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HB 2022

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2025 Regular Session Introduced by Daniel Pae

HB 2022 standardizes Kansas special-election timing, consolidating them to March or to coincide with primaries/general elections, and limits one bond election per year.

Second Reading referred to Rules
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Bill Summary · HB 2022

HB 2022 — Summary (Kansas, 2025)

Status: Approved by Governor (April 8, 2025). Effective upon publication in the statute book.

Summary
HB 2022 clarifies and narrows when “special elections” may be held under Kansas law and adds timing rules for municipal bond elections. The law standardizes special-election timing across several election statutes and imposes limits intended to reduce scheduling conflicts, costs, and voter confusion by concentrating special elections on a small number of dates.

Key provisions
- Redefinition of “special election”
- A “special election” is defined as any election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of any year, or on the same day as a general or primary election.
- The bill preserves a 45‑day buffer around general and primary elections by clarifying that a special election may not be held within 45 days before or after a general or primary election (but may occur on the authorized March date or coincide with a primary/general).

  • Municipal bond elections (new / amended provisions)

    • When a municipality (including school districts) must hold an election on issuance of bonds, the election must be called and held on the date of the next primary or general election, as specified in the calling resolution.
    • Any statute that expressly prescribes a specific election date for such bond elections takes precedence over this requirement.
    • A municipality may not call or hold more than one bond election (other than on the same date as a primary or general election) within a single calendar year. This restriction does not prevent planning, notice, or preparation, and does not apply to bond elections for replacing or repairing facilities destroyed or substantially damaged by casualty (e.g., fire, flood).

  • Conforming amendments

    • The bill amends multiple K.S.A. sections (including 10-120, 25-1115, 25-2006, 25-2019, 25-2502) to align definitions and procedures with the new timing rules.

Who is affected
- County election officers and local election administrators (scheduling, ballots, staffing).
- Municipalities and school districts that conduct bond or special elections (must align calls to specified dates; limited to one non-primary/general bond election per year).
- Voters (potentially fewer ad hoc election dates; possible increased turnout when elections are consolidated).
- Kansas Secretary of State (must update training, guidance, and public materials).

Fiscal impact
- Division of the Budget: Secretary of State will use existing resources to update materials; no fiscal effect included in the FY 2026 Governor’s Budget Report.
- Kansas Association of Counties: warns there could be fiscal impacts to counties if the number of special elections increases (unable to quantify).

Legislative timeline (selected)
- Introduced/Filed: January 22, 2025 (House Committee on Elections, requested by Rep. Waggoner).
- Passed Legislature with committee amendments and conference committee actions in March 2025.
- Enrolled and presented to Governor: April 4, 2025.
- Approved by Governor: April 8, 2025.

Practical effects and considerations
- Consolidating special elections to March or to coincide with primaries/general elections aims to reduce costs and voter confusion, and may increase turnout for measures placed on consolidated dates.
- The requirement limits local flexibility—potentially affecting timing strategies for bond measures, school elections, and other local questions. Stakeholders (school boards, municipalities, election administrators) had mixed views during committee hearings about the trade-off between predictability/efficiency and scheduling flexibility.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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