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Kansas Senate committee hears debate on signature verification bill with conditional repealer
Summary
Senate Bill 394 would align advance ballot envelope language and add a conditional repealer that would void Kansas’ advance-voting statutes if a court issues a nonappealable order invalidating signature verification. Supporters argued it protects mail voting; opponents said it risks disenfranchisement.
Senate Federal and State Affairs heard testimony on Senate Bill 394, which would (1) make envelope language for advanced voting ballots consistent across statutes and (2) add a conditional repealer tied to any final, nonappealable court order that invalidates the state’s signature-verification requirement.
The bill brief and supporter testimony centered on preserving the integrity of mail voting when litigation challenges signature verification. Clay Barker, general counsel for the Kansas Secretary of State, said the measure is intended to make clear the legislature’s intent that signature verification is integral to mail balloting. “Kansas has one of the best procedures for signature verification in the nation,” Barker said, describing uniform statewide procedures, a two-person review standard and opportunities for voters to be contacted and cure their ballot. Barker added that the…
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