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<section article="gel" article_name="Election Law" number="9-310" title_number="9" title_name="Voting" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Absentee Voting">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This subsection applies only to an absentee ballot that is sent by mail.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>An absentee ballot shall be enclosed in specially printed envelopes, the form and content of which shall be prescribed by the State Board.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The outgoing envelope shall include a statement, prominently placed, requesting that the recipient return the absentee ballot to the local board if the intended recipient no longer lives at that address.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A local board may use either two envelopes or three envelopes.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If two envelopes are used, the inner envelope shall be designated the “ballot/return envelope”, and, when issued, it shall fit inside the envelope designated the “outgoing envelope”.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>If three envelopes are used, the innermost envelope shall be designated the “ballot envelope”, which shall fit inside the envelope designated the “return envelope”, both of which, when issued, shall fit inside the envelope designated the “outgoing envelope”.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The ballot/return envelope described under subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph and the return envelope described under subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph provided to a voter voting by absentee ballot shall include prepaid postage.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>An absentee ballot shall be accompanied by instructions for postage of the ballot/return envelope or the return envelope.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The instructions for postage shall include:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>a statement that the ballot/return envelope or return envelope includes prepaid postage and may be mailed as is; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>directions for how a voter may attach postage for the purpose of reducing the costs of the local board.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>When voted and returned to the local board, an absentee ballot shall be enclosed in a ballot envelope or ballot/return envelope, on which has been printed an oath prescribed by the State Board.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The State Board shall reimburse each local board for 50% of the cost of prepaid postage included on ballot/return envelopes or return envelopes provided to a voter voting by absentee ballot under subsection (a)(3)(iv) of this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>If an absentee ballot is sent by the Internet or facsimile transmission, the local board shall provide the voter with an envelope template, the oath prescribed by the State Board, and instructions for marking and returning the absentee ballot.</text>
  </level>
</section>
