The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2025 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Subchapter
006
:
EARLY OR ABSENTEE VOTERS
(Cite as: 17 V.S.A. § 2546a)
-
§ 2546a. Deposit of early voter absentee ballots in vote tabulator
(a) Generally. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the board of civil authority
may vote to permit elections officials to deposit early voter absentee ballots that
have been processed in accordance with subsection 2546(a) of this subchapter and have
not been deemed defective into the vote tabulator or ballot box in accordance with
the provisions of this section and any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.
Any such depositing of ballots shall take place at the town clerk’s office during
the 30 days preceding the election.
(b) Notice. If a board of civil authority votes to deposit ballots as described in subsection
(a) of this section, the process shall be conducted during normal business hours if
practicable or, if conducting the process at a time other than normal business hours,
notice of the date(s), time(s), and location of the processing shall be posted at
the clerk’s office and two other public places at least three days in advance.
(c) Officials. The town clerk and at least two other election officials, from different political
parties to the extent practicable, shall be present for the inspection of the sealed
certificate envelopes and the processing of the ballots described in this section.
(d) Processing. The Secretary of State’s office shall issue detailed procedures for conducting the
processing of early ballots into the vote tabulator or ballot box pursuant to this
section. A town or city shall follow the procedures issued by the Secretary of State’s
office for this purpose.
(e) Rules. The Secretary of State may adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. (Added 2015, No. 80 (Adj. Sess.), § 7a, eff. Jan. 1, 2017; amended 2017, No. 50, § 33; 2021, No. 60, § 14, eff. June 7, 2021.)