructions Carefully Before 2102
3124	3124	Marking Ballot and Completing Voter's Certificate. 2103
3125	3125	2104
3126	3126	VOTER'S CERTIFICATE 2105
3127	3127	2106
3128	3128	I, ...., do solemnly swear or affirm that I am a qualified 2107
3129	3129	and registered voter of .... County, Florida, and that I have 2108
3130	3130	not and will not vote more than one ballot in this election. I 2109
3131	3131	understand that if I commit or attempt to commit any fraud in 2110
3132	3132	connection with voting, vote a fraudulent ballot, or vote more 2111
3133	3133	than once in an election, I can be convicted of a felony of the 2112
3134	3134	third degree and fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 2113
3135	3135	5 years. I also understand that failure to sign this certificate 2114
3136	3136	will invalidate my ballot. I understand that unless I meet one 2115
3137	3137	of the exemptions below, I must provide a copy of a current and 2116
3138	3138	valid identification as provided in the instruction sheet to the 2117
3139	3139	supervisor of elections in order for my ballot to count. 2118
3140	3140	I further certify that I am exempt from the requirements to 2119
3141	3141	furnish a copy of a current and valid identification with my 2120
3142	3142	ballot because of one or more of the following (check all that 2121
3143	3143	apply): 2122
3144	3144	☐ I am 65 years of age or older. 2123
3145	3145	☐ I have a permanent or temporary physical disability and 2124
3146	3146	have included a copy of a doctor's note or social security 2125
3147	3147
3148	3148	HB 1203 2025
3149	3149
3150	3150
3151	3151
3152	3152	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3153	3153	hb1203-00
3154	3154	Page 86 of 116
3155	3155	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3156	3156
3157	3157
3158	3158
3159	3159	disability document. 2126
3160	3160	☐ I am a member of a uniformed service on active duty who, 2127
3161	3161	by reason of such active duty, will be absent from the county on 2128
3162	3162	election day and have included a copy of my current military 2129
3163	3163	identification. 2130
3164	3164	☐ I am a member of the Merchant Marine who, by reason of 2131
3165	3165	service in the Merchant Marine, will be absent from the county 2132
3166	3166	on election day and have included a copy of my current Merchant 2133
3167	3167	Marine identification . 2134
3168	3168	☐ I am the spouse or dependent of a member of the uniformed 2135
3169	3169	service or Merchant Marine who, by reason of the active duty or 2136
3170	3170	service of the member, will be absent from the county on 2137
3171	3171	election day and have included a copy of my uniformed services 2138
3172	3172	dependent identification . 2139
3173	3173	☐ I am currently residing outside the United States and 2140
3174	3174	have included a copy of one of the following that shows my name 2141
3175	3175	and my former Florida address and the address at which I reside 2142
3176	3176	outside the United States: 2143
3177	3177	1. Utility bill. 2144
3178	3178	2. Bank statement. 2145
3179	3179	3. Government-issued check. 2146
3180	3180	4. Paycheck. 2147
3181	3181	5. Other government document, excluding a voter 2148
3182	3182	identification card. 2149
3183	3183	2150
3184	3184
3185	3185	HB 1203 2025
3186	3186
3187	3187
3188	3188
3189	3189	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3190	3190	hb1203-00
3191	3191	Page 87 of 116
3192	3192	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3193	3193
3194	3194
3195	3195
3196	3196	...(Date)... 2151
3197	3197	...(Voter's Printed Name)... 2152
3198	3198	...(Voter's Signature)... 2153
3199	3199	...(Voter's E-mail Address)[Optional]... 2154
3200	3200	...(Voter's Home Telephone Number)[Optional]... 2155
3201	3201	...(Voter's Mobile Telephone Number)[Optional]... 2156
3202	3202	Section 19. Subsection (2) of section 101.6923, Florida 2157
3203	3203	Statutes, is amended to read: 2158
3204	3204	101.6923 Special vote-by-mail ballot instructions for 2159
3205	3205	certain first-time voters.— 2160
3206	3206	(2) A voter covered by this section must be provided with 2161
3207	3207	printed instructions with his or her vote -by-mail ballot in 2162
3208	3208	substantially the following form: 2163
3209	3209	2164
3210	3210	READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAR EFULLY BEFORE MARKING YOUR 2165
3211	3211	BALLOT. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY CAUSE 2166
3212	3212	YOUR BALLOT NOT TO COUNT. 2167
3213	3213	2168
3214	3214	1. In order to ensure that your vote -by-mail ballot will 2169
3215	3215	be counted, it should be completed and returned as soon as 2170
3216	3216	possible so that it can reach the supervisor of elections of the 2171
3217	3217	county in which your precinct is located no later than 7 p.m. on 2172
3218	3218	the date of the election. However, if you are an overseas voter 2173
3219	3219	casting a ballot in a presidential preference primary or general 2174
3220	3220	election, your vote-by-mail ballot must be postmarked or dated 2175
3221	3221
3222	3222	HB 1203 2025
3223	3223
3224	3224
3225	3225
3226	3226	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3227	3227	hb1203-00
3228	3228	Page 88 of 116
3229	3229	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3230	3230
3231	3231
3232	3232
3233	3233	no later than the date of the election and received by the 2176
3234	3234	supervisor of elections of the county in which you are 2177
3235	3235	registered to vote no later than 10 days after the date of the 2178
3236	3236	election. Note that the later you return y our ballot, the less 2179
3237	3237	time you will have to cure signature deficiencies, which is 2180
3238	3238	authorized until 5 p.m. local time on the 2nd day after the 2181
3239	3239	election. 2182
3240	3240	2. Mark your ballot in secret as instructed on the ballot. 2183
3241	3241	You must mark your own ballot unless you are unable to do so 2184
3242	3242	because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write. 2185
3243	3243	3. Mark only the number of candidates or issue choices for 2186
3244	3244	a race as indicated on the ballot. If you are allowed to "Vote 2187
3245	3245	for One" candidate and you vote for more than one, your vote in 2188
3246	3246	that race will not be counted. 2189
3247	3247	4. Place your marked ballot in the enclosed secrecy 2190
3248	3248	envelope and seal the envelope. 2191
3249	3249	5. Insert the secrecy envelope into the enclosed envelope 2192
3250	3250	bearing the Voter's Certificate. Seal the envelope and 2193
3251	3251	completely fill out the Voter's Certificate on the back of the 2194
3252	3252	envelope. 2195
3253	3253	a. You must sign your name on the line above (Voter's 2196
3254	3254	Signature). 2197
3255	3255	b. If you are an overseas voter, you must include the date 2198
3256	3256	you signed the Voter's Certificate on the line above (Date) or 2199
3257	3257	your ballot may not be counted. 2200
3258	3258
3259	3259	HB 1203 2025
3260	3260
3261	3261
3262	3262
3263	3263	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3264	3264	hb1203-00
3265	3265	Page 89 of 116
3266	3266	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3267	3267
3268	3268
3269	3269
3270	3270	c. A vote-by-mail ballot will be considered illegal and 2201
3271	3271	will not be counted if the signature on the Voter's Certificate 2202
3272	3272	does not match the signature on record. The signature on file at 2203
3273	3273	the start of the canvass of the vote -by-mail ballots is the 2204
3274	3274	signature that will be used to verify your signature on the 2205
3275	3275	Voter's Certificate. If you need to update your signature for 2206
3276	3276	this election, send your signature update on a voter 2207
3277	3277	registration application to your supervisor of elections so that 2208
3278	3278	it is received before your vote -by-mail ballot is received. 2209
3279	3279	5.a. If you have registered to vote without a driver 2210
3280	3280	license or Florida identification card and have not previously 2211
3281	3281	provided one of the following forms of identification to an 2212
3282	3282	election official 6. Unless you meet one of the exemptions in 2213
3283	3283	Item 7., you must make a copy of one of the following forms of 2214
3284	3284	identification: 2215
3285	3285	(I) A United States passport; or 2216
3286	3286	(II)(A) A United States birth certificate, United States 2217
3287	3287	naturalization papers, a consular report of birth abroad 2218
3288	3288	provided by the United States Department of State, or a social 2219
3289	3289	security card; and 2220
3290	3290	(B) An acceptable, current photo identification that 2221
3291	3291	includes your name and photograph. Acceptable photo 2222
3292	3292	identification includes a 2223
3293	3293	a. identification which must include your name and 2224
3294	3294	photograph: United States passport; debit or credit card; 2225
3295	3295
3296	3296	HB 1203 2025
3297	3297
3298	3298
3299	3299
3300	3300	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3301	3301	hb1203-00
3302	3302	Page 90 of 116
3303	3303	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3304	3304
3305	3305
3306	3306
3307	3307	military identification; student identification; retirement 2226
3308	3308	center identification; neighborhood association identification; 2227
3309	3309	public assistance identification; a veteran health 2228
3310	3310	identification card issued by the United States Department of 2229
3311	3311	Veterans Affairs; a Florida license to carry a concealed weapon 2230
3312	3312	or firearm; or an employee identification card issued by any 2231
3313	3313	branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Gov ernment, 2232
3314	3314	the state, a county, or a municipality .; or 2233
3315	3315	b. If you have registered to vote without a driver license 2234
3316	3316	or Florida identification card, you must also make a copy of an 2235
3317	3317	identification document dated within the last 2 months which 2236
3318	3318	contains the name and residence address listed on your voter 2237
3319	3319	registration application. Acceptable identification that which 2238
3320	3320	shows your name and current residence address includes a: 2239
3321	3321	current utility bill, bank statement, government check, 2240
3322	3322	paycheck, or government document (e xcluding voter information 2241
3323	3323	card). 2242
3324	3324	c. If you have registered to vote without a driver license 2243
3325	3325	or Florida identification card and meet the requirements of Item 2244
3326	3326	6., you may provide the following as proof of prior Florida 2245
3327	3327	residence: 2246
3328	3328	(I) Documents listed in Item 5.b. that are not current 2247
3329	3329	plus a current equivalent document listing your non -United 2248
3330	3330	States residence address. 2249
3331	3331	(II) A consular report of birth abroad provided by the 2250
3332	3332
3333	3333	HB 1203 2025
3334	3334
3335	3335
3336	3336
3337	3337	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3338	3338	hb1203-00
3339	3339	Page 91 of 116
3340	3340	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3341	3341
3342	3342
3343	3343
3344	3344	United States Department of State and proof that your parents 2251
3345	3345	previously resided in the State of Florida. 2252
3346	3346	d. Documents provided under this Item may be submitted 2253
3347	3347	using the same methods allowed under s. 101.68. 2254
3348	3348	6.7. The identification requirements of Item 5. 6. do not 2255
3349	3349	apply if you meet one of the following requirements: 2256
3350	3350	a. You are 65 years of age or older. 2257
3351	3351	a.b. You have a temporary or permanent physical disability 2258
3352	3352	as documented by a copy of a doctor's affidavit stating your 2259
3353	3353	disability status or a social security disability document 2260
3354	3354	provided to a voter registration official . 2261
3355	3355	b.c. You are a member of a uniformed service on active 2262
3356	3356	duty as documented by a current military identification provided 2263
3357	3357	to a voter registration official who, by reason of such active 2264
3358	3358	duty, will be absent from the county on election day. 2265
3359	3359	c.d. You are a member of the Merchant Marine as documented 2266
3360	3360	by a current Merchant Marine identification who, by reason of 2267
3361	3361	service in the Merchant Marine, will be absent from the county 2268
3362	3362	on election day. 2269
3363	3363	d.e. You are the spouse or dependent of a member referred 2270
3364	3364	to in paragraph b. c. or paragraph c. d. as documented by a 2271
3365	3365	uniformed services dependent identification who, by reason of 2272
3366	3366	the active duty or service of the member, will be absent from 2273
3367	3367	the county on election day. 2274
3368	3368	e.f. You are currently residing outside the United States 2275
3369	3369
3370	3370	HB 1203 2025
3371	3371
3372	3372
3373	3373
3374	3374	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3375	3375	hb1203-00
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3377	3377	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3378	3378
3379	3379
3380	3380
3381	3381	and provide one of the following: 2276
3382	3382	(I) Documents listed in Item 5.b. that are not current and 2277
3383	3383	a current equivalent document listing your non -United States 2278
3384	3384	residence address. 2279
3385	3385	(II) A consular report of birth abroad provided by the 2280
3386	3386	United States Departmen t of State and proof that your parents 2281
3387	3387	previously resided in the State of Florida . 2282
3388	3388	2283
3389	3389	Documents provided under this Item may be provided to election 2284
3390	3390	officials using mail, e -mail, or fax. 2285
3391	3391	7.8. Place the envelope bearing the Voter's Certificate 2286
3392	3392	into the mailing envelope addressed to the supervisor. Insert a 2287
3393	3393	copy of your identification in the identification mailing 2288
3394	3394	envelope. DO NOT PUT YOUR IDENTIFICATION INSIDE THE SECRECY 2289
3395	3395	ENVELOPE WITH THE BALLOT OR INSIDE THE ENVELOPE WHICH BEARS THE 2290
3396	3396	VOTER'S CERTIFICATE OR YOUR BALLOT WILL NOT COUNT. 2291
3397	3397	8. Place both the envelope bearing the Voter's Certificate 2292
3398	3398	and the identification envelope into the mailing envelope 2293
3399	3399	addressed to the supervisor. 2294
3400	3400	9. Mail, deliver, or have delivered the completed mailing 2295
3401	3401	envelope. Be sure th ere is sufficient postage if mailed. 2296
3402	3402	10. FELONY NOTICE. It is a felony under Florida law to 2297
3403	3403	accept any gift, payment, or gratuity in exchange for your vote 2298
3404	3404	for a candidate. It is also a felony under Florida law to vote 2299
3405	3405	in an election using a false identi ty or false address, or under 2300
3406	3406
3407	3407	HB 1203 2025
3408	3408
3409	3409
3410	3410
3411	3411	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3412	3412	hb1203-00
3413	3413	Page 93 of 116
3414	3414	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3415	3415
3416	3416
3417	3417
3418	3418	any other circumstances making your ballot false or fraudulent. 2301
3419	3419	Section 20. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) and subsection 2302
3420	3420	(2) of section 102.012, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 2303
3421	3421	102.012 Inspectors, and clerks, and absentee vote 2304
3422	3422	processing workers to conduct elections. — 2305
3423	3423	(1)(a) The supervisor of elections of each county, at 2306
3424	3424	least 20 days before prior to the holding of any election, shall 2307
3425	3425	appoint an election board comprised of poll workers who serve as 2308
3426	3426	clerks or inspectors for each precinct in the county and shall 2309
3427	3427	recruit absentee vote processing workers . The clerk shall be in 2310
3428	3428	charge of, and responsible for, seeing that the election board 2311
3429	3429	carries out its duties and responsibilities. Each inspector , 2312
3430	3430	absentee vote processing worker, and each clerk shall take and 2313
3431	3431	subscribe to an oath or affirmation, which shall be written or 2314
3432	3432	printed, to the effect that he or she will perform the duties of 2315
3433	3433	inspector, absentee vote processing worker, or clerk of 2316
3434	3434	election, respectively, ac cording to law and will endeavor to 2317
3435	3435	prevent all fraud, deceit, or abuse in conducting the election. 2318
3436	3436	The oath may be taken before an officer authorized to administer 2319
3437	3437	oaths or before any of the persons who are to act as inspectors, 2320
3438	3438	one of them to swear the o thers, and one of the others sworn 2321
3439	3439	thus, in turn, to administer the oath to the one who has not 2322
3440	3440	been sworn. The oaths shall be returned with the poll list and 2323
3441	3441	the returns of the election to the supervisor. In all questions 2324
3442	3442	that may arise before the members of an election board, the 2325
3443	3443
3444	3444	HB 1203 2025
3445	3445
3446	3446
3447	3447
3448	3448	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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3450	3450	Page 94 of 116
3451	3451	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3452	3452
3453	3453
3454	3454
3455	3455	decision of a majority of them shall decide the question. The 2326
3456	3456	supervisor of elections of each county shall be responsible for 2327
3457	3457	the attendance and diligent performance of his or her duties by 2328
3458	3458	each clerk, absentee vote processing wo rker, and inspector. 2329
3459	3459	(2) Each member of the election board and each absentee 2330
3460	3460	vote processing worker must shall be able to read and write the 2331
3461	3461	English language and shall be a registered qualified elector of 2332
3462	3462	the county in which the member is appointed or a person who has 2333
3463	3463	preregistered to vote, pursuant to s. 97.041(1)(b), in the 2334
3464	3464	county in which the member is appointed. An No election board or 2335
3465	3465	a work area of an absentee vote counting location may not shall 2336
3466	3466	be composed solely of members of one political party , except 2337
3467	3467	that; however, in any primary in which only one party has 2338
3468	3468	candidates appearing on the ballot, all clerks and inspectors 2339
3469	3469	may be of that party. Any person whose name appears as an 2340
3470	3470	opposed candidate for any office shall not be eligible to serve 2341
3471	3471	on an election board. 2342
3472	3472	Section 21. Section 102.014, Florida Statutes, is amended 2343
3473	3473	to read: 2344
3474	3474	102.014 Poll worker recruitment and training. — 2345
3475	3475	(1) The supervisor of elections shall conduct training for 2346
3476	3476	inspectors, clerks, absentee vote processing workers, and deputy 2347
3477	3477	sheriffs before prior to each primary, general, and special 2348
3478	3478	election for the purpose of instructing such persons in their 2349
3479	3479	duties and responsibilities as election officials. The Division 2350
3480	3480
3481	3481	HB 1203 2025
3482	3482
3483	3483
3484	3484
3485	3485	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3486	3486	hb1203-00
3487	3487	Page 95 of 116
3488	3488	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3489	3489
3490	3490
3491	3491
3492	3492	of Elections shall develop a statewide uniform training 2351
3493	3493	curriculum for poll workers, and each supervisor shall use such 2352
3494	3494	curriculum in training poll workers. The Department of State 2353
3495	3495	shall develop a statewide uniform training curriculum for 2354
3496	3496	absentee vote processing workers, and each supervisor shall use 2355
3497	3497	such curriculum in training absentee vote processing workers. A 2356
3498	3498	certificate may be issued by the supervisor of elections to each 2357
3499	3499	person completing such training. A No person may not shall serve 2358
3500	3500	as an inspector, clerk, absentee vote processing worker, or 2359
3501	3501	deputy sheriff for an election unless such person has completed 2360
3502	3502	the training as required. A clerk may not work at the polls 2361
3503	3503	unless he or she demonstrates a working knowledge of the laws 2362
3504	3504	and procedures relating to voter registration, voting system 2363
3505	3505	operation, balloting and pol ling place procedures, and problem -2364
3506	3506	solving and conflict -resolution skills. An absentee vote 2365
3507	3507	processing worker may not work at the absentee vote processing 2366
3508	3508	center unless he or she demonstrates a working knowledge of the 2367
3509	3509	laws and procedures relating to chain of custody, the work areas 2368
3510	3510	to which he or she may be assigned, physical security 2369
3511	3511	requirements, and problem -solving and conflict -resolution 2370
3512	3512	skills. 2371
3513	3513	(2) A person who has attended previous training conducted 2372
3514	3514	within 2 years before the election may be appoin ted by the 2373
3515	3515	supervisor to fill a vacancy on an election board or at an 2374
3516	3516	absentee vote processing center . If no person with prior 2375
3517	3517
3518	3518	HB 1203 2025
3519	3519
3520	3520
3521	3521
3522	3522	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3523	3523	hb1203-00
3524	3524	Page 96 of 116
3525	3525	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3526	3526
3527	3527
3528	3528
3529	3529	training is available to fill such vacancy, the supervisor of 2376
3530	3530	elections may fill such vacancy in accordance with the 2377
3531	3531	provisions of subsection (3) from among persons who have not 2378
3532	3532	received the training required by this section. 2379
3533	3533	(3) In the case of absence or refusal to act on the part 2380
3534	3534	of any absentee vote processing worker, inspector, or clerk, the 2381
3535	3535	supervisor shall appoint a replacem ent who meets the 2382
3536	3536	qualifications prescribed in s. 102.012(2). The absentee vote 2383
3537	3537	processing worker, inspector, or clerk so appointed shall be a 2384
3538	3538	member of the same political party as the absentee vote 2385
3539	3539	processing worker, clerk, or inspector whom he or she rep laces. 2386
3540	3540	(4) Each supervisor of elections shall be responsible for 2387
3541	3541	training absentee vote processing workers, inspectors, and 2388
3542	3542	clerks, subject to the following minimum requirements: 2389
3543	3543	(a) A No clerk may not shall be entitled to work at the 2390
3544	3544	polls unless he or she has had a minimum of 3 hours of training 2391
3545	3545	before prior to each election. 2392
3546	3546	(b) An No inspector may not shall work at the polls unless 2393
3547	3547	he or she has had a minimum of 2 hours of training before prior 2394
3548	3548	to each election. 2395
3549	3549	(c) An absentee vote processing worker may not work in a 2396
3550	3550	work area unless he or she has had a minimum of 2 hours of 2397
3551	3551	training before each election, including training for the work 2398
3552	3552	area to which he or she is assigned. 2399
3553	3553	(5) The Department of State shall create a uniform polling 2400
3554	3554
3555	3555	HB 1203 2025
3556	3556
3557	3557
3558	3558
3559	3559	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3560	3560	hb1203-00
3561	3561	Page 97 of 116
3562	3562	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3563	3563
3564	3564
3565	3565
3566	3566	place procedures manual and an absentee vote processing center 2401
3567	3567	procedures manual and adopt the manuals manual by rule. Each 2402
3568	3568	supervisor of elections shall ensure that the appropriate manual 2403
3569	3569	is available in hard copy or electronic form in every polling 2404
3570	3570	place and absentee vote processing center . The manuals manual 2405
3571	3571	shall guide absentee vote processing workers, inspectors, 2406
3572	3572	clerks, and deputy sheriffs in the proper implementation of 2407
3573	3573	election procedures and laws. The manuals manual shall be 2408
3574	3574	indexed by subject, and written in plain, clear, unambiguous 2409
3575	3575	language. The manuals manual shall provide specific examples of 2410
3576	3576	common problems encountered at the polls and detail specific 2411
3577	3577	procedures for resolving those problems. 2412
3578	3578	(a) The polling place procedures manual shall include, 2413
3579	3579	without limitation: 2414
3580	3580	1.(a) Regulations governing solicitation by individuals 2415
3581	3581	and groups at the polling place .; 2416
3582	3582	2.(b) Procedures to be followed with respect to voters 2417
3583	3583	whose names are not on the precinct register .; 2418
3584	3584	3.(c) Proper operation of the voting system .; 2419
3585	3585	4.(d) Ballot handling procedures .; 2420
3586	3586	5.(e) Procedures governing spoiled ballots; 2421
3587	3587	6.(f) Procedures to be followed after the polls close .; 2422
3588	3588	7.(g) Rights of voters at the polls .; 2423
3589	3589	8.(h) Procedures for handli ng emergency situations .; 2424
3590	3590	9.(i) Procedures for dealing with irate voters .; 2425
3591	3591
3592	3592	HB 1203 2025
3593	3593
3594	3594
3595	3595
3596	3596	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3597	3597	hb1203-00
3598	3598	Page 98 of 116
3599	3599	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3600	3600
3601	3601
3602	3602
3603	3603	10.(j) The handling and processing of provisional 2426
3604	3604	ballots.; and 2427
3605	3605	11.(k) Security procedures. 2428
3606	3606	12. Chain of custody procedures. 2429
3607	3607	13. Communications device policy. 2430
3608	3608	14. Rights and responsibilities of poll watchers at the 2431
3609	3609	polls. 2432
3610	3610	(b) The absentee vote processing center manual shall 2433
3611	3611	include, but not be limited to: 2434
3612	3612	1. Regulations governing use of cellular telephones and 2435
3613	3613	wireless networking at the absentee vote counting location . 2436
3614	3614	2. Proper communication settings and operation of vote 2437
3615	3615	counting location technologies. 2438
3616	3616	3. Procedures for management and use of portable storage 2439
3617	3617	media. 2440
3618	3618	4. Procedures for chain of custody between work areas and 2441
3619	3619	storage. 2442
3620	3620	5. Procedures for the curing of ballots. 2443
3621	3621	6. Access to and control of ballots in storage or within 2444
3622	3622	work areas during working and nonworking hours. 2445
3623	3623	7. Rights and responsibilities of public watchers at the 2446
3624	3624	absentee vote processing center. 2447
3625	3625	8. Security procedures, including building security, 2448
3626	3626	physical port security, and system cybersecurity. 2449
3627	3627	9. Beginning-of-shift procedures. 2450
3628	3628
3629	3629	HB 1203 2025
3630	3630
3631	3631
3632	3632
3633	3633	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3634	3634	hb1203-00
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3636	3636	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3637	3637
3638	3638
3639	3639
3640	3640	10. End-of-shift procedures. 2451
3641	3641	11. Rights and responsibilities of public watchers at the 2452
3642	3642	absentee vote processing center. 2453
3643	3643	12. Ballot accounting and reconciliation reports. 2454
3644	3644	2455
3645	3645	The Department of State shall revise the manuals manual as 2456
3646	3646	necessary to address new procedures in law or problems 2457
3647	3647	encountered by voters and poll workers at the precincts and by 2458
3648	3648	absentee vote processing workers at absentee vote coun ting 2459
3649	3649	locations. 2460
3650	3650	(6) Supervisors of elections shall work with the business 2461
3651	3651	and local community to develop public -private programs to ensure 2462
3652	3652	the recruitment of skilled absentee vote processing workers, 2463
3653	3653	inspectors, and clerks. 2464
3654	3654	(7) The Department of State shall develop a mandatory, 2465
3655	3655	statewide, and uniform program for training poll workers on 2466
3656	3656	issues of etiquette and sensitivity with respect to voters 2467
3657	3657	having a disability. The program must be conducted locally by 2468
3658	3658	each supervisor of elections, and each poll work er must complete 2469
3659	3659	the program before working during the current election cycle. 2470
3660	3660	The supervisor of elections shall contract with a recognized 2471
3661	3661	disability-related organization, such as a center for 2472
3662	3662	independent living, family network on disabilities, deaf servi ce 2473
3663	3663	bureau, or other such organization, to develop and assist with 2474
3664	3664	training the trainers in the disability sensitivity programs. 2475
3665	3665
3666	3666	HB 1203 2025
3667	3667
3668	3668
3669	3669
3670	3670	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3671	3671	hb1203-00
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3673	3673	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3674	3674
3675	3675
3676	3676
3677	3677	The program must include actual demonstrations of obstacles 2476
3678	3678	confronted by disabled persons during the voting process, 2477
3679	3679	including obtaining access to the polling place, traveling 2478
3680	3680	through the polling area, and using the voting system. 2479
3681	3681	Section 22. Subsections (3) through (11) of section 2480
3682	3682	102.141, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (5) 2481
3683	3683	through (13), respectively, new sub sections (3) and (4) are 2482
3684	3684	added to that section, and subsection (1), paragraph (a) of 2483
3685	3685	subsection (2), and present subsection (7) of that section are 2484
3686	3686	amended, to read: 2485
3687	3687	102.141 County canvassing board; duties. — 2486
3688	3688	(1) The county canvassing board shall be com posed of the 2487
3689	3689	supervisor of elections; a county court judge, who shall act as 2488
3690	3690	chair; and the chair of the board of county commissioners ; and 2489
3691	3691	two elected municipal officials. The elected municipal officials 2490
3692	3692	assigned to the canvassing board shall rotate among st the 2491
3693	3693	municipalities within the county so that the elected municipal 2492
3694	3694	official is different every election cycle. The canvassing board 2493
3695	3695	must have at least two members from each major political party . 2494
3696	3696	The names of the canvassing board members must be publish ed on 2495
3697	3697	the supervisor's website upon completion of the logic and 2496
3698	3698	accuracy test. At least two alternate canvassing board members 2497
3699	3699	must be appointed pursuant to paragraph (e). In the event any 2498
3700	3700	member of the county canvassing board is unable to serve, is a 2499
3701	3701	candidate who has opposition in the election being canvassed, or 2500
3702	3702
3703	3703	HB 1203 2025
3704	3704
3705	3705
3706	3706
3707	3707	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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3710	3710	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3711	3711
3712	3712
3713	3713
3714	3714	is an active participant in the campaign or candidacy of any 2501
3715	3715	candidate who has opposition in the election being canvassed, 2502
3716	3716	such member shall be replaced as follows: 2503
3717	3717	(a) If a county court judge is unable to serve or if all 2504
3718	3718	are disqualified, the chief judge of the judicial circuit in 2505
3719	3719	which the county is located must appoint as a substitute member 2506
3720	3720	a qualified elector of the county who is not a candidate with 2507
3721	3721	opposition in the election being canvass ed and who is not an 2508
3722	3722	active participant in the campaign or candidacy of any candidate 2509
3723	3723	with opposition in the election being canvassed. In such event, 2510
3724	3724	the members of the county canvassing board shall meet and elect 2511
3725	3725	a chair. 2512
3726	3726	(b) If the supervisor of electi ons is unable to serve or 2513
3727	3727	is disqualified, the chair of the board of county commissioners 2514
3728	3728	must appoint as a substitute member a member of the board of 2515
3729	3729	county commissioners or a municipal official who is not a 2516
3730	3730	candidate with opposition in the election being canvassed and 2517
3731	3731	who is not an active participant in the campaign or candidacy of 2518
3732	3732	any candidate with opposition in the election being canvassed. 2519
3733	3733	The supervisor, however, shall act in an advisory capacity to 2520
3734	3734	the canvassing board. 2521
3735	3735	(c) If the chair of the boa rd of county commissioners is 2522
3736	3736	unable to serve or is disqualified, the board of county 2523
3737	3737	commissioners must appoint as a substitute member one of its 2524
3738	3738	members who is not a candidate with opposition in the election 2525
3739	3739
3740	3740	HB 1203 2025
3741	3741
3742	3742
3743	3743
3744	3744	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3745	3745	hb1203-00
3746	3746	Page 102 of 116
3747	3747	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3748	3748
3749	3749
3750	3750
3751	3751	being canvassed and who is not an active parti cipant in the 2526
3752	3752	campaign or candidacy of any candidate with opposition in the 2527
3753	3753	election being canvassed. 2528
3754	3754	(d) If a substitute member or alternate member cannot be 2529
3755	3755	appointed as provided elsewhere in this subsection, or in the 2530
3756	3756	event of a vacancy in such office , the chief judge of the 2531
3757	3757	judicial circuit in which the county is located must appoint as 2532
3758	3758	a substitute member or alternate member a qualified elector of 2533
3759	3759	the county who is not a candidate with opposition in the 2534
3760	3760	election being canvassed and who is not an acti ve participant in 2535
3761	3761	the campaign or candidacy of any candidate with opposition in 2536
3762	3762	the election being canvassed. 2537
3763	3763	(e)1. The chief judge of the judicial circuit in which the 2538
3764	3764	county is located shall appoint a county court judge as an 2539
3765	3765	alternate member of the co unty canvassing board or, if each 2540
3766	3766	county court judge is unable to serve or is disqualified, shall 2541
3767	3767	appoint an alternate member who is qualified to serve as a 2542
3768	3768	substitute member under paragraph (a). Any alternate may serve 2543
3769	3769	in any seat. 2544
3770	3770	2. The chair of the b oard of county commissioners shall 2545
3771	3771	appoint a member of the board of county commissioners as an 2546
3772	3772	alternate member of the county canvassing board or, if each 2547
3773	3773	member of the board of county commissioners is unable to serve 2548
3774	3774	or is disqualified, shall appoint an a lternate member who is 2549
3775	3775	qualified to serve as a substitute member under paragraph (d). 2550
3776	3776
3777	3777	HB 1203 2025
3778	3778
3779	3779
3780	3780
3781	3781	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3782	3782	hb1203-00
3783	3783	Page 103 of 116
3784	3784	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3785	3785
3786	3786
3787	3787
3788	3788	3. A quorum of at least three members of the county 2551
3789	3789	canvassing board is required for all signature and provisional 2552
3790	3790	ballot review proceedings. If a quorum cannot be esta blished a 2553
3791	3791	member of the county canvassing board is unable to participate 2554
3792	3792	in a meeting of the board , the chair of the county canvassing 2555
3793	3793	board or his or her designee must designate which alternate 2556
3794	3794	member will serve as a member of the board in the place of th e 2557
3795	3795	member who is unable to participate at that meeting. 2558
3796	3796	4. If not serving as one of the three members of the 2559
3797	3797	county canvassing board, an alternate member may be present, 2560
3798	3798	observe, and communicate with the three members constituting the 2561
3799	3799	county canvassing bo ard, but may not vote in the board's 2562
3800	3800	decisions or determinations. 2563
3801	3801	(2)(a) The county canvassing board shall meet in a 2564
3802	3802	building accessible to the public in the county where the 2565
3803	3803	election occurred at a time and place to be designated by the 2566
3804	3804	supervisor to publicly canvass the absent electors' ballots as 2567
3805	3805	provided for in s. 101.68 and provisional ballots as provided by 2568
3806	3806	ss. 101.048, 101.049, and 101.6925. During each meeting of the 2569
3807	3807	county canvassing board, each political party and each candidate 2570
3808	3808	may have one watcher able to view directly or on a display 2571
3809	3809	screen ballots being examined for signature matching and other 2572
3810	3810	processes. Each county canvassing board meeting must be 2573
3811	3811	monitored by real-time video available for public viewing, and 2574
3812	3812	meeting minutes for each meeting must be published on the 2575
3813	3813
3814	3814	HB 1203 2025
3815	3815
3816	3816
3817	3817
3818	3818	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3819	3819	hb1203-00
3820	3820	Page 104 of 116
3821	3821	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3822	3822
3823	3823
3824	3824
3825	3825	supervisor's website. Provisional ballots cast pursuant to s. 2576
3826	3826	101.049 shall be canvassed in a manner that votes for candidates 2577
3827	3827	and issues on those ballots can be segregated from other votes. 2578
3828	3828	As soon as the absent electors' ballots and the provisional 2579
3829	3829	ballots are canvassed, the board shall proceed to publicly 2580
3830	3830	canvass the vote given each candidate, nominee, constitutional 2581
3831	3831	amendment, or other measure submitted to the electorate of the 2582
3832	3832	county, as shown by the returns then on file in th e office of 2583
3833	3833	the supervisor. 2584
3834	3834	(3)(a) Each day during an election, the county canvassing 2585
3835	3835	board shall review all of the following reports: 2586
3836	3836	1. Exception reports on ballot chain of custody 2587
3837	3837	documentation, including missing quantities, seals, and 2588
3838	3838	excessive transport times. 2589
3839	3839	2. Daily precinct and vote -by-mail ballot reconciliation 2590
3840	3840	reports. 2591
3841	3841	3. Daily manual cross -check reports in accordance with s. 2592
3842	3842	101.015(7). 2593
3843	3843	4. Portable data storage device chain of custody reports. 2594
3844	3844	5. Physical building and ballot storage area exception 2595
3845	3845	reports. 2596
3846	3846	6. Observer, voter, and election worker reports on 2597
3847	3847	irregularities and written objections to the counting of ballots 2598
3848	3848	with chain of custody deficiencies. 2599
3849	3849	(b) Candidates and political parties may view vote -by-mail 2600
3850	3850
3851	3851	HB 1203 2025
3852	3852
3853	3853
3854	3854
3855	3855	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3856	3856	hb1203-00
3857	3857	Page 105 of 116
3858	3858	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3859	3859
3860	3860
3861	3861
3862	3862	chain of custody forms and file written objections before the 2601
3863	3863	processing of any such ballots. 2602
3864	3864	(c) Upon completing the review required under paragraph 2603
3865	3865	(a), the county canvassing board shall take corrective actions 2604
3866	3866	as necessary, including deciding the disposition of any ba llots 2605
3867	3867	under paragraph (b), and report to the department any issue that 2606
3868	3868	cannot be resolved. 2607
3869	3869	(4)(a) Before certifying an election, the county 2608
3870	3870	canvassing board shall review all of the following: 2609
3871	3871	1. The vote-by-mail reconciliation reports outlined in s 2610
3872	3872	101.015(4)(c). 2611
3873	3873	2. The ballot, envelope, and seal accounting report 2612
3874	3874	required under s. 101.21(2). 2613
3875	3875	3. Ballot chain of custody reports from precincts, 2614
3876	3876	including reports on the transport of vote -by-mail ballots to 2615
3877	3877	permanent storage. 2616
3878	3878	(b) Any discrepancies identified in the review must be 2617
3879	3879	reported to the department. If a discrepancy involves a number 2618
3880	3880	of ballots that exceeds the margin of victory in any local race, 2619
3881	3881	the race may not be certified unless the discrepancy is 2620
3882	3882	resolved. If the discrepancy is not res olved, the race must be 2621
3883	3883	deemed invalid and a special election must be held to fill the 2622
3884	3884	office in accordance with chapter 100. If the discrepancy is 2623
3885	3885	determined to be due to chain of custody mismanagement, the 2624
3886	3886	supervisor may be removed from office. 2625
3887	3887
3888	3888	HB 1203 2025
3889	3889
3890	3890
3891	3891
3892	3892	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3893	3893	hb1203-00
3894	3894	Page 106 of 116
3895	3895	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3896	3896
3897	3897
3898	3898
3899	3899	(9)(7) If the unofficial returns reflect that a candidate 2626
3900	3900	for any office was defeated or eliminated by one -half of a 2627
3901	3901	percent or less of the votes cast for such office, that a 2628
3902	3902	candidate for retention to a judicial office was retained or not 2629
3903	3903	retained by one-half of a percent or less of the votes cast on 2630
3904	3904	the question of retention, or that a measure appearing on the 2631
3905	3905	ballot was approved or rejected by one -half of a percent or less 2632
3906	3906	of the votes cast on such measure, a manual recount using 2633
3907	3907	original paper ballots and vote r certificate envelopes shall be 2634
3908	3908	ordered of the votes cast with respect to such office or 2635
3909	3909	measure. The Secretary of State is responsible for ordering 2636
3910	3910	recounts in federal, state, and multicounty races. The county 2637
3911	3911	canvassing board or the local board responsi ble for certifying 2638
3912	3912	the election is responsible for ordering recounts in all other 2639
3913	3913	races. A recount need not be ordered with respect to the returns 2640
3914	3914	for any office, however, if the candidate or candidates defeated 2641
3915	3915	or eliminated from contention for such offic e by one-half of a 2642
3916	3916	percent or less of the votes cast for such office request in 2643
3917	3917	writing that a recount not be made. 2644
3918	3918	(a) Each canvassing board responsible for conducting a 2645
3919	3919	recount shall oversee a manual recount using original hand -2646
3920	3920	marked paper ballots and voter certificate envelopes and 2647
3921	3921	determine whether the returns correctly reflect the votes cast. 2648
3922	3922	The recount must include undervotes, overvotes, and blank 2649
3923	3923	ballots put each marksense ballot through automatic tabulating 2650
3924	3924
3925	3925	HB 1203 2025
3926	3926
3927	3927
3928	3928
3929	3929	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3930	3930	hb1203-00
3931	3931	Page 107 of 116
3932	3932	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3933	3933
3934	3934
3935	3935
3936	3936	equipment and determine whether the re turns correctly reflect 2651
3937	3937	the votes cast. If any marksense ballot is physically damaged so 2652
3938	3938	that it cannot be properly counted by the automatic tabulating 2653
3939	3939	equipment during the recount, a true duplicate shall be made of 2654
3940	3940	the damaged ballot pursuant to the proce dures in s. 101.5614(4). 2655
3941	3941	Immediately before the start of the recount, a test of the 2656
3942	3942	tabulating equipment shall be conducted as provided in s. 2657
3943	3943	101.5612. If the test indicates no error, the recount tabulation 2658
3944	3944	of the ballots cast shall be presumed correct and such votes 2659
3945	3945	shall be canvassed accordingly. If an error is detected, the 2660
3946	3946	cause therefor shall be ascertained and corrected and the 2661
3947	3947	recount repeated, as necessary. The canvassing board shall 2662
3948	3948	immediately report the error, along with the cause of the error 2663
3949	3949	and the corrective measures being taken, to the Department of 2664
3950	3950	State. No later than 11 days after the election, the canvassing 2665
3951	3951	board shall file a separate incident report with the Department 2666
3952	3952	of State, detailing the resolution of the matter and identifying 2667
3953	3953	any measures that will avoid a future recurrence of the error. 2668
3954	3954	If the automatic tabulating equipment used in a recount is not 2669
3955	3955	part of the voting system and the ballots have already been 2670
3956	3956	processed through such equipment, the canvassing board is not 2671
3957	3957	required to put each ballot through any automatic tabulating 2672
3958	3958	equipment again. 2673
3959	3959	(b) Each canvassing board responsible for conducting a 2674
3960	3960	recount where touchscreen ballots were used shall manually 2675
3961	3961
3962	3962	HB 1203 2025
3963	3963
3964	3964
3965	3965
3966	3966	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
3967	3967	hb1203-00
3968	3968	Page 108 of 116
3969	3969	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
3970	3970
3971	3971
3972	3972
3973	3973	recount the paper output from each device examine the counters 2676
3974	3974	on the precinct tabulators to ensure that the total of the 2677
3975	3975	returns on the precinct tabulators equals the overall election 2678
3976	3976	return. If there is a discrepancy between the overall election 2679
3977	3977	return and the counters of the precinct tabulators, the counters 2680
3978	3978	of the precinct tabulators shall be presumed correct and such 2681
3979	3979	votes shall be canvassed accordingly . 2682
3980	3980	(c) The canvassing board shall submit on forms or in 2683
3981	3981	formats provided by the division a second set of unofficial 2684
3982	3982	returns to the Department of State for each federal, stat ewide, 2685
3983	3983	state, or multicounty office or ballot measure. The returns 2686
3984	3984	shall be filed no later than 3 p.m. on the 5th day after any 2687
3985	3985	primary election and no later than 3 p.m. on the 9th day after 2688
3986	3986	any general election in which a recount was ordered by the 2689
3987	3987	Secretary of State. If the canvassing board is unable to 2690
3988	3988	complete the recount prescribed in this subsection by the 2691
3989	3989	deadline, the second set of unofficial returns submitted by the 2692
3990	3990	canvassing board shall be identical to the initial unofficial 2693
3991	3991	returns and the submi ssion shall also include a detailed 2694
3992	3992	explanation of why it was unable to timely complete the recount. 2695
3993	3993	However, the canvassing board shall complete the recount 2696
3994	3994	prescribed in this subsection, along with any manual recount 2697
3995	3995	prescribed in s. 102.166, and certify election returns in 2698
3996	3996	accordance with the requirements of this chapter. 2699
3997	3997	(d) The Department of State shall adopt detailed rules 2700
3998	3998
3999	3999	HB 1203 2025
4000	4000
4001	4001
4002	4002
4003	4003	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
4004	4004	hb1203-00
4005	4005	Page 109 of 116
4006	4006	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
4007	4007
4008	4008
4009	4009
4010	4010	prescribing additional recount procedures for each certified 2701
4011	4011	voting system, which shall be uniform to the extent practicable. 2702
4012	4012	Section 23. Subsections (1) and (2) through (6) of section 2703
4013	4013	102.166, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (2) 2704
4014	4014	and (6) through (10), respectively, new subsections (1), (3), 2705
4015	4015	(4), and (5) are added to that section, and present subsections 2706
4016	4016	(1) and (5) of that section are amended, to read: 2707
4017	4017	102.166 Manual recounts of overvotes and undervotes. — 2708
4018	4018	(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the 2709
4019	4019	contrary, if the first set of unofficial returns pursuant to s. 2710
4020	4020	102.141 indicates that a candidat e for any office was defeated 2711
4021	4021	or eliminated by 2 percent or less of the votes cast for such 2712
4022	4022	office, or if a candidate for retention to a judicial office was 2713
4023	4023	retained or not retained by 3 percent or less of the votes cast 2714
4024	4024	on the question of retention, the c andidate may request a full 2715
4025	4025	manual recount of the original hand -marked paper ballots cast in 2716
4026	4026	the entire geographic jurisdiction of such office in view of the 2717
4027	4027	public. Voting equipment, including tabulators, may not be used 2718
4028	4028	to sort or count ballots in the ma nual recount process. Ballot 2719
4029	4029	images may not be used as a substitute for the original hand -2720
4030	4030	marked paper ballots. Only original hand -marked ballots and 2721
4031	4031	paper output from voter interface devices may be used in the 2722
4032	4032	manual recount process. Candidates and candid ates' designees 2723
4033	4033	must immediately be provided all requested reports, chain of 2724
4034	4034	custody forms, data, and log files and any other requested 2725
4035	4035
4036	4036	HB 1203 2025
4037	4037
4038	4038
4039	4039
4040	4040	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
4041	4041	hb1203-00
4042	4042	Page 110 of 116
4043	4043	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
4044	4044
4045	4045
4046	4046
4047	4047	information from any system used during the election, including 2726
4048	4048	voting systems and other election systems. 2727
4049	4049	(2)(1) If the second set of unofficial returns pursuant to 2728
4050	4050	s. 102.141 indicates that a candidate for any office was 2729
4051	4051	defeated or eliminated by 1 one-quarter of a percent or less of 2730
4052	4052	the votes cast for such office, that a candidate for retention 2731
4053	4053	to a judicial office was retained or not retained by 1 one-2732
4054	4054	quarter of a percent or less of the votes cast on the question 2733
4055	4055	of retention, or that a measure appearing on the ballot was 2734
4056	4056	approved or rejected by one -quarter of a percent or less of the 2735
4057	4057	votes cast on such measure, a manu al recount of the overvotes 2736
4058	4058	and undervotes cast in the entire geographic jurisdiction of 2737
4059	4059	such office or ballot measure shall be ordered and conducted 2738
4060	4060	using original hand-marked ballots and paper output from voter 2739
4061	4061	interface devices in view of the public, unless: 2740
4062	4062	(a) The candidate or candidates defeated or eliminated 2741
4063	4063	from contention by one-quarter of 1 percent or less fewer of the 2742
4064	4064	votes cast for such office request in writing that a recount not 2743
4065	4065	be made; or 2744
4066	4066	(b) The number of overvotes and undervotes is few er than 2745
4067	4067	the number of votes needed to change the outcome of the 2746
4068	4068	election. 2747
4069	4069	2748
4070	4070	The Secretary of State is responsible for ordering a manual 2749
4071	4071	recount for federal, state, and multicounty races. The county 2750
4072	4072
4073	4073	HB 1203 2025
4074	4074
4075	4075
4076	4076
4077	4077	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
4078	4078	hb1203-00
4079	4079	Page 111 of 116
4080	4080	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
4081	4081
4082	4082
4083	4083
4084	4084	canvassing board or local board responsible for certifying the 2751
4085	4085	election is responsible for ordering a manual recount for all 2752
4086	4086	other races. A manual recount consists of a recount of marksense 2753
4087	4087	ballots or of digital images of those ballots by a person. 2754
4088	4088	(3) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the 2755
4089	4089	contrary, if a measure appearing on the ballot was approved or 2756
4090	4090	rejected by 2 percent or less of the votes cast on such measure, 2757
4091	4091	the Secretary of State or a county canvassing board or local 2758
4092	4092	board responsible for certifying the election in a county that 2759
4093	4093	is in the geographic jurisdiction of such measure may request a 2760
4094	4094	full manual recount of the original hand -marked paper ballots 2761
4095	4095	cast in the entire geographic jurisdiction of such ballot 2762
4096	4096	measure in view of the public. Voting equipment, including 2763
4097	4097	tabulators, may not be u sed to sort or count ballots in the 2764
4098	4098	manual recount process. Ballot images may not be used as a 2765
4099	4099	substitute for the original hand -marked paper ballots. Only 2766
4100	4100	original hand-marked paper ballots may be used in the manual 2767
4101	4101	recount process. The Secretary of State or the county canvassing 2768
4102	4102	board or local board must immediately be provided all requested 2769
4103	4103	reports, chain of custody forms, data, and log files and any 2770
4104	4104	other requested information from any equipment used during the 2771
4105	4105	election, including voting systems and othe r election systems. 2772
4106	4106	(4) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the 2773
4107	4107	contrary, upon delivery of a petition signed by at least 5 2774
4108	4108	percent of county voters, a comprehensive audit must be 2775
4109	4109
4110	4110	HB 1203 2025
4111	4111
4112	4112
4113	4113
4114	4114	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
4115	4115	hb1203-00
4116	4116	Page 112 of 116
4117	4117	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
4118	4118
4119	4119
4120	4120
4121	4121	conducted and include all paper ballots, vote -by-mail voter 2776
4122	4122	certificate envelopes, digital ballots, digital signatures in 2777
4123	4123	voter roll file alongside the corresponding digital signatures 2778
4124	4124	of vote-by-mail voter certificate envelopes, voter rolls, and 2779
4125	4125	other equipment used in the given precinct election being 2780
4126	4126	audited. The auditors for such audit must be chosen by the 2781
4127	4127	petitioning voters, and the audit must be completed in view of 2782
4128	4128	the public. 2783
4129	4129	(a) If the electors' petition concerns a single race, a 2784
4130	4130	manual audit must consist of a public manual tally of the votes 2785
4131	4131	cast in that race appearing on the ballot. The tally sheet must 2786
4132	4132	include election day, vote -by-mail, early voting, provisional, 2787
4133	4133	and overseas paper ballots. In addition, the audit must include 2788
4134	4134	data collection and signature comparison, whether in paper or 2789
4135	4135	electronic form, of all vote-by-mail voter certificate 2790
4136	4136	envelopes; paper ballots; signatures, including all signatures 2791
4137	4137	in voter registration files; voter roll files; and other 2792
4138	4138	equipment used in the voting district being audited. 2793
4139	4139	(b) If the electors' petition concerns the votes cast 2794
4140	4140	across every race that appears on the ballot, a manual audit of 2795
4141	4141	the votes cast across every race appearing on the ballot must be 2796
4142	4142	conducted. The tally sheet must include election day, vote -by-2797
4143	4143	mail, early voting, provisional, and overseas paper b allots. In 2798
4144	4144	addition, the audit must include data collection and signature 2799
4145	4145	comparison, whether in paper or electronic form, of all vote -by-2800
4146	4146
4147	4147	HB 1203 2025
4148	4148
4149	4149
4150	4150
4151	4151	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
4152	4152	hb1203-00
4153	4153	Page 113 of 116
4154	4154	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
4155	4155
4156	4156
4157	4157
4158	4158	mail voter certificate envelopes; ballots; signatures, including 2801
4159	4159	all signatures in voter registration files; voter rol l files; 2802
4160	4160	and other equipment used in the voting district being audited. 2803
4161	4161	(5) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the 2804
4162	4162	contrary, if there is a discrepancy of more than the margin of 2805
4163	4163	victory in any race on the ballot reconciliation report, a 2806
4164	4164	manual audit of original ballots, voter certificate envelopes, 2807
4165	4165	and chain of custody forms must be completed for that race, 2808
4166	4166	including all paper ballots, vote -by-mail voter certificate 2809
4167	4167	envelopes, digital ballots, digital signatures in voter roll 2810
4168	4168	files alongside the corresponding digital signatures of the 2811
4169	4169	vote-by-mail voter certificate envelopes, voter rolls, and other 2812
4170	4170	equipment used in the given precinct election being audited. The 2813
4171	4171	auditors for such audit must be chosen by the Division of 2814
4172	4172	Elections, and the audi t must be completed in view of the 2815
4173	4173	public. 2816
4174	4174	(9)(5) Procedures for a manual recount are as follows: 2817
4175	4175	(a) The county canvassing board shall appoint as many 2818
4176	4176	counting teams of at least two electors as is necessary to 2819
4177	4177	manually recount the ballots. A counting team must have, when 2820
4178	4178	possible, members of at least two political parties. A candidate 2821
4179	4179	involved in the race shall not be a member of the counting team. 2822
4180	4180	(b) Each duplicate ballot prepared pursuant to s. 2823
4181	4181	101.5614(4) or s. 102.141(9) s. 102.141(7) shall be compared 2824
4182	4182	with the original ballot to ensure the correctness of the 2825
4183	4183
4184	4184	HB 1203 2025
4185	4185
4186	4186
4187	4187
4188	4188	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
4189	4189	hb1203-00
4190	4190	Page 114 of 116
4191	4191	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
4192	4192
4193	4193
4194	4194
4195	4195	duplicate. 2826
4196	4196	(c) If a counting team is unable to determine whether the 2827
4197	4197	ballot contains a clear indication that the voter has made a 2828
4198	4198	definite choice, the ballot shall be presented to the coun ty 2829
4199	4199	canvassing board for a determination. 2830
4200	4200	(d) The Department of State shall adopt detailed rules 2831
4201	4201	prescribing additional recount procedures for each certified 2832
4202	4202	voting system which shall be uniform to the extent practicable. 2833
4203	4203	The rules shall address, at a min imum, the following areas: 2834
4204	4204	1. Security of ballots during the recount process; 2835
4205	4205	2. Time and place of recounts; 2836
4206	4206	3. Public observance of recounts; 2837
4207	4207	4. Objections to ballot determinations; 2838
4208	4208	5. Record of recount proceedings; 2839
4209	4209	6. Procedures relating to candidate and petitioner 2840
4210	4210	representatives; and 2841
4211	4211	7. Procedures relating to the certification and the use of 2842
4212	4212	automatic tabulating equipment that is not part of a voting 2843
4213	4213	system. 2844
4214	4214	Section 24. Section 104.21, Florida Statutes, is amended 2845
4215	4215	to read: 2846
4216	4216	104.21 Changing electors' ballots or voter certificate 2847
4217	4217	envelopes.— 2848
4218	4218	(1) Whoever fraudulently changes or attempts to change the 2849
4219	4219	vote or ballot of any elector, by which actions such elector is 2850
4220	4220
4221	4221	HB 1203 2025
4222	4222
4223	4223
4224	4224
4225	4225	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
4226	4226	hb1203-00
4227	4227	Page 115 of 116
4228	4228	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
4229	4229
4230	4230
4231	4231
4232	4232	prevented from voting such ballot or from voting such ballot as 2851
4233	4233	the elector intended, is guilty of a felony of the third degree, 2852
4234	4234	punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 2853
4235	4235	(2) An election worker who changes any information or 2854
4236	4236	marking on a voter certificate envelope in an attempt to cure an 2855
4237	4237	envelope deficiency commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, 2856
4238	4238	punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. 2857
4239	4239	Section 25. Section 104.291, Florida Statutes, is created 2858
4240	4240	to read: 2859
4241	4241	104.291 False representation of poll watcher 2860
4242	4242	identification.—A poll watcher who w ears a poll watcher 2861
4243	4243	identification badge that belongs to another person commits a 2862
4244	4244	misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 2863
4245	4245	775.082 or s. 775.083. 2864
4246	4246	Section 26. Section 104.30, Florida Statutes, is amended 2865
4247	4247	to read: 2866
4248	4248	104.30 Voting system; unlawful possession; tampering. — 2867
4249	4249	(1) Any unauthorized person who unlawfully has possession 2868
4250	4250	of any voting system, components, or key thereof commits is 2869
4251	4251	guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as 2870
4252	4252	provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. 2871
4253	4253	(2) Any person who tampers or attempts to tamper with or 2872
4254	4254	destroy any voting system or equipment with the intention of 2873
4255	4255	interfering with the election process or the results thereof 2874
4256	4256	commits is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as 2875
4257	4257
4258	4258	HB 1203 2025
4259	4259
4260	4260
4261	4261
4262	4262	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
4263	4263	hb1203-00
4264	4264	Page 116 of 116
4265	4265	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
4266	4266
4267	4267
4268	4268
4269	4269	provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 2876
4270	4270	(3) Any person who without lawful authorization prints a 2877
4271	4271	ballot or voter certificate envelope that appears to be a valid 2878
4272	4272	ballot or voter certificate envelope in this state commits a 2879
4273	4273	felony of the third degree, pun ishable as provided in s. 2880
4274	4274	775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 2881
4275	4275	Section 27. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 2882