HCSHB507--ELECTIONS
SPONSOR: McGaugh
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonElectionsbyavoteof8to3with2votingpresent.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
507.
Thisbillallowsanoticeofelectiontobesentbyemail.
Thebillmovesthefilingdatesforadeclarationofcandidacyin
certainpoliticalsubdivisionsandspecialdistrictsbackbyone
week,fromthe17thTuesdaypriortotheelectionuntilthe14th
Tuesdaypriortotheelection,tothe16thTuesdaypriortothe
electionuntilthe13thTuesdaypriortotheelection.
Currently,coveredvoterseligibletoregistertovotemayvotein
certainelectionsbysubmittingafederalpostcardapplicationto
applytovoteattheirpollingplace.Thisbillchangesthis
requirementfromthepollingplacetotheofficeoftheelection
authorityonelectionday.
Currently,interstateformerresidentsandnewresidentsmayvote
absenteeforpresidentialandvicepresidentialelectors. This
billallowsthemtovoteforthoseelectorsattheofficeofthe
electionauthorityonelectionday.
Thisbillprovidesthatalllistsofabsenteeballotapplications
forpeoplewithpermanentdisabilitieswillbekeptconfidential
andmustnotbepostedordisplayedinanareaopentothegeneral
publicnorshowntoanyunauthorizedperson.
Currently,aprovisionalballotcanbecastonlyinastateor
federalelection. Thisbillallowsaprovisionalballottobecast
inanypublicelection.
Thebillprovidesthatvotesforwrite-incandidatesmustonlybe
countedforcandidateswhohavefiledadeclarationofintenttobe
awrite-incandidate,evenifnocandidatehasfiledforthat
office.
ThisaddsthefollowingactivitiestoclassIIIelectionoffenses:
(1)Threateningtoharmorengaginginconductreasonably
calculatedtoharassanelectionofficialoramemberoftheir
family; (2)Attemptingtopressureanelectionofficialormemberoftheir
familytoviolateaprovisionofelectionlaw;
(3)Disseminatingthroughanymeansthepersonalinformationofan
electionofficialormemberoftheirfamilyforthepurposeof
threateningtoharmorattemptingtopressuretheofficialor
memberoftheirfamilytoviolateaprovisionofelectionlaw.
Ifaviolationresultsindeathorbodilyinjurytoanelection
officialoramemberoftheirfamily,theoffenseisaclassB
felony.
ThisbillissimilartoHB2140(2024).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthesechangeswouldimprovethe
votingprocessforelectionadministrators andvoters.Provisional
ballotsforallelectionsmakessense;electionofficialsdon't
liketurningvotersaway.Makingthepermanentlydisabledlist
confidentialalsomakessense;thenameofanyvoterwhoreceives
anabsenteeballotisplacedonanavailablelistsotherelevant
informationwouldstillbeavailableuponrequest;justnotthe
listofvulnerablevoters.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Mcgaugh;
MissouriSchoolBoards'Association;MunicipalLeagueofMetroSt.
Louis;DeniseLieberman,MissouriVoterProtectionCoalition;
SecureDemocracyUSA;ArnieDienoff;SecureElectionsProject;
MissouriVoterProtectionCoalition;KurtBahr.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.