[§15-2.5]  Absentee voting in precinct
affected by natural disasters.  (a)  If the chief election officer and
clerk of a county affected as a result of a natural disaster determine that the
opening of a designated polling place will adversely affect the health and
safety of voters or precinct officials, the chief election officer and county
clerk, by written order, may require the registered voters of any precinct to
vote by absentee ballot; provided that if there are not enough absentee ballots
for all voters of the precinct, the chief election officer or the clerk shall
use other official ballots to make up the difference.



(b)  Within thirty days after the issuance of
such an order, the chief election officer and county clerk shall notify all
registered voters in the affected precinct of the issuance of the order.



(c)  Within ten days after the printed official
absentee ballots are available for the designated precinct affected by this
section, the clerk shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, by hand or mail, an
absentee ballot, a return envelope, and any other appropriate material to each
registered voter in the affected precinct.



(d)  The chief election officer shall adopt
rules pursuant to chapter 91 to implement this section. [L 1996, c 215, §1]