House Status:
Senate Status:
Senate Status:
Minutes for SB49 - Committee on Ethics, Elections and Local Government
Short Title
Elections; registration; election day registration.
Minutes Content for Wed, Mar 21, 2018
Chairperson Bowers opened the informational hearing on SB49.
Jill Shelley, research staff, presented information that she and Katelin Neikirk, research staff, compiled regarding same day voting in other states. The information included a 50-state list of where the states stand on same day voting, and also a summary of information found in statutes, state regulations and on the official websites of state election officials. Ms. Shelley stated there are 16 states plus the District of Columbia that allow a qualified person to register and vote on the same day. Ms. Shelley's presentation focused on the major differences between those states such as the period of time when a qualified person can register and vote on the same day in the state, where the applicant would go to register and vote, how the state verifies the voter is qualified, documents that are acceptable for proving identity, and documents accepted for proving where the voter lives. (Attachment 1)
After questions from the Committee where addressed, the informational hearing continued.
Rick Piepho spoke regarding the technicalities in regard to implementing SB49. Mr. Piepho stated he supports being able to count more of the provisional ballots that are cast. Mr. Piepho addressed some concerns with the proposed changes regarding the 21-day registration deadlines, and concerns regarding inconsistent issues with the non-provisional and provisional ballots for advance in-person voters in the election office and satellite advance voting sites. (Attachment 2)
Mr. Piepho addressed questions from the Committee.
Vignesh Ganapathy stated that currently in Kansas they have seen a steady decline in voter turnout. Mr. Ganapathy indicated they see Election Day registration as a means to be able to mitigate some of the issues that surround voter turnout. Mr. Ganapathy indicated states with Election Day registration tend to be the ones with the highest turnout in the country. Mr. Ganapathy drew the Committee's attention to information regarding same day registration from the City of Milwaukee that is attached to his testimony. (Attachment 3)
Cille King indicated SB49 could increase voter turnout for elections. Ms. King provided information from a report from the Associated Press regarding provisional ballots that were discarded throughout the country. Ms. King indicated the League of Women Voters gathered data from 12 Kansas counties and provided the data in a spreadsheet attached to her written testimony. Ms. King highlighted information from the spreadsheet. (Attachment 4)
Bryan Caskey addressed some of the issues that were brought up during the previous conferees' testimony regarding turnout and provisional ballots. Mr. Caskey also addressed the assertion that election laws throughout the state are different from county to county. Mr. Caskey highlighted other areas that need to be considered for same day registration including security, increases in cost and increases in provisional ballots. No written testimony was provided.
After questions from the Committee were addressed, Chairperson Bowers closed the informational hearing on SB49.
