H 474

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No. 70. An act relating to miscellaneous changes to election law.
                                     (H.474)
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
Sec. 1. [Deleted.]
Sec. 2. [Deleted.]
Sec. 3. [Deleted.]
                        * * * One-Bite Candidacy * * *
Sec. 4. 17 V.S.A. § 2381 is amended to read:
§ 2381. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER
                                      ***
   (c) In no event shall a candidate who loses a major party primary be
nominated to appear on the general election ballot pursuant to this subchapter
by a committee of any party other than the party for which the candidate
appeared on the primary ballot.
Sec. 5. 17 V.S.A. § 2401 is amended to read:
§ 2401. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER
   (a) A person may be nominated and have his or her the person’s name
printed on the general election ballot for any office by filing a consent similar
in form to the consent prescribed by section 2361 of this title and a statement
of nomination with the Secretary of State. In the case of a nomination for
justice of the peace, the consent form and statement of nomination shall be
filed with the town clerk.
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   (b) A candidate who loses a major party primary for any office shall not
appear on the general election ballot as an independent candidate for the same
office for which the candidate lost in the primary election.
Sec. 6. [Deleted.]
     * * * Miscellaneous Changes to Electronic Ballot Delivery Law * * *
Sec. 7. 17 V.S.A. § 2539 is amended to read:
§ 2539. DELIVERY OF EARLY VOTER ABSENTEE BALLOTS
                                         ***
   (c) Military or overseas voters.
         (1) Early voter absentee ballots for military or overseas voters shall be
sent air mail, first class, postpaid when such service is available, or they may
be electronically delivered when requested by the voter.
         (2)(A) The town clerk’s office shall be open on the 46th day before any
election that includes a federal office and the town clerk shall send on or
before that day all absentee ballots to any military or overseas voter who
requested an early voter absentee ballot on or before that day.
            (B) On that day the town clerk shall complete any reporting
requirements and any other responsibilities regarding the mailing of early voter
absentee ballots to military or overseas voters, as directed by the Secretary of
State.
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      (3) As used in this section, “overseas voters” means a person who was
last domiciled in Vermont before leaving the United States and now resides
outside the United States.
   (d) Voters who participate in the Secretary of State’s Address
Confidentiality Program. In the case of persons who participate in the address
confidentiality program administered by the Secretary of State set forth in 15
V.S.A. § 1152, if the voter or authorized person requests in the application or
otherwise that early voter absentee ballots be mailed or electronically
delivered, the town clerk shall mail or electronically deliver the ballots.
Sec. 8. [Deleted.]
  * * * Write-in Candidate Registration and Minimum Thresholds in Primary
                                 Elections * * *
Sec. 9. 17 V.S.A. § 2370 is amended to read:
§ 2370. WRITE-IN CANDIDATES
   (a)(1) In order to have votes listed for a write-in candidate under section
2587 of this title, not later than 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the
primary election, a write-in candidate for the General Assembly, any State
office, or any federal office shall complete a form of the Secretary of State’s
design affirming that the candidate wants to have received votes listed under
subdivision 2587(e)(3) of this title. The candidate shall file the form with
either all town clerks within the candidate’s applicable district or the Secretary
of State’s office in an electronic manner approved by the Secretary. The
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Secretary of State shall notify the appropriate town clerks of any filings made
in accordance with this subsection as soon as practicable.
        (2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1) of this subsection, a write-in
candidate is not required to file if:
           (A) the candidate has already filed a consent to the printing of the
candidate’s name on the ballot for a major political party, as provided in
section 2361, 2385, or 2402 of this title; or
           (B) no candidate is printed on the ballot, or if a candidate whose
name is printed on the ballot dies or is otherwise disqualified prior to 7:00 p.m.
on the election day.
   (b) A write-in candidate shall not qualify as a primary winner unless he or
she the candidate receives at least one-half the number of votes as the number
of signatures required for his or her the candidate’s office on a primary
petition, except that if a write-in candidate receives more votes than a
candidate whose name is printed on the ballot, he or she may the write-in
candidate shall qualify as a primary winner.
   (b)(c) The Before becoming the party’s candidate in the general election,
the write-in candidate who qualifies as a primary winner under this section
must:
           (1) still be determined a winner under section 2369 of this chapter
before he or she becomes the party’s candidate in the general election; and
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         (2) file a consent similar in form to the consent prescribed by sections
2361, 2385, and 2402 of this title with the Secretary of State.
Sec. 10. 17 V.S.A. § 2472 is amended to read:
§ 2472. CONTENTS
                                        ***
      (b)(1) Each office to be voted upon shall be separately indicated and
preceded by the word “For,” as: “For United States Senator.” Beneath the
office to be voted upon shall appear the instructions: “Vote for not more than
(the number of candidates to be elected).”
                                        ***
         (5)(A) In order to have votes listed for a write-in candidate under
section 2587 of this title, not later than 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding
the election, a write-in candidate for the General Assembly, any State office, or
any federal office shall complete a form of the Secretary of State’s design
affirming that the candidate wants to have received votes listed under
subdivision 2587(e)(3) of this title. The candidate shall file the form with
either all town clerks within the candidate’s applicable district or the Secretary
of State’s office in an electronic manner approved by the Secretary. The
Secretary of State shall notify the appropriate town clerks of any filings made
in accordance with this subsection (b) as soon as practicable.
            (B) Notwithstanding subdivision (A) of this subdivision (b)(5), a
write-in candidate is not required to file if:
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               (i) the candidate has already filed a consent to the printing of
the candidate’s name on the ballot for a major political party, as provided in
section 2361, 2385, or 2402 of this title; or
               (ii) no candidate is printed on the ballot, or if a candidate
whose name is printed on the ballot dies or is otherwise disqualified prior to
7:00 p.m. on the election day.
                                       ***
Sec. 11. 17 V.S.A. § 2587 is amended to read:
§ 2587. RULES FOR COUNTING VOTES
                                       ***
   (e)(1) In the case of “write-in” votes, the act of writing in the name of a
candidate, or pasting a label containing a candidate’s name upon the ballot,
without other indications of the voter’s intent, shall constitute a vote for that
candidate, even though the voter did not fill in the square or oval after the
name.
      (2) The election officials counting ballots and tallying results shall list
every person who receives a “write-in” vote and the number of votes received.:
         (A) count write-in votes:
            (i) for candidates who have filed in compliance with section 2370,
2472, or 2702 of this title or who have filed a consent to the printing of the
candidate’s name on the ballot for a major political party, as provided in
section 2361, 2385, or 2402 of this title; or
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            (ii) for all candidates if no candidate is printed on the ballot, or if a
candidate whose name is printed on the ballot dies or is otherwise disqualified
prior to 7:00 p.m. on election day;
         (B) On each tally sheet, the counters shall add together the names of
candidates counted under subdivision (A) of this subdivision (e)(2) that are
clearly the same person, even though a nickname or last name is used.; and
         (B) Names of fictitious or deceased persons shall not be listed and
shall be recorded on the tally sheet as a blank vote.
         (C) record the name and vote totals on the tally sheet only of a write-
in candidate having votes counted pursuant to subdivision (A) of this
subdivision (e)(2) and list those candidates individually, and record all other
write-in votes on the tally sheet as in aggregate as “other write-ins.”
      (3) Notwithstanding any contrary provisions in subdivision (2)(A) of
this subsection, if the number of “other write-ins” for the same nomination or
office equals or exceeds the number of votes cast for any candidate for the
same nomination or office who appears to have been nominated or elected,
election officials shall record the name and vote totals on the tally sheet for all
candidates for that nomination or office. If this result occurs in a multiple-
municipality district, but one or more municipalities did not record the name
and vote totals for all candidates, the Secretary of State, on the day after the
election, shall order the town clerk to reconvene the board of civil authority.
In the presence of at least two other election officials who are not members of
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the same political party, the clerk shall open the ballot containers, list all write-
ins for this nomination or office individually, and record write-in votes for all
candidates. The clerk shall then place the entire contents in containers, affix
new seals, and transmit the new seal numbers.
                                        ***
Sec. 12. 17 V.S.A. § 2702 is amended to read:
§ 2702. NOMINATING PETITION
   (a) The name of any person shall be printed upon the primary ballot as a
candidate for nomination by any major political party if petitions signed by at
least 1,000 voters in accordance with sections 2353, 2354, and 2358 of this
title are filed with the Secretary of State, together with the written consent of
the person to the printing of the person’s name on the ballot.
   (b) Petitions shall be filed not later than 5:00 p.m. on the 15th day of
December preceding the primary election.
   (c) The petition shall be in a form prescribed by the Secretary of State.
   (d) A person’s name shall not be listed as a candidate on the primary ballot
of more than one party in the same election.
   (e) Each petition shall be accompanied by a filing fee of $2,000.00 to be
paid to the Secretary of State. However, if the petition of a candidate is
accompanied by the affidavit of the candidate, which shall be available for
public inspection, that the candidate and the candidate’s campaign committee
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are without sufficient funds to pay the filing fee, the Secretary of State shall
waive all but $300.00 of the payment of the filing fee by that candidate.
   (f)(1) In order to have votes listed for a write-in candidate under section
2587 of this title, not later than 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the
election, a write-in candidate for nomination shall complete a form of the
Secretary of State’s design affirming that the candidate wants to have received
votes for that office in every major political party’s primary results listed under
subdivision 2587(e)(3) of this title. The candidate shall file the form with
either all town clerks within the candidate’s applicable district or the Secretary
of State’s office in an electronic manner approved by the Secretary. The
Secretary of State shall notify the appropriate town clerks of any filings made
in accordance with this subsection as soon as practicable.
      (2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1) of this subsection, a write-in
candidate is not required to file if:
         (A) the candidate has already filed a consent to the printing of the
candidate’s name on the ballot for a major political party, as provided in
section 2361, 2385, or 2402 of this title; or
         (B) no candidate is printed on the ballot, or if a candidate whose
name is printed on the ballot dies or is otherwise disqualified prior to 7:00 p.m.
on the election day.
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             * * * Campaign Finance; Reporting Thresholds * * *
Sec. 13. 17 V.S.A. § 2921 is amended to read:
§ 2921. CANDIDATES; REGISTRATION; CHECKING ACCOUNT;
           TREASURER CANDIDATES
   (a)(1) Each candidate who has made expenditures or accepted contributions
of $500.00 or more in an election cycle files a consent to the printing of the
candidate’s name on the ballot, as provided in section 2361, 2370, 2385, or
2402 of this title, shall register with the Secretary of State within 10 days of
reaching the $500.00 threshold or on the date that the next report is required of
the candidate under this chapter, whichever occurs first, prior to filing the
consent stating his or her the candidate’s full name and address;, the office the
candidate is seeking;, the name and address of the bank in which the candidate
maintains his or her campaign checking account; and the name and address of
the treasurer responsible for maintaining the checking account. A candidate’s
treasurer may be the candidate or his or her the candidate’s spouse.
      (2) A candidate’s consent, subsequently filed in accordance with section
2361, 2385, or 2402 of this title, shall state the candidate’s name the same as it
appears on this registration.
      (3) Each candidate who makes an expenditure shall file with the
Secretary of State, at the time of making the first expenditure, the name and
address of the bank in which the candidate maintains the campaign checking
account.
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                                      ***
Sec. 14. 17 V.S.A. § 2922 is amended to read:
§ 2922. REGISTRATION; POLITICAL COMMITTEES; REGISTRATION;
           CHECKING ACCOUNT; TREASURER INDEPENDENT
           EXPENDITURE-ONLY POLITICAL COMMITTEES
   (a)(1) Each political committee or independent expenditure-only political
committee shall register with the Secretary of State within 10 days of after
making expenditures of $1,000.00 $500.00 or more and or accepting
contributions of $1,000.00 $500.00 or more, stating its full name and address;.
Committees that are not self-funded individuals shall also state the name and
address of the bank in which it maintains its campaign checking account; and
the name and address of the treasurer responsible for maintaining the checking
account.
                                      ***
   (b) All expenditures by a political committee or an independent
expenditure-only political committee shall be paid by either a credit card or a
debit card, check, or other electronic transfer from the single campaign
checking account in the bank designated by the political committee under
subsection (a) of this section, or, if under $250.00, the political committee may
make the expenditure from cash from that campaign checking account if
accompanied by a receipt, a copy of which shall be maintained by the political
committee for at least two years from the end of the two-year general election
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cycle in which the expenditure was made. A self-funded individual need not
utilize a campaign checking account, but shall otherwise comply with this
section. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the payment
of fees required to be made from a separately held online account designated
solely to collect campaign contributions made to the political committee.
   (c) A political committee or an independent expenditure-only political
committee whose principal place of business or whose treasurer is not located
in this State shall file a statement with the Secretary of State designating a
person who resides in this State upon whom may be served any process, notice,
or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon the political
committee. This statement shall be filed at the same time as the registration
required in subsection (a) of this section.
Sec. 15. 17 V.S.A. § 2964 is amended to read:
§ 2964. CAMPAIGN REPORTS; CANDIDATES FOR STATE OFFICE,
         THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AND COUNTY OFFICE;
         POLITICAL COMMITTEES; INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE-
         ONLY POLITICAL COMMITTEES; POLITICAL PARTIES
   (a)(1) Each candidate for State office, the General Assembly, or a two-
year-term county office who has rolled over any amount of surplus into his or
her the candidate’s new campaign or who has made expenditures or accepted
contributions of $500.00 or more during the two-year general election cycle
and, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, each political
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committee and independent expenditure-only political committee that has not
filed a final report pursuant to subsection 2965(b) of this chapter, and each
political party required to register under section 2923 of this chapter shall file
with the Secretary of State campaign finance reports as follows:
         (A) in the first year of the two-year general election cycle, on July 1;
and
         (B) in the second year of the two-year general election cycle:
              (i) on March 15;
              (ii) on July 1 and August 1;
              (iii) on September 1;
              (iv) on October 1, October 15, and the Friday before the general
election; and
              (v) two weeks after the general election.
      (2) Each candidate for a four-year-term county office who has rolled
over any amount of surplus into his or her the candidate’s new campaign or
who has made expenditures or accepted contributions of $500.00 or more
during the four-year general election cycle shall file with the Secretary of State
campaign finance reports as follows:
         (A) in the first three years of the four-year general election cycle, on
July 1; and
         (B) in the fourth year of the four-year general election cycle:
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            (i) on March 15;
            (ii) on July 1 and August 1;
            (iii) on September 1;
            (iv) on October 1, October 15, and the Friday before the general
election; and
            (v) two weeks after the general election.
   (b)(1) A political committee, independent expenditure-only political
committee, or a political party that has accepted contributions or made
expenditures of $1,000.00 $500.00 or more during the local election cycle for
the purpose of influencing a local election or supporting or opposing one or
more candidates in a local election shall file with the Secretary of State
campaign finance reports regarding that local election 30 days before, 10 days
before, and two weeks after the local election.
                                       ***
   (c) The failure of a candidate, political committee, or political party to file a
report under this section shall be deemed an affirmative statement that a report
is not required of the candidate, political committee, or political party under
this section A candidate, political committee, independent expenditure-only
committee, or political party that is not otherwise required to file a report
pursuant to this section shall file with the Secretary of State a report and
affirmative statement that the candidate, political committee, independent
expenditure-only committee, or political party has not either rolled over any
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amount of surplus into a new campaign or made expenditures or accepted
contributions in the amounts specified in this section.
Sec. 16. REPEAL
   17 V.S.A. § 2966 (reports by candidates not reaching monetary reporting
threshold) is repealed.
Sec. 17. 17 V.S.A. § 2970 is amended to read:
§ 2970. CAMPAIGN REPORTS; OTHER ENTITIES; PUBLIC
         QUESTIONS
   (a) Any formal or informal political action committee of two or more
individuals or a corporation, labor organization, public interest group, or other
entity, not including a political party, or independent expenditure-only political
committee that makes expenditures of $1,000.00 $500.00 or more during the
election cycle for the purpose of advocating a position on a public question or
influencing an election in any election shall file a report of its expenditures 30
days before, 10 days before, and two weeks after the election with the
Secretary of State.
                                       ***
           * * * Campaign Finance; Independent Expenditure-Only
                           Political Committees * * *
Sec. 17a. 17 V.S.A. § 2901 is amended to read:
§ 2901. DEFINITIONS
   As used in this chapter:
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                                       ***
   (10) “Independent expenditure-only political committee” means a political
committee that any one or more individuals, or any corporation, labor
organization, public interest group, or other entity, excluding a political party,
that accepts contributions or makes expenditures in any amounts within any
two-year general election cycle for the purpose of supporting or opposing
candidates, influencing an election, or advocating for or against a public
question; conducts its activities entirely independent of candidates; does not
give contributions to candidates, political committees, or political parties; does
not make related expenditures; and is not closely related to a political party or
to a political committee that makes contributions to candidates or makes
related expenditures. “Independent expenditure-only political committee”
includes any “self-funded individual,” meaning an individual who receives no
contributions from any other source for the purpose of supporting or opposing
candidates, influencing an election, or advocating for or against a public
question.
                                       ***
      (13) “Political committee” or “political action committee” means any
formal or informal committee of two one or more individuals or a corporation,
labor organization, public interest group, or other entity, not including a
political party, that accepts contributions of $1,000.00 or more and makes
expenditures of $1,000.00 or more in any amounts in any two-year general
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election cycle for the purpose of supporting or opposing one or more
candidates, influencing an election, or advocating a position on a public
question in any election, and includes an independent expenditure-only
political committee and a legislative leadership political committee.
                                      ***
Sec. 17b. 17 V.S.A. § 2925 is amended to read:
§ 2925. POLITICAL COMMITTEES; SURPLUS CAMPAIGN
         FUNDS
   (a) A member of a political committee or an independent expenditure-only
political committee that has surplus funds after all campaign debts have been
paid shall not convert the surplus to personal use.
                                      ***
Sec. 17c. 17 V.S.A. § 2945 is amended to read:
§ 2945. ACCEPTING CONTRIBUTIONS
   (a) A candidate, political committee, independent expenditure-only
political committee, or political party accepts a contribution when the
contribution is deposited in the candidate’s, committee’s, or party’s campaign
account or five business days after the candidate, committee, or party receives
it, whichever comes first.
   (b) A candidate, political committee, independent expenditure-only
political committee, or political party shall not accept a monetary contribution
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in excess of $100.00 unless made by check, credit or debit card, or other
electronic transfer.
Sec. 17d. 17 V.S.A. § 2962 is amended to read:
§ 2962. REPORTS; GENERAL PROVISIONS
   (a) Any report required to be submitted to the Secretary of State under this
chapter shall contain the statement “I hereby certify that the information
provided on all pages of this campaign finance disclosure report is true to the
best of my knowledge, information, and belief” and places for the signature of
the candidate or the treasurer of the candidate, political committee,
independent expenditure-only political committee, or political party.
                                        ***
Sec. 17e. 17 V.S.A. § 2965 is amended to read:
§ 2965. FINAL REPORTS; CANDIDATES FOR STATE OFFICE, THE
         GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AND COUNTY OFFICE; POLITICAL
         COMMITTEES; POLITICAL PARTIES; END-OF-
         CYCLE REPORTS FOR POLITICAL COMMITTEES AND
         POLITICAL PARTIES
                                        ***
   (b)(1) At any time, but not later than December 15 following the general
election, each political committee, independent expenditure-only political
committee, or political party that has not filed a final report as set forth in
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subdivision (2) of this subsection shall file an end-of-cycle report that lists a
complete accounting of all contributions and expenditures since the last report.
      (2) At any time, a political committee, independent expenditure-only
political committee, or a political party may file a “final report” that lists a
complete accounting of all contributions and expenditures since the last report
and liquidation of surplus and that shall constitute the termination of its
campaign activities.
Sec. 17f. 17 V.S.A. § 2972 is amended to read:
§ 2972. IDENTIFICATION IN ELECTIONEERING COMMUNICATIONS
   (a) An electioneering communication shall contain the name and mailing
address of the person, candidate, political committee, independent expenditure-
only political committee, or political party that paid for the communication.
The name and address shall appear prominently and in a manner such that a
reasonable person would clearly understand by whom the expenditure has been
made, except that:
      (1) An audio electioneering communication paid for by a candidate does
not need to contain the candidate’s address.
      (2) An electioneering communication paid for by a person acting as an
agent or consultant on behalf of another person, candidate, political committee,
independent expenditure-only political committee, or political party shall
clearly designate the name and mailing address of the person, candidate,
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political committee, independent expenditure-only political committee, or
political party on whose behalf the communication is published or broadcast.
                                      ***
   (c)(1) In addition to the identification requirements in subsections (a) and
(b) of this section, an electioneering communication paid for by or on behalf of
a political committee, independent expenditure-only political committee, or
political party shall contain the name of any contributor who contributed more
than 25 percent of all contributions and more than $2,000.00 to that committee
or party since the beginning of the two-year general election cycle in which the
electioneering communication was made to the date on which the expenditure
for the electioneering communication was made.
      (2) For the purposes of this subsection, a political committee or political
party shall be treated as having made an expenditure if the committee or party
or person acting on behalf of the committee or party has executed a contract to
make the expenditure.
                                      ***
Sec. 17g. 17 V.S.A. § 2973 is amended to read:
§ 2973. SPECIFIC IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR RADIO,
         TELEVISION, OR INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS
   (a) In addition to the identification requirements set forth in section 2972 of
this subchapter, a person, candidate, political committee, independent
expenditure-only political committee, or political party that makes an
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expenditure for an electioneering communication shall include in any
communication that is transmitted through radio, television, or online video, in
a clearly spoken manner, an audio statement of the name and title of the person
who paid for the communication and that the person paid for the
communication.
   (b) If the person who paid for the communication is not an individual, the
audio statement required by this section shall include the name of that person
and the name and title of the treasurer in the case of a political committee,
independent expenditure-only political committee, or political party or the
principal officer in the case of any other person that is not an individual.
         * * * Audits of Voter Checklists and District Boundaries * * *
Sec. 18. AUDITS OF VOTER CHECKLISTS AND DISTRICT
         BOUNDARIES
   (a) On or before September 15, 2025, local boards of civil authority and
town clerks whose municipal boundaries are divided for the purpose of
Representative districts and Senatorial districts shall audit their voter checklists
to ensure that those checklists accurately correspond to the prescribed district
boundaries.
   (b) On or before October 1, 2025, each town clerk described in subsection
(a) of this section shall provide a written summary of the audit to the Elections
Division of the Secretary of State’s office.
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   (c) On or before November 15, 2025, the Secretary shall submit a written
report to the House Committee on Government Operations and Military
Affairs and the Senate Committee on Government Operations with the findings
of the audits.
   (d) Within two weeks after passage of this act, the Elections Division of the
Secretary of State’s office shall notify each town clerk and board of civil
authority described in subsection (a) of this section that they must perform the
audits.
   (e) The Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s office shall provide
support and training to each town clerk and board of civil authority described
in subsection (a) of this section.
     * * * Deadline Modifications and Miscellaneous Clarifications * * *
Sec. 20. 17 V.S.A. § 1971 is amended to read:
§ 1971. CASTING MORE THAN ONE BALLOT
   A legal voter who knowingly casts more than one ballot at any one time of
balloting votes more than once in any election held in this State, or who votes
in both this State and another state or territory in the same or equivalent
election for the same office shall be fined not more than $1,000.00 if the
offense is committed at a primary or general election, and not more than
$100.00 if committed at a local election.
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Sec. 21. REPEAL
   17 V.S.A. § 1973 (voting in more than one place) is repealed.
Sec. 22. 17 V.S.A. § 2103 is amended to read:
§ 2103. DEFINITIONS
   As used in this title, unless the context or a specific definition requires a
different reading:
                                       ***
      (6) “Campaign” means any organized or coordinated activity undertaken
by two one or more persons, any part of which is designed to influence the
nomination, election, or defeat of any candidate or the passage, defeat, or
modification of any public question.
                                       ***
Sec. 23. 17 V.S.A. § 2358 is amended to read:
§ 2358. EXAMINING PETITIONS; SUPPLEMENTARY PETITIONS
                                       ***
   (b) If found not to conform, he or she the officer shall state in writing on a
particular petition why it cannot be accepted, and within 72 hours two business
days from receipt, he or she the officer shall return it to the candidate in whose
behalf it was filed. In such case, supplementary petitions may be filed not later
than 10 days after the date for filing petitions. However, supplementary
petitions shall not be accepted if petitions with signatures of different persons
totaling at least the required number were not received by the filing deadline.
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                                      ***
Sec. 24. [Deleted.]
Sec. 25. 17 V.S.A. § 2413 is amended to read:
§ 2413. NOMINATION OF JUSTICES OF THE PEACE
   (a)(1) The party members in each town, on or before the third Monday in
July before each primary election, upon the call of the town committee, may
meet in caucus and nominate candidates for justice of the peace.
                                      ***
   (e) For any nomination made under this section, the chair and secretary of
the committee or caucus shall file the statement required by section 2385 of
this title by 5:00 p.m. on the third day following fourth Monday in July before
the primary election.
Sec. 26. 17 V.S.A. § 2402 is amended to read:
§ 2402. REQUISITES OF STATEMENT
                                      ***
   (d)(1) A statement of nomination and a completed and signed consent form
shall be filed:
                                      ***
         (B) in the case of nomination for justice of the peace, not earlier than
the fourth Monday in April and not later than 5:00 p.m. on the third day
following the Monday in July before each primary election; or
                                      ***
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Sec. 27. 17 V.S.A. § 2546 is amended to read:
§ 2546. RECEIPT OF BALLOTS BY CLERK; VOTER STATUS;
         OPPORTUNITY TO CURE; PROCESSING ABSENTEE
         BALLOTS
   (a) Town clerk; process generally. Beginning 30 45 days before the
opening of the polls on election day, upon receipt of a mailing envelope
containing ballots returned by a voter, the town clerk shall, within three
business days or on the next day the office is open for business, whichever is
later, direct two election officials working together to do all of the following:
                                       ***
Sec. 28. 17 V.S.A. § 2703 is amended to read:
§ 2703. EXAMINING PETITIONS; SUPPLEMENTARY PETITIONS
   The Secretary of State shall examine the petitions and ascertain whether
they conform to the provisions of this chapter, and sections 2353, 2354, and
2358 of this title. If found not to conform, he or she the Secretary shall state in
writing why a particular petition cannot be accepted, and within 72 hours two
business days from receipt he or she, the Secretary shall return it to the
candidate in whose behalf it was filed. In such case, supplementary petitions
may be filed not later than 10 days after the deadline for filing petitions.
However, supplementary petitions shall not be accepted if petitions with the
signatures of at least 1,000 persons were not filed by the deadline for filing
petitions set forth in section 2702 of this chapter.
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     * * * Local Elections; Open Meeting Law Not Applicable to Annual
                                  Meetings * * *
Sec. 29. 1 V.S.A. § 310 is amended to read:
§ 310. DEFINITIONS
   As used in this subchapter:
                                      ***
      (5)(A) “Meeting” means a gathering of a quorum of the members of a
public body for the purpose of discussing the business of the public body or for
the purpose of taking action.
                                      ***
           (E) “Meeting” does not mean a gathering of the voters of a
municipality for purposes of conducting an annual or special municipal
meeting.
      (6) “Public body” means any board, council, or commission of the State
or one or more of its political subdivisions, any board, council, or commission
of any agency, authority, or instrumentality of the State or one or more of its
political subdivisions, or any committee or subcommittee of any of the
foregoing boards, councils, or commissions, except that “public body” does not
include:
           (A) councils or similar groups established by the Governor for the
sole purpose of advising the Governor with respect to policy; or
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           (B) the voters of a municipality at an annual or special municipal
meeting.
                                       ***
Sec. 30. [Deleted.]
Sec. 31. [Deleted.]
Sec. 32. [Deleted.]
Sec. 33. [Deleted.]
Sec. 34. [Deleted.]
Sec. 35. [Deleted.]
Sec. 36. [Deleted.]
                     * * * Automatic Voter Registration * * *
Sec. 37. 17 V.S.A. § 2145a is amended to read:
§ 2145a. REGISTRATIONS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR
            VEHICLES
   (a) An application for, or renewal of, a motor vehicle driver’s license or
nondriver identification card shall serve as a simultaneous application to
register to vote if the applicant attests to U.S. citizenship or the Department has
proof of U.S. citizenship unless the applicant checks the box on the application
designating that he or she the applicant declines to use the application as a
voter registration application.
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   (b)(1) A motor vehicle driver’s license or nondriver identification card
application shall provide and request the following information and shall be in
the form approved by the Secretary of State:
         (A) The applicant’s citizenship.
         (B) The applicant’s place and date of birth.
         (C) The applicant’s town of legal residence.
         (D) The applicant’s E-911 street address or a description of the
physical location of the applicant’s residence. The description must contain
sufficient information so that the town clerk can determine whether the
applicant is a resident of the town.
         (E) The voter’s oath.
         (F) The applicant’s e-mail email address and phone number, which
shall be optional to provide.
                                       ***
   (d)(1) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall transmit motor vehicle
driver’s license and nondriver identification card applications received under
this section to the Secretary of State not later than five days after the date the
application was accepted by the Department, or before the date of any primary
or general election, whichever is sooner.
      (2) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall not transmit motor vehicle
driver’s license and nondriver identification card applications when the
Department does not have proof of U.S. citizenship for an applicant and the
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applicant has failed to attest to U.S. citizenship, or when the applicant has
designated that he or she the applicant declines to be registered.
      (3) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall ensure confidentiality of
records as required by subdivision (b)(2)(A) of this section.
                                      ***
Sec. 38. [Deleted.]
Sec. 39. [Deleted.]
                            * * * Effective Date * * *
Sec. 40. EFFECTIVE DATE
   This act shall take effect on passage.
Date Governor signed bill: June 25, 2025
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