SB350
Absentee voting; counting ballots prior to the close of polls.
Status:
In House
Latest Action:
Feb. 4, 2026
Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB350)
Chief Patron:
Danica Roem (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Introduced. Elections; absentee voting; counting ballots prior to the close of polls.
Allows officers of election at a central absentee precinct to begin ascertaining and recording the number of votes cast by absentee ballots at any time after noon on the day of the election. Under current law, absentee ballots that are counted by hand may be tallied, but not counted, at ... (More) any time after noon on the day of the election, and no ballot totals for any absentee ballots shall be ascertained until after polls close. The bill also clarifies that vote totals for absentee ballots cast in person on voting systems cannot be determined until the day of the election. The bill also requires that general registrars begin processing absentee ballots on the fourteenth day prior to the day of the election. Under current law such processing is not required until the seventh day prior to the day of the election. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/13/2026 - Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102138D
- 01/13/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
- 01/27/2026 - Senate: Reported from Privileges and Elections (9-Y 5-N)
- 01/29/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB350)
- 01/29/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 01/29/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 01/29/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
- 01/30/2026 - Senate: Read second time
- 01/30/2026 - Senate: Read second time
- 01/30/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day
- 02/02/2026 - Senate: Read second time
- 02/02/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day
- 02/03/2026 - Senate: Read second time
- 02/03/2026 - Senate: Reading of substitute waived (Voice Vote)
- 02/03/2026 - Senate: Senator Roem Substitute agreed to
- 02/03/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
- 02/04/2026 - Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (23-Y 17-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 02/04/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB350)
