SB 1174 - Under current law, if the statements on any absentee ballot envelope have not been completed, the ballot must be rejected. This act stipulates that a ballot shall also be rejected if the: • Voter has failed to sign the oath; • Signature on the envelope does not appear to be valid; • Oath has failed to be verified; • Absentee ballot has been rejected for any other reason provided by law; or • Voter is otherwise found disqualified to vote. If one of the foregoing has been found by the election authority then the ballot shall be rejected and the election authority shall write "Rejected" on the face of the envelope and give the reason. The election authority must promptly notify any voter if his or her absentee ballot has been rejected and the deadline and procedures for curing the defect for which the ballot was rejected. This act is identical to SB 408 (2025), SB 1345 (2024) and HB 2404 (2024), substantially similar to SB 149 (2023), HB 864 (2023), SB 900 (2022), and SB 266 (2021) and similar to SB 210 (2023) and HB 1184 (2023). SCOTT SVAGERA

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Angela Mosley

Missouri SB 1174 modifies absentee ballot rejection procedures, potentially affecting voter notification, ballot cure processes, and election administration requirements.

Second Read and Referred S Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee

Legislative bill overview

SB 1174 modifies Missouri's procedures for handling rejected absentee ballots, though the specific modifications are not detailed in the available information. The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process, having been referred to the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee after its first reading.

Why is this important

Absentee ballot procedures directly affect voter access and election administration. Changes to how rejected ballots are handled can impact which votes are counted, voter notification processes, and the overall integrity and efficiency of elections. These modifications could affect thousands of Missouri voters who rely on mail-in voting.

Potential points of contention

Voter notification standards – Changes may affect how and when voters are informed their ballot was rejected, potentially impacting their ability to cast a provisional or corrected ballot

Rejection criteria and appeals – Modifications could alter which ballots are rejected and whether voters have opportunity to cure defects (such as missing signatures)

Implementation burden – Election administrators may face resource challenges if new procedures increase workload or require system changes