Purpose
This rule deals exclusively with the request, delivery and return of absentee ballots to overseas military and other U.S. citizens who are overseas. The changes focus on updating the rule in four ways. The title of the rule is changed to read as “Absentee Ballots for Overseas Military and Civilian Voters.” Proposed revisions conform to the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (Public law 111-84) which facilitated voting for military voters and overseas civilian including allowing e-mail to be used to communicate and transmit absentee ballot requests and blank ballots to voters subject to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). The proposed revisions also allow an overseas military or civilian registered voter to return via e-mail voted absentee ballots and remove outdated approval process for pilot programs for secured transmission of ballots. The ballot instructions are also amended to conform to sections 38 and 41 of Chapter 2011-40, Laws of Florida, which became effective May 19, 2011. If adopted, these revisions to this rule will not require legislative ratification in order to become effective. No statement of estimated regulatory cost is triggered; therefore none is prepared.