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Minutes for HB2512 - Committee on Federal and State Affairs
Short Title
Substitute for HB 2512 by Committee on Elections - Requiring county election officers provide a minimum of four hours on the Saturday before an election for in-person advance voting; providing after January 1, 2025, in-person advance voting shall end at 7:00 p.m. on the Sunday prior to an election.
Minutes Content for Tue, Mar 12, 2024
Jason Long, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, gave an overview of the bill. HB2512 modifies deadlines for returning an advance voting ballot in-person to the county election office. The bill provides for county election offices to be open for at least four hours on the Saturday prior to the election, and also allows for them to be returned on the Sunday prior, if the county election officer decides to open the county election office on that day. These changes would go into effect on July 1, 2024. The House amended the bill for elections after January 1, 2025, requiring advance in-person ballots to be returned by 7:00 pm on the Sunday prior to the election. The county election officer may make an exception if there is "good cause" shown by the voter. (Attachment 7)
Seeing no proponent, nor opponent testimony, the Chairman called for neutral testimony.
Neutral Oral Testimony
Brian Caskey, Deputy Secretary of State, Director of Elections, Office of the Kansas Secretary of State, spoke as neutral on the bill. He stated the bill only addresses in-person voting prior to election day. The bill adds an additional four hour period on Saturday and Sunday, and for 2024 elections, keeps the Monday deadline. In 2025, the deadline is Sunday, and there is no in-person voting on the Monday. He stated the "in cause shown" language in the bill needs to be clarified. (Attachment 8)
Davis Hammet, Loud Light Civic Action, spoke as neutral on the bill. He stated the original bill in the House only removed the Monday voting hours to help county commissioners get ready for Tuesday election days. He said hours were added on Saturday in the bill, to offset the voting hours lost on Monday. He stated his organization would oppose the bill if the extra hours were removed. (Attachment 9)
Neutral Written Only Testimony
Rick Piepho, Harvey County Clerk & Election Officer - Kansas County Clerks and Election Officials Committee Chair (Attachment 10)
Cille King, League of Women Voters (Attachment 11)
Following a period of questions and answers, the Chairman closed the hearing on HB2512.
