25-1136. Advance voting; advance voting ballots received by mail after polls close; time frame; provisional ballots; challenged and objected to ballots; procedures; rules and regulations. (a) The vote of any advance voting voter may be challenged in the same manner as other votes are challenged, as nearly as may be, and the judges of the special election board shall determine the validity of each advance voting ballot. Whenever the judges determine that the form accompanying an advance voting ballot is insufficient, or that the voter is not a registered voter, or the challenge is otherwise sustained, the advance voting ballot envelope shall not be opened. In all such cases, the judges shall endorse on the back of the envelope the word "provisional" and state the reason for sustaining the challenge.

(b) Any advance voting ballot envelope which has not been signed shall not be opened, and no vote on the ballot therein shall be counted. The envelope or ballot shall be challenged in the same manner in which other votes are challenged.

(c) Whenever it shall be made to appear to the judges of a special election board by sufficient proof that an advance voting voter has died, the envelope containing the advance voting ballot of the deceased voter shall not be opened. In all such cases, the judges shall endorse on the back of the envelope the word "provisional" and the reason for sustaining the challenge.

(d) If objection is made to an advance voting ballot because of form, condition, or marking thereof, the ballot shall be marked "void" if the judges uphold the objection to the entire ballot, and otherwise shall be marked on the back thereof, "objected to" with a statement of the substance of the objection.

(e) Void, provisional and objected to advance voting ballots shall be transmitted to the county election officer in the same manner as personally cast provisional ballots are transmitted but shall be placed in separate envelopes or sacks, appropriately labeled and sealed. Votes contained in void and provisional advance voting ballots shall not be included in the total of votes certified by the special election board. Void, provisional and objected to advance voting ballots shall be reviewed by the board of county canvassers, and the board shall finally determine the acceptance or rejection of each void, provisional or objected to ballot.

(f) Procedures for canvassing and challenging advance voting ballots received by mail after the closing of the polls pursuant to K.S.A. 25-1132(b), and amendments thereto, shall be as set forth in rules and regulations adopted by the secretary of state as authorized by K.S.A. 25-1132(b), and amendments thereto.

History: L. 1973, ch. 155, § 6; L. 1993, ch. 287, § 6; L. 1995, ch. 192, § 37; L. 1996, ch. 187, § 4; L. 2017, ch. 49, § 5; July 1.