Bill

Bill > HB534


KY HB534

KY HB534
AN ACT relating to elections and declaring an emergency.


summary

Introduced
02/02/2026
In Committee
02/09/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

Amend KRS 30A.145 to require the Administrative Office of the Courts to prepare an all-time list each month of persons convicted of a felony, including persons whose cases are on appeal, and provide the list to the State Board of Elections; amend KRS 83A.040 to require a special election if more than the majority of the membership of a legislative body is vacated because of an election error due to no fault of any candidate or fraud; establish that members of the legislative body whose term expires shall remain in office until the contest and any appeals of the regular election are complete and final; create a new section of KRS Chapter 116 to require the State Board of Elections to compare the statewide voter registration system against the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Program, or its successor program, each month to remove registered voters who are not citizens of the United States within 5 days; require the State Board of Elections to forward the name, date of birth, last known address, and voter registration record of any individual who is removed to the Attorney General; require the State Board of Elections to notify the county clerk of the county in which the voter lived of the removal; amend KRS 116.113 to specify that the Administrative Office of the Courts shall include persons convicted of a felony whose case is on appeal in the lists they send to the State Board of Elections for removal from the voter registration records; create a new section of KRS Chapter 117 to define "cast vote record"; allow county clerks to use a ballot verifier software program to produce electronic images of cast ballots and cast vote records for public inspection, as long as the records do not contain voter-identifying information; allow counties to use the software program to perform additional audits; establish that the State Board of Elections shall promulgate administrative regulations to establish uniform standards for formatting, publication, and redaction of images of ballots and cast vote records; amend KRS 117.125 to establish that no voting equipment or voting systems shall be purchased after the effective date of the Act that utilize non-human readable codes, including barcodes, QR codes, or other encrypted markings to represent or tabulate a voter's choices on the ballot; amend KRS 117.383 to require that the ballot scanner and race selected for a hand-to-eye recount by the Secretary of State shall have at least 10 votes cast; amend KRS Chapter 118.176 to establish that a person who successfully challenges the bona fides of a candidate may recover certain costs; create a new chapter of KRS Chapter 118A to establish that judicial candidates may disclose their political party, state current and past voter registration status, and communicate political values or viewpoints consistent with that party affiliation; establish that judicial candidates shall not claim to be the official nominee of a political party, use language or materials that imply nomination, designation, or endorsement by a political party, or use party symbols, slogans, or imagery in a manner that would lead someone to believe they are running in a partisan election; amend KRS 120.165 to require the county clerk and local board of elections to call a special election if a majority of the offices of a legislative body are deemed vacant; establish that a person bringing a successful election contest may recover certain costs; amend KRS 121.015 to define "executive committee of a political party"; amend KRS 121.150 to allow federal candidates to contribute to a party executive committee if the amount of the contribution is within contribution limits and if the contribution is not earmarked for any particular candidate or slate of candidates; specify that a qualified political party committee, including a state or county executive committee, may endorse, support, oppose, and make contributions or expenditures to nonpartisan candidates; EMERGENCY.

AI Summary

This bill makes several changes to election laws, including requiring the Administrative Office of the Courts to provide monthly lists of individuals convicted of felonies, even if their cases are on appeal, to the State Board of Elections for voter registration purges. It also mandates special elections if a majority of a legislative body's seats become vacant due to election errors without candidate fault or fraud, and clarifies that outgoing members remain in office until election contests and appeals are finalized. The bill establishes a monthly process for the State Board of Elections to compare voter registration data with the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to remove non-citizens from voter rolls within five days, and to forward information on removed individuals to the Attorney General. New provisions allow county clerks to use ballot verifier software to create electronic images of cast ballots and "cast vote records" (electronic records of ballot selections without voter identification) for public inspection and additional audits, with the State Board of Elections to set uniform standards for these images. The bill also prohibits the purchase of voting equipment that uses non-human readable codes like barcodes or QR codes for tabulation, requires hand-to-eye recounts to involve ballot scanners with at least 10 votes cast, and allows successful challengers of a candidate's "bona fides" (legitimacy) to recover costs. Judicial candidates are permitted to disclose their political party affiliation and related viewpoints but cannot imply official party nomination or run in a way that misleads voters into believing the election is partisan. Additionally, the bill requires special elections if a majority of a legislative body's offices are declared vacant and allows successful election contest participants to recover costs. Finally, it defines "executive committee of a political party" and permits federal candidates to contribute to party executive committees within limits, provided the contributions are not earmarked for specific candidates, and allows qualified political party committees to endorse or support nonpartisan candidates. The bill declares an emergency, meaning it takes effect immediately upon passage.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (3)

Last Action

to Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H) (on 02/09/2026)

bill text


bill summary

Loading...

bill summary

Loading...
Loading...