Committee hears hours of testimony on bill to require mailed ballots be received by close of polls

A House Elections Committee hearing on Senate Bill 4 drew several hours of testimony on whether Kansas should eliminate the three-day grace period that currently allows mail ballots postmarked by election day to be counted if received within three days.

The bill, introduced to require that “all advance voting ballots have to be received in the office of the county election officer or the polling place … by 7 p.m. on election day,” was described to the committee by a member of the Revisor’s office as a measure that would remove the postmark-based grace period and align Kansas with other states that require receipt by the close of polls.

Why it matters: proponents and opponents agreed the proposal would change how many late mail ballots are handled and could affect voters who rely on mail delivery or who live far from processing centers. Supporters said the change would speed vote tabulation and reduce post-election litigation; opponents warned it would disenfranchise rural voters and people with disabilities who depend on mail or face logistical challenges.

Jason Snead,…