(a) Authorized Printers. Only those printers which have applied and received approval as authorized ballot printers may contract with a municipality to print ballots. The secretary of state provides the list of authorized printers at the beginning of each election year, and updates the list as new printers become authorized.
(b) Ballot Layout and Printing Specifications. The law sets out the requirements for ballot layout and printing, and the secretary of state issues detailed specifications for ballot printing in the various voting systems. The specifications include the requirements for paper, type sizes, layout, instructions and other details and must be followed closely.
(c) Ballot Number and Packaging. The number of ballots printed must be calculated exactly based on the number of registered voters in the municipality. The number of each different ballot to be printed is as follows:
(1) Regular official ballots (paper) or ballot cards (punch) = 105% of (l.05x) the number of registered voters eligible to vote the ballot; with 5% packaged as office extras and ballots equaling 100% of the number of voters in each precinct packaged for the precincts.
(2) Absentee ballots = The number of absentee and early ballots are not specified in state law. 20 days prior to election, ANY voter may vote early voting in-person.
(3) Sample ballots = 10 per precinct plus sufficient number for office distribution. The ballots purchased for office extras are packaged and not opened unless those ballots are required for use in an emergency. If the office extra package is opened, careful documentation of the use of those ballots must be made.
(Ord. 05-07. Passed 10-20-05.)