Virtual students in Kansas could join KSHSAA activities under new bill
26 January 2024
TOPEKA (KSNT) – A new bill up for debate this legislative session would adjust the days during which Kansans can vote.
The House Election Committee held a hearing Thursday for House Bill 2512. This bill would require advance ballots that are cast in person to arrive at the county election office by 7 p.m. the Sunday before election day instead. The current deadline is noon the day before an election.
Rep. Pat Proctor, (R) Leavenworth, said the move would help local election offices better prepare for election day voters.
“I heard a lot of election officers say that it is very difficult for them to stop early voting at noon and get all the electronic poll books reset in time to get stuff out to the polling places, especially when you’re a two-man band or a one-man band,” Rep. Proctor said.
The change would take away the option for people to vote that Monday before the election.
Voting activist and Loud Light President Davis Hammet said the Monday before the election is important because it brings a variety of people to the polls. He says that opportunity shouldn’t be taken away.
“It’s such a disadvantage for voters that live in counties that don’t provide any evening, or weekend or early voting opportunities,” Hammet said.
Rep. Cindy Neighbor, (D) Shawnee, told 27 News she worries this bill in its current form wouldn’t give counties enough time to educate the voters on this big change during a big election year.
“One of my concerns today was that you put something in a presidential election, and you’ve changed the dates of early voting and you’ve changed the dates of when the last ballot gets in, we don’t have time to notify all of those people,” Rep. Neighbor said.
On the other hand, proponents believe the change could be beneficial to many voters. Rep. Proctor said the proposed change could help better streamline the voting process.
“I think we can find common ground. We’re not trying to disenfranchise anybody. We’re not trying to make it harder to vote,” Proctor said. “We’re trying to make it easier on our election officers to help us all be able to vote.”
According to a fiscal note submitted by State Budget Director Adam Proffitt, the Kansas Secretary of State’s office would be responsible for making sure county election offices are prepared for the new deadlines, and election employees would be required to work and be paid for overtime for coming in on a Sunday. Proffitt says the agency estimates the cost for these changes would range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars per county.
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