Lawmakers debate cost of mail-in ballots to local election offices

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Some counties in Kansas mail voting applications to residents, but some lawmakers are looking to end that.

Senate Bill 366 would require voters to ask for ballots to be mailed to them. Election officials would no longer be allowed to send them out in bulk.

Opponents of the bill feel the change would limit the number of people who vote, and should be up to counties to decide because the fiscal effect will vary by county.

"My county, there's not a financial offset," Rick Piepho who opposes the bill said. "I would still have to have the same number of polling places and I already don't have very long lines, so I'm not reducing the lines. So, it doesn't make sense for me to do on a regular basis an advanced application."

Supporters say it's a waste of tax money since not all ballots are returned.

"Mailing pre-filled out applications for an advanced voting ballot in Johnson County, Kansas is costly, reckless, casts doubt on the election and perpetuated a lack of confidence and uncertainty in the election process," Wallace Boersma who supports the bill said.

Supporters of the bill also fear the widespread mailing of applications can lead to voter fraud, however, a spokesman from the Secretary of State's office says he's never seen mail-in ballots that didn't match the application.

A small committee of lawmakers heard the testimony on Wednesday, now we'll see if it's heard by the Senate.

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