House elections committee hears bill to reinstate presidential preference primary, expand in‑person absentee voting
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Summary
Missouri House Elections Committee heard testimony on HB 18‑71, a package that would reinstate the presidential preference primary (state‑funded), expand in‑person no‑excuse absentee voting from two to four weeks, allow email election notices, protect permanently disabled absentee lists, and widen the electioneering buffer from 25 to 50 feet. Supporters and voting‑rights groups backed access changes; some members and advocates raised fiscal and free‑speech concerns about the primary and buffer expansion.
Representative Peggy McGaw presented House Bill 18‑71 to the Missouri House Elections Committee, saying the measure would reinstate a state‑funded presidential preference primary on the first Tuesday in March of presidential years and make a package of administrative changes intended to modernize election administration.
"This bill basically reinstates the presidential preference primary election to be held on the first Tuesday in March of each presidential election year and to be fully funded by the state," McGaw said in opening remarks, describing additional changes that would allow email notice of elections, shift some filing deadlines to avoid holidays, lengthen the in‑person no‑excuse absentee window from two weeks to four weeks, and require write‑in candidates to file a declaration of intent before votes for them are counted.
Why it matters: supporters said the combined changes would make administration easier for local election authorities, reduce last‑minute crowds at county offices, and protect vulnerable voters. Kurt Barr, director of elections for Saint Charles County and co‑chair of the Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities legislative committee, told the panel the association supports many provisions in the bill and urged confidentiality for the permanently disabled absentee list.
"We just want that list of people to be protected from sunshine," Barr said, describing the protection as aimed at preventing scams or harassment of elderly or disabled voters.
Voting‑rights and civic groups called for the changes that expand access. Denise Lieberman of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition praised the extension of the in‑person absentee period and extension of provisional ballots to all elections, but she opposed expanding the electioneering buffer beyond 25 feet on First Amendment grounds.
"We do not support extending the current 25 foot buffer zone in the interest of preserving and protecting fundamental First Amendment protections for speech and electioneering," Lieberman told the committee, while also supporting measures that make voting easier and safer for voters.
Committee members repeatedly questioned the fiscal and practical effects of reinstating the presidential preference primary. Several members cited an earlier fiscal note and asked who would pay the cost; supporters said the bill would place the expense on the state rather than counties. Members also debated the buffer change: the bill language moves from 25 feet to 50 feet as a compromise from an association request for 100 feet in some previous drafts.
Other provisions under review include a change that would require military and overseas voters (UOCAVA) who wish to vote on election day to vote at a local election authority office so staff can assist with registration issues, and a requirement that automatic tabulating equipment testing be scheduled to allow meaningful public observation. Proponents said expanding the in‑person window reduces last‑minute congestion and improves security because more voters cast ballots in person across a longer span of days.
No final committee action was taken at the hearing; the chair closed public testimony and signaled the committee may take up the bill for action in a subsequent meeting.