Requiring the return of advance voting ballots by 7:00 p.m. on the day of the election.
Summary
HB2017 would change Kansas election law governing advance voting ballots by requiring ballots to be returned by 7:00 p.m. on election day. Under the bill, advance ballots received by the county election officer or a polling place by the close of polls would continue to be processed as before, but ballots mailed after the polls close would only be counted if they are received by the county election office by the last mail delivery at 7:00 p.m. on the third day after the election and are postmarked or otherwise shown by the U.S. Postal Service to have been mailed on or before election day.
The bill also directs the secretary of state to adopt rules and regulations to carry out the new deadline and repeals the existing version of K.S.A. 25-1132. In practical terms, it would tighten the receipt deadline for mailed advance ballots and shift some post-election ballot handling to the county board of canvassers or special election boards, depending on the secretary of state’s determination.
Impact
HB2017 would amend K.S.A. 25-1132, narrowing the window for counting mailed advance voting ballots and changing the timing for when those ballots must arrive at the county election office. It would affect county election officers, the secretary of state, special election boards, county boards of canvassers, and voters who use advance or mail voting. The bill would likely reduce the number of ballots accepted after election day and require administrative rulemaking to implement the new deadline.
Sentiment
Based on the bill’s caption and committee origin, the measure appears to be framed as an election-administration or ballot-timing bill rather than a broad policy overhaul. No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition in the available materials. The bill’s structure suggests a focus on tightening deadlines and standardizing ballot receipt procedures, which typically draws interest from election administrators and voting-rights advocates alike.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the shortened deadline for mailed advance ballots, especially the requirement that they be received by 7:00 p.m. on the third day after the election. Supporters would likely argue that the change improves certainty, finality, and administrative efficiency in election canvassing. Opponents would likely argue that it risks disenfranchising voters whose ballots are mailed on time but arrive after the new cutoff, particularly in rural areas, for military and overseas voters, or where postal delays occur. The bill also raises implementation questions for county election offices and the secretary of state regarding how ballots postmarked on time but received later should be processed.