Kansas Senate committee backs ending three‑day mail‑ballot grace period; amendment to mail ballots earlier fails

The Kansas Senate Committee of the Whole voted to report Senate Bill 4 favorably for passage, agreeing to set a uniform deadline that would require advance and mail ballots to be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day and to eliminate a current three‑day post‑election grace period.

Senator Thompson of Johnson explained the bill, saying it would "eliminate the 3 day grace period" and set a single receipt deadline for all ballots. He said the change is partly justified by a recent Fifth Circuit opinion and quoted Justice Kavanaugh, as repeated in committee, that "a state cannot conduct an election without deadlines." Thompson noted military ballots already must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day and pointed to existing law that allows up to 10 people to collect and deliver ballots for others.

The bill's proponents argued a uniform end time restores confidence in election results and removes the constitutional risk identified by the federal court. Opponents and several senators raised concerns that eliminating the grace period would disproportionately affect voters with limited mobility, seniors and people with disabilities who rely on slow mail service or on others to deliver ballots.

Senator Faust Gadeau of Sedgwick offered Amendment No. 1103 to Senate Bill 4 to require county election officers to mail advance ballots earlier (up to 45 days before an election) and to permit transmission of ballots to a residential address, temporary residences or certain medical care facilities. Faust Gadeau said she consulted local election commissioners and the secretary of state's office and framed the amendment as a way to protect the votes of seniors and Kansans with permanent disabilities.

Senator Thompson opposed the amendment as "a dramatic change" that had not been vetted in committee, saying the bill's purpose was to set a uniform deadline rather than to change how early counties mail ballots. Other senators who spoke split on the amendment: supporters said many other states mail ballots earlier and that doing so would align Kansas with jurisdictions that start mailing more than 20 days before the election; opponents said the change should be addressed in a committee hearing and could impose operational and fiscal impacts on local election officials.

When put to a voice vote, Amendment No. 1103 failed: "Nos have it. The motion fails." After further floor discussion and questions, Senator Thompson moved that the committee report Senate Bill 4 favorably for passage; the motion carried on a voice vote.

The committee report that recommended Senate Bill 4 (and Senate Bill 6) be passed was read into the record and adopted by voice vote later in the session.

Votes and formal actions taken on this item in the Committee of the Whole were by voice vote: the Faust Gadeau amendment (No. 1103) failed; the motion to report Senate Bill 4 favorably carried. The transcript does not include a roll‑call tally for either vote.