§780.__Absentee ballots; application

A uniformed service voter or an overseas voter may request an absentee ballot as provided in section 753-A or by submitting a federal application or form requesting an absentee ballot.__Prior to the time when regular absentee ballots are available, if an applicant requests a blank write- in absentee ballot or indicates that it takes more than 6 weeks to receive and return mail to the applicant's location, the clerk shall send a blank write-in absentee ballot to the voter.__Once the regular absentee ballots become available, the clerk shall issue a regular absentee ballot in response to any request under this section.__If the clerk has issued a blank write-in absentee ballot to a voter before the regular absentee ballots become available, the clerk may send a regular absentee ballot to the voter, following the procedures for issuing a 2nd absentee ballot under section 753-B.

Sec. 29. 21-A MRSA §781, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 161, §6, is repealed.

Sec. 30. 21-A MRSA §781-A is enacted to read:

§781-A.__Absentee ballot application; procedure on receipt

Upon receipt of an application, written request or telephone application for an absentee ballot that is accepted pursuant to section 753-A, the clerk shall immediately issue an absentee ballot and return envelope by mail or in person to the applicant or to the immediate family member or to a 3rd person designated in a written application or request made by the voter.__The clerk shall type or write in ink the name and the residence address of the voter in the designated section of the return envelope.__The Secretary of State shall provide a return envelope which moves free of postage under federal law.

Sec. 31. 21-A MRSA §§782 and 783, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 161, §6, are amended to read:

§782. Absentee ballots; procedure on return

On receipt of a return envelope apparently containing an absentee ballot, the clerk shall note the date and time of delivery on it and deliver it to the registrar follow the procedures for regular absentee voting under this subchapter. The registrar shall certify on the envelope whether the person whose name appears as sender is registered and, in a primary