2010 ELECTION CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS Purpose of Presentation Provide run through of some critical dates in the election calendar Discuss function and role of local election administrators as they relate to some of these critical dates

Basics of Candidate Filings Filing Basics Depend Upon Office/Party What office are you seeking? Federal, statewide, state legislative, judges and prosecutors file documents to get on the ballot with the Election Division  Note: state legislative candidates file campaign finance documents at state and in home county and judges and prosecutors file campaign finance documents with the county only Candidates for local office file documents to get on the ballot with the circuit court clerk

Basics of Candidate Filings Filing Basics Depend Upon Office/Party Do you claim party affiliation? Democrats and Republicans nominate candidates in a primary, state convention, or town convention Libertarians nominate candidates in state and local conventions Independents & Minor Parties file petition and declaration School board members file petition Write In- Declaration

Candidate Filings: Pre- Primary Democrat and Republican Primary Filings Declarations except for U.S. Senate Begin Wed. Jan. 20 with deadline of Noon Fri. Feb. 19. (CAN-2) Includes Dem and Repub state convention delegates and Dem only precinct committeemen (CAN-37) Voluntary Withdrawal Noon Mon. Feb. 22. (CAN-10)

Candidate Filings: Pre- Primary Democrats and Republicans for U.S. Senate Petitions with county VR for certification of petition signatures between Wed. Jan. 4- Noon Tues. Feb. 16 Certified petitions with consent filed with state by Noon Friday Feb. 19 (CAN-4, CAN-2) Voluntary Withdrawal must be filed no later than Noon Mon. Feb. 22 (CAN-10)

Candidate Filings: Pre- Primary School Board Elected in Primary On Ballot Petitions must be filed no sooner than Wed. Jan. 20 and no later than Noon Fri. Feb. 19 (CAN-34) Write-in (the only write-in permitted in a primary) Declaration must be filed no sooner than Wed. Jan. 20 and no later than Noon Fri. Feb. 19 (CAN-13) Withdrawal Petition and Write-in candidate must file withdrawal no later than Noon Mon. Feb. 22 (CAN-10)

Candidate Filings: Pre- Primary Role of Election Administrator Accept declarations or petitions for filing with the following EXCEPTIONS:  May not accept late filings (Yes, noon really means noon!) IC  This does not apply to voter registration or campaign finance filings

Candidate Filings: Pre- Primary Role of Election Administrator (continued)  Clerk may NOT accept declaration or petition by fax or  Mail, UPS and FedEx are OK if received by deadline. (IC )  Clerk may NOT accept declaration or petition that is not on most recent form approved by Commission. IC (c)

Candidate Filings: Pre- Primary Candidate Challenges Candidate Qualification issues are subject to “put up or shut up” rule  Voter who resides in candidate’s election district may challenge candidate’s qualifications to run in primary (CAN-1)  Exception: Clerk may deny certification for post-primary minor party or independent petition candidate (CAN-19; IC )  This does not apply to school board petitions

Candidate Filings: Pre- Primary Candidate Challenges (continued)  Deadline to file challenge primary candidate (or school board candidate) is NOON Fri. Feb. 26 (IC ; CAN-1)  Deadline for CEB to decide challenge is Thurs. March 11. (IC & 18)

Candidate Filings: Pre- Primary ELECTION DIVISION PRIMARY CERTIFICATION  Primary candidates for federal, state legislative, and judicial office and county prosecutor file with the Election Division.  Election Division certifies list of these candidates to each county election board by Fri. March 5. (IC )

Pre-Primary Absentee Ballot Deadlines  Fri. March 5: Estimate number of absentee and provisional ballots needed. (IC ; IC )  Sat. March 20: Deadline for printing and delivery of absentee and provisional ballots. (IC ; IC )  Thurs. March 25: Begin mailing absentee ballots for pending applications. (IC )

Pre-Primary Absentee Ballot Deadlines Fri. March 26: Notify county chair of number of absentee boards, counters and couriers needed. (IC ; IC )  Co. Chair to provide written recommendations. Mon. April 5: Voter Registration deadline and first day for in-office absentee voting (IC ; IC )  Sat. hours required for in-person absentee voting on April 24 and May 1. (IC )

Pre-Primary Absentee Ballot Deadlines  Mon. April 26: Absentee application deadline to vote by mail (IC )  Noon Mon. May 3: Deadline to apply to vote in-person absentee or to apply to vote by traveling board. (IC )  Tues. May 4: deadline to receive absentee ballot (overseas voter voting by mail has until Fri. May 14 if postmarked by Tues. May 4). (IC )

Pre-Primary Preparation  Tues Apr. 13: Co. Chair to file nominations for precinct election officers to be appointed by CEB (IC )  Noon Tues. Apr. 20: If Co. Chair fails to nominate enough precinct election officers CEB can begin to fill vacancies (IC )  Tues. Apr. 20: Public Test of DRE or ballot card voting system (48 hour publication of notice required) (IC ; IC )

Pre-Primary Preparation  Sat. Apr. 24: Deadline for delivery of Poll lists. (IC )  Sat. May 1 and Sun. May 2: Ballot and precinct supply pick-up for inspector or inspector’s designee. (IC )  Noon Mon. May 3: Co. Chair to make written recommendations for provisional ballot counters (IC )  Mon. May 3 by 6:00 pm: CEB to deliver voting systems to polling places (IC ; IC ; IC )

Primary and Post-Primary  Tues. May 4: Primary election day. Polls open 6 am – 6 pm prevailing local time  Noon Fri. May 14: Deadline to count provisional ballots (IC )  Noon Mon. May 17: Deadline for CEB to certify election results to Election Division (send by certified mail, hand-deliver or via the SVRS) (IC &33; IC ; IC ; CEB-23, 24, 25)

Primary and Post-Primary  Tues. May 18: Deadline for CEB to postmark, hand-deliver, or transmit post- election report using the computerized list. (IC & 17.5; CEB-9)  Tues. May 18: Voter Registration re- opens  Noon Tues. May 18: Deadline for candidates to file recount or contest lawsuit.  For local offices Co. Chair may file by noon Fri. May 21 if candidate does not. IC & 2; IC & 5

Candidate Filings: Post- Primary Major Party Ballot Vacancies Dems and Repubs may fill ballot vacancies when no candidate ran for party in the primary If party fills this type of vacancy, a party caucus must be held by Noon Mon. June 30 and certified to clerk by Noon Tues. July 6.  See Candidate’s Guide pages 9-12 for specific instructions and forms.  There may be other post-primary ballot vacancies due to withdrawal, death or disqualification of candidate (IC )

Candidate Filings: Post- Primary Libertarian Party Candidates and Vacancies Libertarian Party nominate most local offices this year in a county convention.  Convention must be held by Noon Mon. June 30 and certify the selection by Noon Tues. July 6 (IC ; CAN-22)  Vacancies selections must also be made by Mon. June 30 and certified by Noon Tues. July 6  Libertarian Party candidates nominated at state convention will be certified by IED to the CEB

Candidate Filings: Post- Primary Independent and Minor Party Petition Candidates Must file petitions for certification by county voter registration office between Jan. 4- Noon Wed. June 30 (CAN-19)  If candidate fails to file sufficient number of certified signatures then clerk shall deny certification of the petition. (IC (d))  Candidate may appeal clerk’s denial of certification (IC (d); IC )  This does not apply to school board petitions Must file consent with certified petitions by Noon Thur. July 15 (CAN-20).

Candidate Filings: Post- Primary Write-In Candidates All write-in candidates running in the general election, including candidates for school board, must file a declaration by Noon Tues. July 6. ( IC ; IC ; CAN-3)

Candidate Filings: Post- Primary General Post-Primary Withdrawal Deadline Voluntarily withdrawal deadline after the primary is Noon Thurs. July 15. IC ; CAN-24 Candidate may be required to withdrawal at any time due to disqualification (for example, because candidate moved out of election district) IC  These post-primary withdrawals may create a situation where a party may fill the ballot vacancy left by the candidate.

Candidate Filings: Post- Primary School Board Elected in General Candidates may file petition between Wed. July 21 and no later than Noon Fri. Aug. 20 (CAN-34)

Candidate Filings: Post- Primary Small Town Candidates Towns with a population of less than 3,500 may adopt an ordinance to elect some or all of its candidates during a general election year (IC , for example)  Dems and Repubs will nominate candidates in a primary or a town convention. (IC )  Libertarian Party nominate at town convention. May also have independent and minor party petition and write-in candidates.

Candidate Filings: Post- Primary Town Conventions Filing period for town convention candidates is Mon. Jan. 4- Noon Mon. Aug. 2 ( ; CAN-16) Independent and minor party petition candidates must file petitions for certification by Wed. June 30 and certified petitions with Declaration by Noon Thur. July 15 (CAN-19 and 20) Write-in candidates must file by noon Tues. July 6 (CAN-3)

Candidate Filings: Post- Primary Post-Primary Challenges Challenge for early ballot vacancy candidates, Libertarian candidates, or petition candidates:  Must file challenge by Noon Fri. Aug. 20 DEADLINE (IC )  CEB must rule on challenge by Fri. Sept. 3.( IC ; IC ; IC (h))

Candidate Filings: Post- Primary Post-Primary Challenges (continued) Challenges for School Board candidates  Must file challenge by Noon Fri. Aug. 27  CEB must rule on challenge by Noon Thurs. Sept. 9 Challenges for write-in candidates and small towns candidates are different (IC (c); IC )

GENERAL ELECTION CERTIFICATION Election Division certifies to CEB the names of federal, statewide, state legislative, judicial and prosecutor candidates by Fri. Noon Aug. 20  This will include candidate nominated in the primary, state conventions, vacancy candidates, and petition candidates  This will also include judicial retention questions Mon. Aug. 2 is deadline for Election Division to certify write-in candidates to the CEB

Pre-General Absentee Ballot Deadlines  Fri. Sept. 3: Estimate number of absentee and provisional ballots needed (IC ; IC )  Sat. Sept. 18: Deadline for printing and delivery of absentee and provisional ballots (IC ; IC )  Thurs. Sept 23: Begin mailing absentee ballots for pending applications (IC )

Pre-General Absentee Ballot Deadlines Fri. Sept. 24: Notify county chair of number of absentee boards, counters and couriers needed. (IC ; IC )  Co. Chair to provide written recommendations Mon. Oct. 4: Voter Registration deadline and first day for in-office absentee voting (IC ; IC )  Sat. hours required for in-person absentee voting on Oct. 23 and Oct. 30 (IC )

Pre-General Absentee Ballot Deadlines  Mon. Oct. 25: Absentee application deadline to vote by mail (IC )  Noon Mon. Nov. 1: Deadline to apply to vote in-person absentee or to apply to vote by traveling board (IC )  Tues. Nov. 2: deadline to receive absentee ballot (overseas voter voting by mail has until Fri. Nov. 12 if postmarked by Tues. Nov. 2) (IC )

Pre-General Preparation  Tues Oct. 12: Co. Chair to file nominations for precinct election officers to be appointed by CEB (IC )  Noon Tues. Oct. 19: If Co. Chair fails to nominate enough precinct election officers CEB can begin to fill vacancies (IC )  Tues. Oct. 19: Public Test of DRE or ballot card voting system (48 hour publication of notice required)

Pre-General Preparation  Sat. Oct. 23: Deadline for delivery of Poll lists (IC )  Sat. Oct 30 and Sun. Oct. 31: Ballot and precinct supply pick-up for inspector or inspector’s designee (IC )  Noon Mon. Nov 1: Co. Chair to make written recommendations for provisional ballot counters (IC ; I )  Mon. Nov. 1 by 6:00 pm: CEB to deliver voting systems to polling places (IC ; IC ; IC )

Election and Post- Election  Tues. Nov. 2: Primary election day. Polls open 6 am – 6 pm prevailing local time  Noon Fri. Nov. 12: Deadline to count provisional ballots (IC )  Noon Mon. Nov. 15: Deadline for CEB to certify election results to Election Division (send by certified mail, hand-deliver or via the SVRS) (IC &33; IC ; IC ;CEB-23, 24, 25)

Election and Post- Election  Tues. Nov. 16: Deadline for CEB to postmark, hand-deliver, or transmit post- election report using the computerized list (IC & 17.5; CEB-9)  Tues. Nov. 16: Voter Registration re- opens  Noon Tues. Nov. 16: Deadline for candidates to file recount or contest lawsuit.  For local offices Co. Chair may file by noon Fri. Nov. 19 if candidate does not (IC & 2; IC & 5)