BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (Two-thirds of all members elected to each house thereof concurring therein):
Section 1. Amend § 4A, Article V of the Delaware Constitution by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
§ 4A.
General laws for absentee voting
Right to vote by absentee ballot without an excuse
.
The General Assembly shall enact general laws providing that any qualified elector of this State, duly registered, who shall be unable to appear to cast a ballot at any general election at the regular polling place of the election district in which the qualified elector is registered, because of being in the public service of the United States or of this State, because of being a spouse or dependent when residing with or accompanying the qualified elector who is in the public service of the United States or of this State, because of the nature of the qualified elector’s business or occupation, because of the qualified elector’s sickness or physical disability, because of the qualified elector’s absence from the district while on vacation, or because of the qualified elector’s religious tenets or teachings, may cast a ballot at such general election to be counted in such election district.
(a) A qualified elector of this State who is duly registered has the right to vote by absentee ballot without an excuse.
(b) When voting by absentee ballot, the following must occur:
(1)a. An absentee ballot must be requested for an election occurring in an election cycle.
b. If a request for an absentee ballot is made once in an election cycle no further requests are required to receive absentee ballots for elections occurring in that election cycle.
c. For purposes of paragraph (b)(1)a. of this Section, “election cycle” means the day after the date of the most recent general election through the date of the next general election.
(2) Each absentee ballot must contain an oath or affirmation that the qualified elector’s vote is free from improper influence.
Section 2. Amend § 3, Article V of the Delaware Constitution by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
§ 3. Influencing voter; loss of vote; challenge; oath and affirmation;
perjury
perjury; oath or affirmation for voting by absentee ballot
.
(c) The oath or affirmation required under Section 4A of this Article for voting by absentee ballot is in lieu of the oath or affirmation required under this Section.
