25-433. Mailing of ballots; voting instructions; return envelopes, payment of postage and forms; voting by electors, procedure; replacement ballots; counting, handling and canvass of ballots; purging of names of voters whose ballots are undeliverable from registration books and party affiliation list. (a) The county election officer shall mail all official ballots with a return identification envelope and instructions sufficient to describe the voting process to each elector entitled to vote in the election on one date not sooner than the 20th day before the date of the election and not later than the 10th day before the date of the election. Ballots mailed by the county election officer shall be addressed to the address of each elector appearing in the registration records, and placed in an envelope which is prominently marked "Do Not Forward." Ballots shall not be mailed to any inactive voter who, based on information provided by the postal service, appears to have moved to a residence address outside the county in which the voter is currently registered and who has been mailed a confirmation notice as described in subparagraph (4) of subsection (e) of K.S.A. 25-2316c, and amendments thereto, or because a "Forwarding Order Expired" or "Moved — No Forwarding Address" notice was received from the post office. Any inactive voter who believes such voter is entitled to vote in the election may request a replacement ballot as provided for in subsection (d) of this section.
(b) Upon receipt of the ballot the elector shall mark it, sign the return identification envelope supplied with the ballot and comply with the instructions provided with the ballot. The elector may return the marked ballot to the county election officer by United States mail, if it is received by the county election officer by the date of the election, or personally deliver the ballot to the office of the county election officer before noon on the date of the election. The ballot shall be returned in the return identification envelope. The county election officer shall provide for the payment of postage for the return of ballot envelopes.
(c) The return identification envelope shall contain the following form:
I declare under penalty of election perjury, a felony, that I am a resident and a qualified voter for this election as shown on voter registration records and that I have voted the enclosed ballot and am returning it in compliance with Kansas law, and amendments thereto, and have not and will not vote more than one ballot in this election.
I also understand that failure to complete the information below will invalidate my ballot.
Signature
Residence Address
(d) If the ballot is destroyed, spoiled, lost or not received by the elector, the elector may obtain a replacement ballot from the county election officer as provided in this subsection. An elector seeking a replacement ballot shall sign a statement verified on oath or affirmation, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, that the ballot was destroyed, spoiled, lost or not received. The applicant shall deliver the statement to the county election officer before noon on the date of the election. The applicant may mail the statement to the county election officer, except a county election officer shall not transmit a ballot by mail under this subsection unless the application is received prior to the close of business on the second day prior to the election. When an application is timely received under this subsection, the county election officer shall deliver the ballot to the voter if the voter is present in the office of the county election officer, or promptly transmit the ballot by mail to the voter at the address contained in the application, except when prohibited in this subsection. The county election officer shall keep a record of each replacement ballot provided under this subsection.
(e) A ballot shall be counted only if: (1) It is returned in the return identification envelope; (2) the envelope is signed by the elector to whom the ballot is issued; and (3) the signature has been verified as provided in this subsection. The county election officer shall verify the signature of each elector on the return identification envelope with the signature on the elector's registration records and may commence verification at any time prior to the canvass of the election. If the county election officer determines that an elector to whom a replacement ballot has been issued under subsection (d) has voted more than once, the county election officer shall not count any ballot cast by that elector.
(f) The county election officer shall supervise the procedures for the handling and canvassing of ballots to insure the safety and confidentiality of all ballots properly cast.
(g) The names of voters whose mail ballot envelopes are returned to the county election officer as "undeliverable" shall be subject to removal from the voter registration book and party affiliation list in the manner provided in subsection (d) of K.S.A. 25-2316c, and amendments thereto.
History: L. 1983, ch. 125, § 3; L. 1984, ch. 138, § 1; L. 1987, ch. 125, § 1; L. 1999, ch. 105, § 1; L. 2008, ch. 165, § 1; May 29.
Structure Kansas Statutes
Article 4 - Conduct Of Elections
25-407 Rule for determining residence of voter.
25-409 Challenged voters; rejection or acceptance of vote; procedure.
25-413 Duty of clerks of election when vote received after person has taken oath prescribed.
25-414 Duty of judge to challenge; provisional ballots, acceptance or rejection procedure.
25-418 Leave allowance for employees to vote; obstruction of voting privilege, penalty.
25-431 Title of act; citation.
25-432 Elections which may be conducted under act; limitations.
25-433a Mail ballot; city and county tax lid elections; timing.
25-434 Challenge of votes; procedure.
25-435 Mail ballot elections; application of advance voting ballot provisions.
25-437 Canvass of votes; form of abstract; special election board to be appointed.
25-438 Application of other election laws.
25-439 Act to be liberally construed; mere informality not to affect validity of election.