CCS HCS SS SB 786, 2016 (Amended Section - as Truly Agreed)
115.105. 1. The chair of the county committee of each
political party named on the ballot shall have the right to designate
a challenger for each polling place, who may be present [during
the hours of voting] until all ballots are cast on
the day of election, and a challenger for each location at
which absentee ballots are counted, who may be present while
the ballots are being prepared for counting and counted. No later
than four business days before the election, the chair of each
county committee of each political party named on the ballot
shall provide signed official designation forms with the names
of the designated challengers and substitutes to the local election
authority for confirmation of eligibility to serve as a challenger.
The local election authority, after verifying the eligibility
of each designated and substitute challenger, shall sign off
on the official designation forms, unless the challenger is found
not to have the qualifications established by subsection 5 of
this section. If the election authority determines that a challenger
does not meet the qualifications of subsection 5 of this section,
the designating party chair may designate a replacement challenger
and provide the local election authority with the name of the
replacement challenger before 5:00 p.m. of the Monday preceding
the election. The designating chair may substitute challengers
at his or her discretion during such hours.
2.
Challenges may only be made when the challenger believes the
election laws of this state have been or will be violated, and
each challenger shall report any such belief to the election
judges, or to the election authority if not satisfied with the
decision of the election judges.
3.
Prior to the close of the polls, challengers may list and give
out the names of those who have voted. The listing and giving
out of names of those who have voted by a challenger shall not
be considered giving information tending to show the state of
the count.
4. In a presidential
primary election, challengers may collect information about the
party ballot selected by the voter and may disclose party affiliation
information after the polls close.
5.
All persons selected as challengers shall have the same qualifications
required by section 115.085 for election judges, except that
such challenger shall be a registered voter in the jurisdiction
of the election authority for which the challenger is designated
as a challenger.
6. Any challenge
by a challenger to a voter's identification for validity shall
be made only to the election judges or other election authority.
If the poll challenger is not satisfied with the decision of
the election judges, then he or she may report his or her belief
that the election laws of this state have been or will be violated
to the election authority as allowed under this section.