SPONSOR: Hill
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass with HCS" by the Standing Committee on Elections and Elected Officials by a vote of 8 to 2. Vote "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Rules- Administrative Oversight by a vote of 13 to 0.
The following is a summary of the House Committee Substitute for HB 842.
Beginning on January 1, 2022 this bill requires the use of paper ballots marked by hand. Electronic touch screen machines may be used to assist disabled voters until January 1, 2024, and ballot marking devices may be used to assist disabled voters at any time.
The following is a summary of the public testimony from the committee hearing. The testimony was based on the introduced version of the bill.
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that bill will allow audit of ballots to ensure election integrity. There may only be one or two counties lacking the technology to implement the bill. Hand marked ballots provide a reliable record to guard against fraud and machine reading errors. All computer systems are subject to error or hacking and so it is important to maintain a physical record of votes. There is overwhelming public support for physical ballots and the bill would ensure public confidence in Missouri elections.
Testifying for the bill were Representative Hill; Arnie C. Dienoff- State Public; Becky L Bickhaus; Brenda Kay West; Celia Gillam; Donald A Bickhaus II; Gregory Cowan; Karin Kraft-Stuppy; Patricia Ann Smith; Rita L Thackeray; Saundra McDowell; Susan Hungerford; John Webb; John Barker; Tricia Adams; Pam K. Grow, Phelps County; David W. Guest; Paul Hamby; Cynthia Richards; Cynthia Redburn; Laura M. Hausladen; Nancy M. Delcour; Norma A. Putnam; Pam J. January; Pamela J Sampson; Pamala Jane Frerking; Patricia A. McHugh; Patricia Cathlene Rains; Patricia Elders; Patrick Holden; Patrick G. Breedlove, Sr.; Patrick J Brennan; Paula Fugaro; Paula M. Juelich; Pauline E. Filson; Penelope Ann Russell; Phillip C. Blahut; Phyllis Diane Campbell; Priscilla L. Lukowski; Rachel Lynn Farrar; Ralph Forrest Munyan; Ray Lifka; Rebecca A Boerner; Rebecca Jean Scheneck; Rebecca Richards; Richard Charles Todd; Richard W. Mckie; Rick D. Squier; Rita Lois Wiese; Robert Eugene Ballay; Robert Lewis; Robert Phillip Michaels; Rodney D. Farthing; Roger A. Fries; Roger Williams; Ronald Roy Swift; Ronald W. Beedle; Russel Heck; Ryan P Triebel; Sandra Jo Crane; Shannon Ann Penner; Shawn P Kern; Shawna M. White; Sheila K. Stuckey; Silvia Paletta; Stanely Morris Miller; Steven Glenn Crilly; Steven Lyn Hensevelt; Sue Cook; Susan Anne Frain; Susan M. Meyers; Tammy Herrera; Tammy S. Alger; Teresa Diane Kupfer; Teresa Marie Kern; Terri Ann Dye; Terri J. Menchak; Terri Sue Streeter; Terrill Herring; Thomas Richard Gannon; Timothy D. Sheahan; Timothy J. Borron; Todd M. Lifka; Trent Gregory Yager; Valerie Swearingen; Victoria F. Howerton; Virginia C. Weigum; West Dale Russell; Wesley Ray Powell; William H Hathaway; William H. Laskey; William Shane Sturgeon; Wilma D. Darlington; Yuen Yee Lifka; Reverend Judith A. Conoyer; Albert Wells Pettibone Jr.; Allen Leroy Miller; Andy R. Duckworth; Anna Marie Wodraska; Ashley Dowell Ellison; Barbara Diane Smith; Barbara Lynn Sherwood; Bev Ehlen; Beverley Kay Fries; Brenda Faye Roberts; Brenda Webb; Brent W. Hoerr; Carla Courtney Grewe; Carole Zumwalt; Carolyn Woodward; Catherine Burns; Catherine Newton; Cecilia Santa Maria; Cheryl A. Bohl; Cheryl G. Duft; Christina M. Reichert; Christine Louise Althouse; Clayton Foss; Constance I. Quinn; Dana Lynn Guetterman; Darlene M. Barrett; Darrel F. Franson; David Allen Larson; David Anthony Baumann; David G. Baugh; David J. Luke; David Lee Lightner; Debby Jones; Debra K. Kohl; Deborah Bruce; Denis Michael Boles; Dennis L. Woeltje; Diane C. Drinkard; Donna M. Sims; Frederick Theodore Barlag; Frieda Keough; Gary Lynn Farrar; Gail Amber Park; Gina L. Allen; Ginger Yoak; Gloria D. Juedemann; Haven Jean Howard; Helen Theresa Gelhot; Herbert J. Baumann; Herman G Yoder; Jacqulyn Lou Cox; James Harold Fleming Jr.; Jan Dee Farrar; Janet R. Seib; Jean H Miller; Jeanie Ernst Ames; Jeffrey W. Maupin; Jennifer Sue Gore; Jerome S. Jacobsmeyer; Jill Carter; Jimmy R. Thwing; Joan Carolyn Howard; Joan E. Rawson; Joanna Rose Sears; Jodeane Leigh Brown; John Joseph Giancola; Jon Christopher Trumble; Jonathon Dwyer Northup; Joseph L. Vincent; Josephine Byrne; Josephine W. Havlak; Joshua Allen Thacker; Joshua J. Urness; Judy A Bass; Judy K. Brown; Judy P. Sofka; Jules P. Guidry; Karen Jean Burton; Karen R. Compton; Karen W. Wade; Karry A. Felty; Kathy Jean Casey; Kathy Meyer; Kelly Jaye Pratt; Kelly Ogle; Kenneth A. Spangler; Kenneth Wood; Kem L. Schwieder; Kent R. Andersen; Kris Jenkins; Kimberly Sue Reamsnider; Laurel J Breedlove; Laura Hausladen; Laurie Ann Lowe; Leanne Marie Mennemeier; Lesile Denise Trask; Linda C. Strubel; Linda Gayle Hopkins; Lee Ann Wright; Lewis E. Hall; Linda C. Vardell; Linda S. Reutzel; Lisa Jean Scharnhorst; Lora Ann Henson; Lynn Renee Davis; Marcy Jo Collins; Margaret R. Welker; Marie Elaine Beedle; Mark A. Jones; Mark Bryan Beard; Mart Ann Staggs; Mary Byrne; Mary A. Lopez; Michael James Westhusing; Michele Nunemacher; Mary Jane Clark; Mary Jean C. Schimmel; Mary Kathryn Victor; Melissa L. Campbell; Merritt Malcolm Althouse Jr.; Michael Carl Hilbert; Michelle R. Todd; Missie Mccann; Elizabeth Rawson; and Benjamen Schatz.
OPPONENTS: Those who oppose the bill provided written testimony.
Testifying against the bill were Alex Kalen; Judith L Kramer; Rebecca Fehlig; Sherry L. Buchanan; Susan Gibson; Missouri NEA; Stephen Seele; Marla Marantz; and Melissa Meek.
OTHERS: Others testifying on the bill say that replacement of voting machines can be expensive and result in a large fiscal note. There may be three counties without such machines which are currently exempt from the federal Help America Vote Act requirements. Two of those counties are moving towards compliant machines, however. All voters should probably be allowed to use ballot marking devices so that disabled voters are not subject to different voting procedures.
Testifying on the bill were Diane Thompson, Johnson County; Trish Vincent, Missouri Secretary of State; Sherry Parks , Livingston County; Ron Staggs; Geraldine I. Graves; Jane E. Britton; Jessica Ann Cadle; Judith Ann Egloff; and Michelle R. Ellison.
Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.
Statutes affected: