SB364 - Elections; protection of election officials, penalty.

1 Co-Sponsor

Elections; protection of electors and election officials; penalties. Adds to the list of protected voters any current or former elector for President and Vice President of the United States and any person who is or has been a member of the State Board of Elections, the Commissioner of Elections, an employee of the Department of Elections, a member of a local electoral board, a general registrar, a deputy registrar, an employee in the office of the general registrar, or an officer of election. Protected voters are permitted by law to provide on the application for voter registration, in addition to the voter's residence street address, a post office box address located within the Commonwealth, which would be the address included on (i) lists of registered voters and persons who voted, (ii) voter registration records made available for public inspection, and (iii) lists of absentee voter applicants. Elections; protection of electors and election officials; penalties. Adds to the list of protected voters any current or former elector for President and Vice President of the United States and any person who is or has been a member of the State Board of Elections, the Commissioner of Elections, an employee of the Department of Elections, a member of a local electoral board, a general registrar, a deputy registrar, an employee in the office of the general registrar, or an officer of election. Protected voters are permitted by law to provide on the application for voter registration, in addition to the voter's residence street address, a post office box address located within the Commonwealth, which would be the address included on (i) lists of registered voters and persons who voted, (ii) voter registration records made available for public inspection, and (iii) lists of absentee voter applicants. The bill makes it a Class 5 felony to, by bribery, intimidation, threats, coercion, or other means in violation of election laws, willfully and intentionally hinder or prevent an election official or employee of an election official from administering elections. Under current law, it is only a Class 5 felony to hinder or prevent an officer of election at a location being used for voting from holding an election. The bill also makes it a Class 5 felony to commit such acts against an elector for President and Vice President of the United States. The bill creates a civil action for any election official, employee of an election official, or elector who is intimidated, threatened, or coerced by another person who thereby willfully and intentionally hinders or prevents, or attempts to hinder or prevent, such official, employee, or elector from fulfilling his duty.