Governor signs bill making voting more convenient in Kansas

(From the Office of the Governor)

TOPEKA, Kan. — In an effort to expand and improve voting opportunities in Kansas, Governor Laura Kelly signed House Substitute for Senate Bill 130 yesterday afternoon, amending the law concerning advance ballots, signature requirements and polling places.

“Over the past decade, we have seen countless efforts aimed at making voting more difficult in this state,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I hope this will be the first of many laws that help ensure that every voice is heard in our democratic process and that every vote is counted.”

House Substitute for Senate Bill 130 will give county election officials the discretion to allow all registered voters to cast their ballot at any polling place in their county on election day. It also requires county election officers to attempt to contact each voter who submitted an advance voting ballot without a signature or with a signature that does not match the signature on file. The voter will be allowed to correct their signature before the commencement of the final tallying of votes in that county.

“This law is about local control and protecting every vote,” Kelly said. “I applaud all of the local and state officials who worked together to make this law a reality, especially those in Sedgwick County who were the driving force behind it.”

This brings the total number of bills signed in the 2019 Legislative Session to 37, with one being vetoed. By law, the Kansas governor has 10 calendar days to sign bills into law, veto bills or allow bills to become law without her signature.