Prohibits the delivery of an absentee ballot or an application therefore to an address associated with a candidate's campaign

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Andrew Lanza

Prohibits delivering absentee ballots or ballot applications to any address tied to a candidate's campaign, reducing campaign-address delivery and boosting voter privacy.

REFERRED TO ELECTIONS

Overview

Bill Number: S 7252

Title: Prohibits the delivery of an absentee ballot or an application therefore to an address associated with a candidate's campaign

Status: Referred to Elections (listed twice in actions)

Introduced: April 7, 2025

Sponsor: Andrew J. Lanza (primary)

Related Bills: S 6653 (prior-session)

Purpose and Intent

This bill aims to restrict where absentee ballots and their applications can be delivered by prohibiting delivery to addresses that are associated with a candidate's campaign. The underlying intent appears to be preventing campaign-associated addresses from being used as the delivery point for absentee ballots, thereby reducing potential misuse or manipulation of ballot delivery.

Key Provisions (based on provided information)

Primary Prohibition: Absentee ballots and/or their applications may not be delivered to an address that is associated with a candidate's campaign.

Delivery Scope: The prohibition covers the delivery of both the absentee ballot itself and the application used to request such a ballot.

Definitions and Implementation Details: The text provided does not include specific definitions of what constitutes an “address associated with a candidate's campaign” or the precise delivery mechanisms. Full statutory text would define these terms and the method of enforcement.

Who Would Be Affected

Voters: Likely benefit from increased assurance that ballot materials are delivered to voter-designated addresses rather than campaign addresses.

Campaigns and Campaign Staff: Would need to avoid listing or using campaign addresses as delivery points for absentee ballots or ballot applications, and may need to adjust procedures accordingly.

Election Officials/Administrators: Responsible for implementing and enforcing the delivery restriction, including address verification and compliance monitoring.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Current Stage: Referred to Elections, indicating the bill is in committee review.

Actions Logged: Two identical entries showing the same committee referral date (April 7, 2025).

Next Steps: Committee hearings, potential amendments, and a floor vote in the chamber, followed by passage through the legislative process.

Context and Considerations

Related Legislation: S 6653 from a prior session suggests a continued interest in regulating absentee ballot delivery addresses.

Unspecified Details: The summary provided does not include definitions, penalties, enforcement mechanisms, or effective date. The full bill text would clarify these elements.

Potential Impacts

Positive: Reduces risk of ballot delivery being associated with campaigns, which may enhance voter privacy and reduce potential coercion or misuse.

Implementation Considerations: Clarity on what constitutes a “campaign address,” how delivery verification will be performed, and any transitional guidelines for existing processes.

For voters and stakeholders tracking this measure, watch for committee hearings and subsequent amendments that define key terms and establish enforcement procedures.

Bill