COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH
OVERSIGHT DIVISION
FISCAL NOTE
L.R. No.:1824S.02I Bill No.:SB 606 Subject:County Officials; Elections Type:Original Date:April 6, 2025Bill Summary:This proposal modifies provisions relating to absentee ballots.
FISCAL SUMMARY
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON GENERAL REVENUE FUNDFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total Estimated Net
Effect on General
Revenue $0$0$0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON OTHER STATE FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total Estimated Net
Effect on Other State
Funds $0$0$0
Numbers within parentheses: () indicate costs or losses. L.R. No. 1824S.02I
Bill No. SB 606
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ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total Estimated Net
Effect on All Federal
Funds $0$0$0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FULL TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE)FUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total Estimated Net
Effect on FTE 000
☐ Estimated Net Effect (expenditures or reduced revenues) expected to exceed $250,000 in any
of the three fiscal years after implementation of the act or at full implementation of the act.
☐ Estimated Net Effect (savings or increased revenues) expected to exceed $250,000 in any of
the three fiscal years after implementation of the act or at full implementation of the act.
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Local Government(Unknown)(Unknown)(Unknown) L.R. No. 1824S.02I
Bill No. SB 606
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FISCAL ANALYSIS
ASSUMPTION
Sections 115.295 and 115.300 – Absentee Ballots Curing
Officials from the Office of the Secretary of State (SOS) assume the proposal will have no
fiscal impact on their organization.
Oversight requested from the SOS the number of absentee ballots that were rejected in the 2024
General Election, SOS provided that 5,238 ballots were rejected.
In addition, the SOS stated they don’t have accurate information as to the cost of returned ballot
postage that the State of Missouri reimburses to the local election authorities (LEAs). LEAs can
combine up to two years’ worth of reimbursements in a single payment request, which also
includes municipal elections where the state doesn’t have a race, but they still reimburse postage.
In response to similar legislation, SB 210 (2023), the Oversight requested from the SOS the
number of absentee ballots that were rejected in the most current elections. SOS provided that
they receive their absentee statistics from post-election surveys. They only do these for state-
level elections so cannot provide a number for municipal elections. The reporting for the primary
is currently incomplete as it had to be delayed due to other more urgent projects. However, for
the general election their surveying was complete and there were 3,055 ballots rejected
(including military/overseas).
Oversight notes that according to the SOS the below is the total for returned ballot postage that
the State of Missouri has reimbursed to the local election authorities in the past five years.
2018$ 50,0002019$ 100,4842020$ 58,709 2021$ 477,017 2022$ 43,052
Officials from the Jackson County Board of Elections provide each absentee voter with
detailed instructions that accompanies the voter’s ballot they receive via mail. Instructions
include how to properly vote the ballot and instructions for properly filling out and signing the
envelope. Additionally, the Board instructs the voter on the absentee envelope if there is no need
for notarization otherwise the instructions are clear notarization is needed.
Election authorities are understaffed especially during large elections and are occupied fulfilling
the absentee requests that come in daily. Election authorities would require additional full-time
staff if a law such as SB 606 passed. L.R. No. 1824S.02I
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Two Fulltime Staff Members - $84,711.00
In most cases election authorities do not have access to a voter’s email address or phone number.
Election authorities would have no other option but to mail a notice via 1st class mail to the voter
which generally takes 7 working days. Voters submitting their ballots less than two weeks
before the election would not have the benefit of getting the rejection notice in a timely manner
to cure their ballot and some might receive the notice after the date for submission of corrections.
Additional Postage for Notices - $ 3,117.00
TOTAL
Officials from the St. Louis City Board of Elections state for the 2025 General Election
approximately 200 absentee ballots were rejected as a result of errors on the ballot envelope.
Estimating it would take 15 minutes to contact each voter, this would be 50 hours. If an Election
Board employee being paid $15/hour was paid to do this work, the estimated fiscal impact would
be $750.
Officials from the St. Louis County Board of Elections state depending on voter turnout, they
see anywhere from roughly 200 to well over 1,000 absentee ballots might be rejected for lack of
signature or lack of notarization per election. This legislation requires them to mail a notice to
these voters. They estimate the total cost per letter, when factoring in postage, printing, and
labor, to be $1.66 per letter. For the April 2024 election, they would have spent $280.54 on these
letters. For November 2024, they would have spent $2,177.92.
Officials from the Johnson County Clerk state there would likely be minimal impact (less than
$150 per election) to Johnson County in the way of additional postage cost to notify voters of
missing information on their absentee ballot envelope.
Officials from the Platte County Board of Elections assume the proposal will have no fiscal
impact on their respective organization.
Oversight notes there is a potential increase in cost to local election authorities for postage,
printing and staff time to rectify absentee ballot rejections. Oversight is unable to determine how
many individuals will cast an absentee ballot or how many absentee ballots will be rejected;
therefore, Oversight will reflect a potential unknown cost to local election authorities. L.R. No. 1824S.02I
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FISCAL IMPACT – State GovernmentFY 2026
(10 Mo.)
FY 2027FY 2028$0$0$0FISCAL IMPACT – Local GovernmentFY 2026
(10 Mo.)
FY 2027FY 2028LOCAL ELECTION AUTHORTIESCost – postage, printing and processing
absentee ballot rejections(Unknown)(Unknown)(Unknown)
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON
LOCAL ELECTION
AUTHORITIES(Unknown)(Unknown)(Unknown)
FISCAL IMPACT – Small Business
No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal.
FISCAL DESCRIPTION
Under current law, if the statement on any absentee ballot envelope has not been completed, the
absentee ballot is required to be rejected. Under this act, the election authority is required to
notify the voter that the envelope is missing information by all means reasonably calculated to
make contact with the voter. The voter must be permitted an opportunity to supply the missing
information by completing a new statement and delivering it to the election authority by any
means authorized by law for delivering absentee ballots. The Secretary of State is responsible for
developing an affidavit form to be used for such purposes. The act expressly prohibits changing
any selections made on the ballot contained within the ballot envelope.
Only the office of the election authority is permitted to contact voters pursuant to this act.
Voters have until the close of polls on election day to supply missing information on the absentee
ballot envelope. If a voter fails to supply the missing information prior to that time, the absentee
ballot shall be rejected.
Current law permits election authorities to prepare absentee ballots for tabulation not earlier than
the fifth day prior to the election. This act repeals the five day limitation and permits preparation
of absentee ballots for tabulation upon receipt. L.R. No. 1824S.02I
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The act repeals a provision stipulating that absentee ballots that are received by an LEA in
person are deemed cast when received prior to election day and absentee ballots that are received
through a common carrier are deemed cast when received prior to the closing of polls.
Furthermore, the repealed provision provides that absentee ballots received by the LEA through
a common carrier such as the United States Postal Service are required to be received prior to the
time fixed by law for the closing of polls on election day.
This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not
require additional capital improvements or rental space.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Office of the Secretary of State
Jackson County Election Board
Platte County Board of Elections
St. Louis City Board of Elections
St. Louis County Board of Elections
Johnson County Clerk
Julie MorffJessica HarrisDirectorAssistant DirectorApril 6, 2025April 6, 2025