In-person absentee voting; require use of OMR equipment and establish security measures and procedure to challenge.

New Section 26 requires the Secretary of State to direct the Office of the Circuit Clerk to generate a daily report via OMR equipment tabulating the total number of in-person absentee ballots cast each day during the in-person absentee voting period. The circuit clerk must make this report available to the public upon request.

The bill now prescribes the exact form of the elector's certificate for in-person absentee ballot applications, including explicit criminal penalty language: vote fraud carries up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine; voter intimidation carries up to 1 year in jail and a $1,000 fine. A separate 'Certificate of Person Providing Voter Assistance' form is also prescribed.

Section 23-15-595 was amended so that the requirement to finish tabulating all returns and counting all ballots on the night of the election now excludes affidavit ballots. Previously, all ballots had to be counted that night; now only ballots other than affidavit ballots must be.

A new requirement was added that the application and elector's certificate for in-person absentee voting must be printed no less than 45 days before the election, giving registrars a longer preparation window.

The resolution board training requirement was changed from 'not less than five (5) days before each election and before the absentee voting period begins' to simply 'not less than five (5) days before each election,' removing the separate requirement that training be completed before the absentee voting period starts.

Section 23-15-523 is now 'brought forward' rather than directly amended, meaning it is presented for possible amendment in a future legislative session rather than being changed by this act.