SECTION 1. Chapter 54 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 91B, the following section:
Section 91C. (a) Upon receipt of a properly executed application for an absentee ballot from a UOCAVA voter, a town or city clerk shall retain the application and, without delay enter the application in the voter registration information system.
(b) Within 24 hours of receiving the absentee ballots or ballot file from the state secretary’s office, the city or town clerk shall transmit such ballot to all UOCAVA voters for whom an application was received in accordance with paragraph (a) above and shall enter the date of transmission into the voter registration information system forthwith.
(c) If a request for an absentee ballot is received from a UOCAVA voter 45 or more days before a federal election, the city or town clerk shall send the ballot and instructions to the applicant no later than the day 45 days prior to the federal election using either mail or electronic transmission, as requested by the voter.
(d) If a request for an absentee ballot is received from a UOCAVA voter less than 45 days before a federal election, the city or town clerk shall send the ballot and instructions without delay using either mail or electronic transmission, as requested by the voter.
(e) If a request for an absentee ballot is received from a UOCAVA voter 45 or more days before a federal election and the secretary has determined that the city or town clerk is unwilling or unable to transmit the ballot at least 45 days before the election, the state secretary may, on behalf of the city or town clerk, after notice to the city or town clerk and in accordance with the voter's choice, electronically transmit or mail the appropriate absentee ballot and instructions to the voter no later than the day 45 days prior to the federal election.
The state secretary shall enter in the voter registration information system the transmission date on which absentee voters were sent ballots by the secretary pursuant to this paragraph.
SECTION 2. The secretary may promulgate regulations to carry out this legislation.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
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