Reference is to Printer's Date 3/7/13-H.
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by deleting all after the enacting words and inserting:
/ SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 13, Title 7 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 7-13-25.
(A) Notwithstanding the provisions of
this chapter or Chapter 5 of this title, the authority charged
by law with conducting an election shall establish a procedure
by which a qualified elector may cast his ballot, without
excuse, during an early voting period for all elections. The
qualified elector may cast a ballot during an early voting
period pursuant to this section.
(B) Early voting
centers must be established and maintained to ensure that voters
may cast only one ballot.
(C) A qualified elector
may cast his ballot at an early voting center in the county in
which he resides.
(D) Each county board
of registration and elections must establish at least one early
voting center and may establish up to three early voting
centers. The county board of registration and elections shall
determine the location of the early voting center or centers.
Each early voting center must be supervised by election
commission employees.
(E) The early voting
period begins ten days before an election and ends three days
prior to the election.
(F) The county board of
registration and elections shall determine the hours of
operation for the early voting center or centers; however:
(1)
for any election, the early voting centers shall not open
on Sundays;
(2)
for statewide primaries and general elections, the early
voting centers must be open for two Saturdays within the early
voting period; and
(3)
for any election that is not a statewide primary or
general election, the county board of registration and elections
shall determine whether to open or not to open the early voting
centers on Saturdays during the early voting period.
(G) In addition to the
early voting centers established pursuant to this section, a
county board of registration and elections may authorize up to
two additional early voting centers if the county board of
registration and elections finds there is a need for additional
early voting centers after holding a public hearing on the
matter. The county board of registration and elections will
determine the location of the early voting center or
centers.
(H) A sign must be
posted prominently in the early voting center and shall have
printed on it: 'VOTING MORE THAN ONCE IS A MISDEMEANOR AND, UPON
CONVICTION, A PERSON MUST BE FINED IN THE DISCRETION OF THE
COURT OR IMPRISONED NOT MORE THAN THREE YEARS'."
(I) The provision of
this section do not apply to presidential preference primaries
held pursuant to Section 7-11-20."
SECTION 2. Section 7-3-20(C) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 265 of 2012, is further amended by adding:
"(14) enter into the master file a separate designation each for voters casting absentee ballots and early ballots in a general election."
SECTION 3. Section 7-15-320 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 43 of 2011, is further amended by adding:
"(C) A qualified
elector may vote during the early voting period pursuant to
Section 7-13-25."
SECTION 4. This act
takes effect upon approval by the Governor. /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.