Sec. 19. (a) Subject to IC 3-5-4-9, a ballot that is mailed must bear the circuit court clerk‘s official seal and signature or facsimile signature on the back of the ballot. Before the ballot is mailed:

(1) the two (2) members of the absentee voter board in the office of the circuit court clerk; or

(2) the two (2) appointed members of the county election board or their designated representatives;

shall place their initials in ink on the back of the ballot. The initials must be in the persons’ ordinary handwriting or printing and without a distinguishing mark of any kind. No other initialing of the absentee ballot is necessary.

     (b) An absentee ballot that is voted before an absentee voter board under IC 3-11-10-25, IC 3-11-10-26, or IC 3-11-10-26.3, must bear the seal, signature, and initials prescribed by IC 3-11-10-27.

     (c) An absentee voter board member or county election board member or the member’s representative shall not place the individual’s initials on the absentee ballot:

(1) until after the voter’s application for that ballot has been approved; or

(2) more than twenty-four (24) hours before the absentee ballot is mailed to the voter.

A ballot initialed under this subsection must be under the control of two (2) individual members or representatives of opposite political parties until the ballot is mailed to the voter.

[Pre-1986 Recodification Citation: 3-1-22-5(b).]

As added by P.L.5-1986, SEC.7. Amended by P.L.6-1986, SEC.18; P.L.3-1987, SEC.230; P.L.263-2003, SEC.2; P.L.157-2019, SEC.15; P.L.193-2021, SEC.39.