Why 2/5: The bill has a delayed effective date of September 1, 2026, but introduces significant changes to ballot counting procedures.
This bill standardizes how ballots are counted by requiring the use of ballot scanner machines for machine-readable ballots, with limited exceptions for hand-counting. It also establishes a bipartisan process for duplicating damaged or defective machine-readable ballots during the processing of provisional and absentee votes.
Update
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB968)
Third reading
Read third time
Update
Passed by for the day
Update
Privileges and Elections Substitute agreed to
Substitute adopted
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
Passed a chamber
Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
Substitute adopted
Senate substitute agreed to by House (63-Y 32-N 0-A)
Enrolled
Enrolled
Passed a chamber
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB968ER)
This bill has passed its votes and is headed to the Governor's desk. You still have a say — the Governor's office reads messages before deciding whether to sign.
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Summarized from the official bill text (“Election results; counting machine-readable ballots, processing absentee ballots.”) · Read the actual bill →
Update
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB968)
Passed a chamber
Signed by President
Passed a chamber
Signed by Speaker
Enrolled
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
Sent to the Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 718 (effective 7/1/2026)