SPONSOR:	Rep. Jaques & Rep. Kowalko & Rep. D.E. Williams & Sen. Henry
	Reps. Baumbach, Heffernan, J. Johnson, Mitchell, Osienski, Viola; Sens. Sokola, Townsend

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

147th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 20

AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE V OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE RELATING TO VOTING.

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 Article V, §4A of the Constitution of the State of Delaware, by making insertions as shown by underlining and deletions as shown by strike through as follows:

§ 4A. General laws for absentee voting.

Section 4A. 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 his or her ballot at any general election at the regular polling place of the election district in which he or she is registered, either because of being in the public service of the United States or of this State, or his or her spouse or dependents when residing with or accompanying him or her because of the nature of his or her business or occupation, because of his or her sickness or physical disability, because of his or her absence from the district while on vacation, or because of the tenets or teachings of his or her religion, may cast a ballot at such general election to be counted in such election district.

The General Assembly shall enact general laws providing the circumstances, rules and procedures by which registered voters may vote by absentee ballot.

SYNOPSIS

This is the first leg of a constitutional amendment that would eliminate from the Delaware Constitution the requirements as to when a person may vote by absentee ballot. This amendment to the Delaware Constitution provides that the General Assembly shall enact general laws providing the circumstances, rules and procedures for absentee voting.