UPDATE: Absentee Ballots and homebound voters

Important information:
what materials the absentee ballot voter receives in the mail, and instructions on how to fill out the absentee ballot correctly.

Materials Received

A registered voter has sent in the Absentee Ballot Application form. Sometime during October, this voter receives a large envelope from the county. It contains a ballot, and two envelopes. The ballot is identical to the ones used at the polls, and is filled out the same way. The larger envelope is the return envelope. It is pre-addressed, and has postage paid for domestic mail. The smaller envelope has a label with the voter's name and address. It is critical for ballot secrecy, and eliminating voting fraud.

How to fill out the Absentee Ballot

If a voter is using the absentee ballot at home, he or she (BEGIN BOLD)needs another registered voter to be present as a witness(END BOLD). In the presence of this witness, the absentee ballot voter fills out the ballot, just like we do at the polls. He or she then puts the completed ballot into the smaller envelope with the identifying label, and seals the envelope. (This ensures the secret ballot. The next person to open the envelope is an election judge at the voter's precinct.) The absentee ballot voter then signs and dates the envelope, stating that he or she is the person named on the label, the person who filled out the ballot, and then put the ballot in the envelope. (This is the first step to eliminate voting fraud.) The witness (who is also a registered voter) then signs and dates the same envelope, giving his or her address to verify he or she is a legitimately registered voter. In doing so, he states that he witnessed the correct voter filling out the ballot and sealing the ballot in the envelope. This is the second safeguard to eliminate voting fraud.

The smaller envelope, which is signed and dated by the two registered voters, is put into the larger return envelope. The return envelope (with postage prepaid) is mailed a week before Election Day. This is to ensure that election officials receive it before Election Day. Any absentee ballots received after Election Day are not counted.