A. An emergency response provider may benefit from the ability to apply for a mailed ballot and to return the marked ballot in the same manner as provided in the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act for federal qualified electors; provided that the emergency response provider may not use the federal postcard application or the federal write-in absentee ballot.

B. The county clerk shall transmit to, receive from and process a mailed ballot of an emergency response provider in the same manner as provided in the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act for a federal qualified elector.

C. As used in this section, "emergency response provider" means a resident of this state who otherwise satisfies this state's voter eligibility requirements and who, in response to an emergency, is temporarily assigned by a governmental or nongovernmental relief agency or employer to provide support to the victims of the emergency or to rebuild the infrastructure in the affected area and:

(1) the assignment is for a period beginning on or after the thirty-five days immediately prior to an election;

(2) the affected area is outside the individual's county of residence; and

(3) the president of the United States or the governor of a state has declared an emergency in the affected area.

History: Laws 2015, ch. 145, § 33; 2019, ch. 212, § 84.

The 2019 amendment, effective April 3, 2019, replaced "absentee ballot" with "mailed ballot" throughout the section.

Applicability. — Laws 2015, ch. 145, § 102 provided that the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act is applicable to any federal postcard application received as of the first day of the current election cycle.