Missouri SB 860: Modifies provisions relating to elections

Bill Text

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 860
100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR HEGEMAN.
Read 1st time January 13, 2020, and ordered printed.
ADRIANE D. CROUSE, Secretary.
4836S.01I
AN ACT
To repeal sections 115.277, 115.279, 115.283, and 115.637, RSMo, and to enact in lieu
thereof four new sections relating to elections, with existing penalty provisions.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 115.277, 115.279, 115.283, and 115.637, RSMo, are
2 repealed and four new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections
3 115.277, 115.279, 115.283, and 115.637, to read as follows:
115.277. 1. (1) Except as provided in subsections 2, 3, 4, and 5 of
2 this section, any registered voter of this state may cast an absentee
3 ballot in person at a location designated by the election authority for
4 all candidates and issues for which such voter is eligible to vote at the
5 polling place without providing a reason for the need to vote absentee.
6 (2) Except as provided in subsections 2, 3, 4, and 5 of this section, any
7 registered voter of this state may [vote by] cast an absentee ballot by mail for
8 all candidates and issues for which such voter [would be] is eligible to vote at
9 the polling place if such voter expects to be prevented from going to the polls to
10 vote on election day due to:
11 [(1)] (a) Absence on election day from the jurisdiction of the election
12 authority in which such voter is registered to vote;
13 [(2)] (b) Incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability,
14 including a person who is primarily responsible for the physical care of a person
15 who is incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability;
16 [(3)] (c) Religious belief or practice;
17 [(4)] (d) Employment as an election authority, as a member of an election
18 authority, or by an election authority at a location other than such voter's polling
EXPLANATION--Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in this bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted in the law.

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19 place;
20 [(5)] (e) Incarceration, provided all qualifications for voting are retained;
21 [(6)] (f) Certified participation in the address confidentiality program
22 established under sections 589.660 to 589.681 because of safety concerns.
23 2. Any covered voter[, as defined in section 115.275,] who is eligible to
24 register and vote in this state may vote in any election for federal office,
25 statewide office, state legislative office, or statewide ballot initiatives by
26 submitting a federal postcard application to apply to vote by absentee ballot or
27 by submitting a federal postcard application at the polling place even though the
28 person is not registered. A federal postcard application submitted by a covered
29 voter pursuant to this subsection shall also serve as a voter registration
30 application under section 115.908 and the election authority shall, if satisfied
31 that the applicant is entitled to register, place the voter's name on the voter
32 registration file. Each covered voter may vote by absentee ballot or, upon
33 submitting an affidavit that the person is qualified to vote in the election, may
34 vote at the person's polling place.
35 3. Any interstate former resident[, as defined in section 115.275,] may
36 vote by absentee ballot for presidential and vice presidential electors.
37 4. Any intrastate new resident[, as defined in section 115.275,] may vote
38 by absentee ballot at the election for presidential and vice presidential electors,
39 United States senator, representative in Congress, statewide elected officials and
40 statewide questions, propositions and amendments from such resident's new
41 jurisdiction of residence after registering to vote in such resident's new
42 jurisdiction of residence.
43 5. Any new resident[, as defined in section 115.275,] may vote by absentee
44 ballot for presidential and vice presidential electors after registering to vote in
45 such resident's new jurisdiction of residence.
115.279. 1. Application for an absentee ballot may be made by the
2 applicant in person, or by mail, or for the applicant, in person, by his or her
3 guardian or a relative within the second degree by consanguinity or affinity. The
4 election authority shall accept applications by facsimile transmission and by
5 electronic mail within the limits of its telecommunications capacity.
6 2. Each application shall be made to the election authority of the
7 jurisdiction in which the person is or would be registered. Each application shall
8 be in writing and shall state the applicant's name, address at which he or she is
9 or would be registered, his or her reason for voting an absentee ballot, if casting

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10 an absentee ballot pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection 1 of section
11 115.277, the address to which the ballot is to be mailed, if mailing is requested,
12 and for absent uniformed services and overseas