Page:Election Integrity Act of 2021 (U.S. state of Georgia).pdf/65

or election. All such late absentee ballots shall be delivered to the appropriate clerk and stored as provided in Code Section 21-2-390.

(G) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, until the United States Department of Defense notifies the Secretary of State that the Department of Defense has implemented a system of expedited absentee voting for those electors covered by this subparagraph, absentee ballots cast in a primary, election, or runoff by eligible absentee electors who reside outside the county or municipality in which the primary, election, or runoff is held and are members of the armed forces of the United States, members of the merchant marine of the United States, spouses or dependents of members of the armed forces or merchant marine residing with or accompanying such members, or overseas citizens that are postmarked by the date of such primary, election, or runoff and are received within the three-day period following such primary, election, or runoff, if proper in all other respects, shall be valid ballots and shall be counted and included in the certified election results.

(2)(A) Beginning at 8:00 A.M. on the third Monday prior to After the opening of the polls on the day of the primary, election, or runoff, the registrars or absentee ballot clerks election superintendent shall be authorized to open the outer oath envelope on which is printed the oath of the elector of absentee ballots that have been verified and accepted pursuant to subparagraph (a)(1)(B) of this Code section, in such a manner as not to destroy the oath printed thereon; provided, however, that the registrars or absentee ballot clerk shall not be authorized to remove the contents of such outer envelope or to open the inner envelope marked 'Official Absentee Ballot,' except as otherwise provided in this Code section and scan the absentee ballot using one or more ballot scanners. At least three persons who are registrars, deputy registrars, poll workers, or absentee ballot clerks must be present before commencing; and three persons who are registrars, deputy registrars, or absentee ballot clerks shall be present at all times while the outer absentee ballot envelopes are being opened and the absentee

S. B. 202

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