Modifies provisions relating to elections

NOTICES OF ELECTION (Sections 108.240, 115.125, and 115.127) The act modifies provisions governing bond elections and publication of notice for elections.

In the case of any bond election, if an election contest is not filed within the time period prescribed by law (not later than thirty days after the official announcement of the election result), then all conditions of state election law shall be deemed to have been complied with in the issuance of the bond.

The act modifies the legal notice required for all elections by requiring local election authorities to publish notice twice in at least two qualified newspapers, except as otherwise permitted pursuant to this act, within 6 weeks prior to the election. In lieu of such requirement, election authorities have the option of mailing legal notice to each registered voter within 6 weeks of an election and publishing notice once in at least one newspaper in the county. These provisions are identical to SCS/SB 1094 (2026).

The act additionally allows a notice of election to be sent by email.

This provision is substantially similar to a provision in SCS/SB 182 (2025), SB 926 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1525 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2140 (2024), and a provision in HCS/HB 2895 (2024).

CANDIDATE FILING DEADLINES - LOCAL OFFICES (Section 115.127) Under current law, the period for filing a declaration of candidacy in certain political subdivisions and special districts is from 8:00 a.m. on the 17th Tuesday prior to the election until 5:00 p.m. on the 14th Tuesday prior to the election. This act changes that period to 8:00 a.m. on the 16th Tuesday prior to the election until 5:00 p.m. on the 13th Tuesday prior to the election, unless the 13th Tuesday prior to an election falls on a holiday, then the closing of filing shall be at 5:00 p.m. on the next day that is not a holiday.

This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/SB 182 (2025), SB 774 (2024), a provision in SB 926 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1525 (2024), HB 1604 (2024), a provision in SCS/HB 2084 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2140 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2206 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2895 (2024), a provision in SCS/SB 346 (2023), and CCS/HS/HCS/SS#2/SCS/SB 96 (2023) and substantially similar to HB 2225 (2024), HCS/HB 1214 (2023), provisions in the perfected HCS/HBs 267 & 347 (2023), and HCS/HB 783 (2023).

TESTING OF ELECTION EQUIPMENT (Section 115.233) Current law requires, in any election in which an electronic voting system is to be used, an election authority to have the automatic tabulating equipment tested within 14 days prior to the election to ascertain that the equipment is in compliance with the law and that it will correctly count the votes cast for all offices and on all questions. This act changes the timeline for testing such that it must be completed at least 14 days, but no less than one week prior to the election.

ABSENTEE VOTING (Sections 115.277 and 115.284) The act allows eligible covered voters to vote absentee by submitting a federal postcard application at the office of the election authority on election day even though the person is not registered. Interstate former residents and new residents may vote by absentee ballot at the office of the election authority on election day for the offices for which such voters are entitled to vote. This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/SB 182 (2025), SB 926 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1525 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2140 (2024), and a provision in HCS/HB 2895 (2024).

The act provides that all lists of absentee ballot applications for persons with permanent disabilities shall be kept confidential.

This provision is identical to provisions in SCS/SB 182 (2025), SB 926 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1525 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2140 (2024), and a provision in HCS/HB 2895 (2024), substantially similar to a provision in SCS/SB 346 (2023), and similar to a provision in the perfected HCS/HBs 267 & 347 (2023), a provision in HCS/HB 783 (2023), and a provision in CCS/HS/HCS/SS#2/SCS/SB 96 (2023).

VOTER IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS (Section 115.427) The act makes accommodations for individuals who appear at the office of an election authority to vote absentee and fail to present a form of personal identification by explicitly allowing such voters to cast a provisional ballot that will only be counted upon the voter returning to the office of the election authority by 7:00 p.m. on election day and presenting a form of personal identification for voting.

CASTING PROVISIONAL BALLOTS (Section 115.430) The act expands a provision of law governing the casting and counting of provisional ballots to all public elections, rather than just particular primary or general elections.

This provision is identical to provisions in SCS/SB 182 (2025), HCS/HB 1525 (2024), HB 2052 (2024), HCS/HB 2140 (2024), HCS/HB 2895 (2024), SCS/SB 346 (2023), the perfected HCS/HBs 267 & 347 (2023), and a provision in HCS/HB 783 (2023).

WRITE-IN CANDIDATES - REPEAL OF EXEMPTION FOR ELECTIONS WITHOUT PARTY CANDIDATES (Section 115.453) Current law provides that votes for write-in candidates are only counted for candidates who have filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate. Current law also provides an exemption to this requirement in instances where no candidate has filed for the office in question. This act repeals the exemption so that write-in candidates are only counted when a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate has been filed with the proper election authority.

This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/SB 182 (2025). SCOTT SVAGERA