New law may excuse need for signature verification on ballots. | Morguefile
New law may excuse need for signature verification on ballots. | Morguefile
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a measure that changes voting requirements by removing the need for citizens to provide ID at voting booths or before sending mail-in ballots, according to a statement.
If approved by the Senate, HR1, known by the common name of "For the People Law of 2021," would allow voters to sign affidavits rather than providing photo ID proof. The measure would federalize control of the elections, including at the local level.
"A state may not require notarization or witness signature or other formal authentication (other than voter attestation) as a condition of obtaining or casting an absentee ballot," the bill states.
Sections 1621-1624 of HR1 would give states the option to not verify signatures on absentee or mail-in ballots. It also makes it harder to reject a questionable voter signature, as no fewer than two electoral judges must be present to approve the rejections.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Colorado currently doesn't accept postmarked ballot papers after election day. By Colorado state law, ballots must arrive before 7 p.m. of election day to be counted.
In March 2020, ProPublica published a report asserting that increased voter fraud was a serious concern about automatic or universal mail-in ballots.
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