Sec. 2.  QUALIFIED VOTER; REGISTRATION; ABSENTEE VOTING.  (a)  Every person subject to none of the disqualifications provided by Section 1 of this article or by a law enacted under that section who is a citizen of the United States and who is a resident of this state shall be deemed a qualified voter; provided, however, that before offering to vote at an election a voter shall have registered, but such requirement for registration shall not be considered a qualification of a voter within the meaning of the term "qualified voter" as used in any other Article of this Constitution in respect to any matter except qualification and eligibility to vote at an election.
(b)  The Legislature may authorize absentee voting.
(c)  The privilege of free suffrage shall be protected by laws regulating elections and prohibiting under adequate penalties all undue influence in elections from power, bribery, tumult, or other improper practice.
(Feb. 15, 1876. Amended Nov. 3, 1896, Nov. 4, 1902, July 23, 1921, Nov. 2, 1954, Nov. 8, 1966, Nov. 4, 1997, Nov. 2, 1999, and Nov. 6, 2001.)  (TEMPORARY TRANSITION PROVISIONS for Sec. 2: See Appendix, Notes 1 and 3.)