Section 168.764b - Delivery, tabulation, and acceptance of absent voter ballots; appointment, oath, credentials, and duties of assistants; collection of absent voter ballots; prohibition; noncompliance(1) An absent voter ballot must be delivered to the clerk, or tabulated at an election day polling place or early voting site as provided under section 768a, only as authorized in the instructions for an absent voter provided in section 764a.(2) The clerk of a city or township may accept delivery of absent voter ballots at any location in the city or township.(3) The clerk of a city or township may appoint the number of assistants necessary to accept delivery of absent voter ballots at any location in the city or township. An appointment as assistant to accept delivery of absent voter ballots must be for 1 election only. An assistant appointed to receive ballots at a location other than the office of the clerk must be furnished credentials of authority by the clerk. If an absent voter's ballot is received by an assistant at any location other than the clerk's office the assistant, upon request, shall exhibit the credentials to the absent voter before the assistant accepts an absent voter ballot. An assistant, before entering upon the discharge of duties, shall take and subscribe to the oath of office as provided in section 1 of article XI of the state constitution of 1963. An assistant shall perform only the duties assigned by the clerk. An individual must not be appointed as an assistant to accept delivery of absent voter ballots who is a candidate or a member of the immediate family of a candidate whose name appears on the ballot at that election.(4) A clerk who receives a request from an absent voter under section 764a for assistance in returning the absent voter's absent voter ballot shall make arrangements to collect the ballot from the voter either personally or by sending an authorized assistant, if all of the following conditions are satisfied:(a) The clerk's office issued the absent voter ballot to that absent voter.(b) Upon the clerk's request, the absent voter states that the absent voter is unable to return the absent voter ballot by the other means specified in instructions (a), (b), or (c) of Step 6 under section 764a.(c) The absent voter telephones the appropriate clerk for assistance on or before 5 p.m. on the Friday immediately before the election.(d) The absent voter requests the clerk to pick up the absent voter ballot within the jurisdictional limits of the city or township in which the absent voter is registered.(5) Notwithstanding subsection (4), a clerk who receives a request from an absent voter under section 764a for assistance in returning the absent voter's absent voter ballot may make arrangements to collect the ballot from the voter either personally or by sending an authorized assistant, if all of the following conditions are satisfied:(a) The clerk's office issued the absent voter ballot to that absent voter.(b) Upon the clerk's request, the absent voter states that the absent voter is unable to return the absent voter ballot by the other means specified in instructions (a), (b), or (c) of Step 6 under section 764a.(6) The clerk shall maintain a list open to the public that contains the names and addresses of all authorized assistants appointed under this section who are available to collect absent voter ballots on or before election day in that city or township.(7) An absent voter ballot received by the clerk before the close of the polls on election day must not be invalidated solely because the delivery to the clerk was not in compliance with section 764a or this section, however the ballot must be considered challenged and must be marked and processed as provided in section 745.Amended by 2023, Act 81,s 22, eff. 2/13/2024.Amended by 2018, Act 120,s 53, eff. 12/31/2018.Add. 1982, Act 201, Imd. Eff. 7/1/1982 ;--Am. 1995, Act 261, Eff. 3/28/1996 ;--Am. 1996, Act 207, Imd. Eff. 5/21/1996.