Missouri 2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee

SB 1094 — Modifies provisions relating to elections

Last action — Informal Calendar S Bills for Perfection

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced December 01, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Stalled 14% · moderate confidence

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

The bill modifies various election-related provisions, including notices and voting procedures.

This bill alters requirements for election notices, candidate filing deadlines, testing of voting equipment, absentee voting, provisional ballots, and write-in candidates. It aims to streamline processes and enhance voting procedures.

What this means for you
  • Workers: Changes to absentee voting procedures may benefit workers who are unable to vote in person on election day.

Summary

SS/SCS/SB 1094 - This act modifies various provisions relating to elections. NOTICES OF ELECTION (Sections 108.240, 115.125, and 115.127) The act modifies provisions governing bond elections and publication of notice for elections. In the case of any bond election, if an election contest is not filed within the time period prescribed by law (not later than thirty days after the official announcement of the election result), then all conditions of state election law shall be deemed to have been complied with in the issuance of the bond. The act modifies the legal notice required for all elections by requiring local election authorities to publish notice twice in at least two qualified newspapers, except as otherwise permitted pursuant to this act, within 6 weeks prior to the election. In lieu of such requirement, election authorities have the option of mailing legal notice to each registered voter within 6 weeks of an election and publishing notice once in at least one newspaper in the county. These provisions are identical to SCS/SB 1094 (2026). The act additionally allows a notice of election to be sent by email. This provision is substantially similar to a provision in SCS/SB 182 (2025), SB 926 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1525 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2140 (2024), and a provision in HCS/HB 2895 (2024). CANDIDATE FILING DEADLINES - LOCAL OFFICES (Section 115.127) Under current law, the period for filing a declaration of candidacy in certain political subdivisions and special districts is from 8:00 a.m. on the 17th Tuesday prior to the election until 5:00 p.m. on the 14th Tuesday prior to the election. This act changes that period to 8:00 a.m. on the 16th Tuesday prior to the election until 5:00 p.m. on the 13th Tuesday prior to the election, unless the 13th Tuesday prior to an election falls on a holiday, then the closing of filing shall be at 5:00 p.m. on the next day that is not a holiday. This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/SB 182 (2025), SB 774 (2024), a provision in SB 926 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1525 (2024), HB 1604 (2024), a provision in SCS/HB 2084 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2140 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2206 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2895 (2024), a provision in SCS/SB 346 (2023), and CCS/HS/HCS/SS#2/SCS/SB 96 (2023) and substantially similar to HB 2225 (2024), HCS/HB 1214 (2023), provisions in the perfected HCS/HBs 267 & 347 (2023), and HCS/HB 783 (2023). TESTING OF ELECTION EQUIPMENT (Section 115.233) Current law requires, in any election in which an electronic voting system is to be used, an election authority to have the automatic tabulating equipment tested within 14 days prior to the election to ascertain that the equipment is in compliance with the law and that it will correctly count the votes cast for all offices and on all questions. This act changes the timeline for testing such that it must be completed at least 14 days, but no less than one week prior to the election. ABSENTEE VOTING (Sections 115.277 and 115.284) The act allows eligible covered voters to vote absentee by submitting a federal postcard application at the office of the election authority on election day even though the person is not registered. Interstate former residents and new residents may vote by absentee ballot at the office of the election authority on election day for the offices for which such voters are entitled to vote. This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/SB 182 (2025), SB 926 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1525 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2140 (2024), and a provision in HCS/HB 2895 (2024). The act provides that all lists of absentee ballot applications for persons with permanent disabilities shall be kept confidential. This provision is identical to provisions in SCS/SB 182 (2025), SB 926 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1525 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2140 (2024), and a provision in HCS/HB 2895 (2024), substantially similar to a provision in SCS/SB 346 (2023), and similar to a provision in the perfected HCS/HBs 267 & 347 (2023), a provision in HCS/HB 783 (2023), and a provision in CCS/HS/HCS/SS#2/SCS/SB 96 (2023). VOTER IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS (Section 115.427) The act makes accommodations for individuals who appear at the office of an election authority to vote absentee and fail to present a form of personal identification by explicitly allowing such voters to cast a provisional ballot that will only be counted upon the voter returning to the office of the election authority by 7:00 p.m. on election day and presenting a form of personal identification for voting. CASTING PROVISIONAL BALLOTS (Section 115.430) The act expands a provision of law governing the casting and counting of provisional ballots to all public elections, rather than just particular primary or general elections. This provision is identical to provisions in SCS/SB 182 (2025), HCS/HB 1525 (2024), HB 2052 (2024), HCS/HB 2140 (2024), HCS/HB 2895 (2024), SCS/SB 346 (2023), the perfected HCS/HBs 267 & 347 (2023), and a provision in HCS/HB 783 (2023). WRITE-IN CANDIDATES - REPEAL OF EXEMPTION FOR ELECTIONS WITHOUT PARTY CANDIDATES (Section 115.453) Current law provides that votes for write-in candidates are only counted for candidates who have filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate. Current law also provides an exemption to this requirement in instances where no candidate has filed for the office in question. This act repeals the exemption so that write-in candidates are only counted when a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate has been filed with the proper election authority. This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/SB 182 (2025). SCOTT SVAGERA

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

7 added · 181 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to Bill SB 1094 removed specific language that referred to the procedures under a previous section related to elections. This change aims to streamline the process by simplifying the requirements that local governments must follow in issuing general obligation bonds. By cutting out this language, the bill seeks to clarify and ensure compliance without unnecessary steps, which could potentially make it easier for local entities to finance public projects. This matters because it can lead to more efficient funding mechanisms for essential services in communities.

→
Previous
Latest
SECOND REGULAR SESSION SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILLNO.
4171S05.13S SENATE AMENDMENT NO.
1094 103RD GENERALASSEMBLY 4171S.03C KRISTINAMARTIN, Secretary ANACT To repeal sections 108.240 and 115.127, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to elections.
___ Offered by Of Amend SS/SCS/Senate Bill No.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
1094 , Page 4 , Section 115.127 , Lines 3-4 , by striking "submitted pursuant to subsection 2 of section 115.125".
Section A.
Sections 108.240 and 115.127, RSMo, are repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 108.240 and 115.127, to read as follows:
108.240.
1.
Before any general obligation bearer bond or general obligation registered bond, hereafter issued by any county, township, city, town, village or school district or special road district or fire protection district or by virtue of the provisions of chapters 243, 245, 248, and sections 242.010 to 242.690 for any purpose whatever, shall obtain validity or be negotiated:
(1) If such bonds are in bearer form, such bonds shall first be presented to the state auditor, who, other provisions of law notwithstanding, shall certify by manual or facsimile endorsement of such bonds that all conditions of the laws have been complied with in its issue, if that be the case, and also that the conditions of the contract, under which they were ordered to be issued, have also been complied with and the evidence of that fact shall be filed and preserved by the auditor.
The state auditor may endorse bearer bonds with the auditor's facsimile signature in lieu EXPLANATION-Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in this bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted in the law.
SCS SB 1094 2 of manual signature after filing the auditor's manual signature, certified by the auditor under oath, with the secretary of state;
and (2) If such bonds are in registered form, the proceedings relating to the issuance of such registered bonds shall first be presented to the state auditor, who shall examine the same and shall issue a certificate that such proceedings comply with all conditions of the laws, if that be the case, and also that the conditions of the contract, under which they were ordered to be issued, have also been complied with, and the evidence of these facts shall be filed and preserved by the auditor.
The state auditor shall also maintain the following information:
the name of the issuer of the bonds;
the amount thereof;
the maturity dates thereof;
the interest rates thereon;
and the provisions with respect to prepayment, if any.
2.
Such bearer bonds after receiving the said certificate of the auditor as herein provided and such registered bonds after the issuance of the said certificate as herein provided shall thereafter be held in every action, suit or proceeding in which their validity is, or may be, brought into question, prima facie, valid and binding obligations, and in every action brought to enforce collection of such bonds, the certificate of such auditor, or a duly certified copy thereof, shall be admitted and received in evidence of the validity of such bonds, together with the coupons thereto attached if any;
provided, the only defense which can be offered against the validity of such bonds shall be for forgery or fraud.
But this section shall not be construed to give validity to any such bonds as may be issued in excess of the limit fixed by the constitution, or contrary to its provisions, but all such bonds shall, to SCS SB 1094 3 the extent of such excess, be held void;
and provided further, that the remedy of injunction shall also lie at the instance of any taxpayer of the respective county, city, town, village, township or school district or special road district or fire protection district or drainage district or levy district to prevent the registration of any bonds, alleged to be illegally issued or funded.
3.
For purposes of subsection 1 of this section, once the time period set forth in section 115.557 has expired, if no election contest has been brought, all conditions of chapter 115 shall be deemed as having been complied with in the issuance of the bond.
115.127.
1.
Except as provided in subsection 4 of this section, upon receipt of notice of a special election to fill a vacancy submitted pursuant to subsection 2 of section 115.125, the election authority shall cause legal notice of the special election to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in its jurisdiction.
The notice shall include the name of the officer or agency calling the election, the date and time of the election, the name of the office to be filled and the date by which candidates must be selected or filed for the office.
Within one week prior to each special election to fill a vacancy held in its jurisdiction, the election authority shall cause legal notice of the election to be published in two newspapers of different political faith and general circulation in the jurisdiction.
The legal notice shall include the date and time of the election, the name of the officer or agency calling the election and a sample ballot.
If there is only one newspaper of general circulation in the jurisdiction, the notice shall be published in the newspaper within one week prior to the election.
If there are two or SCS SB 1094 4 more newspapers of general circulation in the jurisdiction, but no two of opposite political faith, the notice shall be published in any two of the newspapers within one week prior to the election.
2.
Except as provided in subsections 1 and 4 of this section and in sections 115.521, 115.549 and 115.593, the election authority shall cause legal notice of each election held in its jurisdiction to be published.
The notice shall be published in two newspapers of different political faith and qualified pursuant to chapter 493 which are published within the bounds of the area holding the election.
If there is only one so-qualified newspaper, then notice shall be published in only one newspaper.
If there is no newspaper published within the bounds of the election area, then the notice shall be published in two qualified newspapers of different political faith serving the area.
Notice shall be published twice[, the first publication occurring in the second week prior to the election, and the second publication occurring] within [one week] six weeks prior to the election.
Each such legal notice shall include the date and time of the election, the name of the officer or agency calling the election and a sample ballot;
Show all 56 changed rows (16 more)
Previous
Latest
and, unless notice has been given as provided by section 115.129, the second publication of notice of the election shall include the location of polling places.
The election authority may provide any additional notice of the election it deems desirable.
3.
The election authority shall print the official ballot as the same appears on the sample ballot, and no candidate's name or ballot issue which appears on the sample ballot or official printed ballot shall be stricken or removed from the ballot except on death of a candidate or by SCS SB 1094 5 court order, but in no event shall a candidate or issue be stricken or removed from the ballot less than eight weeks before the date of the election.
4.
In lieu of causing legal notice to be published twice in accordance with any of the provisions of this chapter, the election authority [in jurisdictions which have less than seven hundred fifty registered voters and in which no newspaper qualified pursuant to chapter 493 is published,] may cause legal notice to be mailed [during the second week prior to the election, by first class mail,] within six weeks prior to the election to each registered voter at the voter's voting address and published once in one or more newspapers in the county.
An election authority may exclude from this mailing any voter that is designated as an inactive voter pursuant to section 115.193.
All such legal notices shall include the date and time of the election, the location of the polling place, the name of the officer or agency calling the election and a sample ballot.
5.
If the opening date for filing a declaration of candidacy for any office in a political subdivision or special district is not required by law or charter, the opening filing date shall be 8:00 a.m., the seventeenth Tuesday prior to the election.
If the closing date for filing a declaration of candidacy for any office in a political subdivision or special district is not required by law or charter, the closing filing date shall be 5:00 p.m., the fourteenth Tuesday prior to the election.
The political subdivision or special district calling an election shall, before the seventeenth Tuesday, prior to any election at which offices are to be filled, notify the general public of the opening filing date, the office or offices to be filled, the proper place for filing and the closing filing date of SCS SB 1094 6 the election.
Such notification may be accomplished by legal notice published in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the political subdivision or special district.
6.
Except as provided for in sections 115.247 and 115.359, if there is no additional cost for the printing or reprinting of ballots or if the candidate agrees to pay any printing or reprinting costs, a candidate who has filed for an office or who has been duly nominated for an office may, at any time after the certification of the notice of election required in subsection 1 of section 115.125 but no later than 5:00 p.m.
on the eighth Tuesday before the election, withdraw as a candidate pursuant to a court order, which, except for good cause shown by the election authority in opposition thereto, shall be freely given upon application by the candidate to the circuit court of the area of such candidate's residence.
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (3)

Action History

  1. Informal Calendar S Bills for Perfection

  2. SS for SCS S offered (Crawford)--(4171S.05F)

  3. SA 1 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Crawford)--(4171S05.13S)

  4. SA 2 to SS for SCS S offered (Beck)--(4171S05.14S)

  5. Bill Placed on Informal Calendar

  6. Reported from S Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee w/SCS

  7. SCS Voted Do Pass S Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee (4171S.03C)

  8. Hearing Conducted S Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee

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

  10. S First Read

  11. Prefiled

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 198 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (198)

198 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 198 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

elections
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 1094 do?
SS/SCS/SB 1094 - This act modifies various provisions relating to elections. NOTICES OF ELECTION (Sections 108.240, 115.125, and 115.127) The act modifies provisions governing bond elections and publication of notice for elections. In the case of any bond election, if an election contest is not filed within the time period prescribed by law (not later than thirty days after the official announcement of the election result), then all conditions of state election law shall be deemed to have been complied with in the issuance of the bond. The act modifies the legal notice required for all elections by requiring local election authorities to publish notice twice in at least two qualified newspapers, except as otherwise permitted pursuant to this act, within 6 weeks prior to the election. In lieu of such requirement, election authorities have the option of mailing legal notice to each registered voter within 6 weeks of an election and publishing notice once in at least one newspaper in the county. These provisions are identical to SCS/SB 1094 (2026). The act additionally allows a notice of election to be sent by email. This provision is substantially similar to a provision in SCS/SB 182 (2025), SB 926 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1525 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2140 (2024), and a provision in HCS/HB 2895 (2024). CANDIDATE FILING DEADLINES - LOCAL OFFICES (Section 115.127) Under current law, the period for filing a declaration of candidacy in certain political subdivisions and special districts is from 8:00 a.m. on the 17th Tuesday prior to the election until 5:00 p.m. on the 14th Tuesday prior to the election. This act changes that period to 8:00 a.m. on the 16th Tuesday prior to the election until 5:00 p.m. on the 13th Tuesday prior to the election, unless the 13th Tuesday prior to an election falls on a holiday, then the closing of filing shall be at 5:00 p.m. on the next day that is not a holiday. This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/SB 182 (2025), SB 774 (2024), a provision in SB 926 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1525 (2024), HB 1604 (2024), a provision in SCS/HB 2084 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2140 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2206 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2895 (2024), a provision in SCS/SB 346 (2023), and CCS/HS/HCS/SS#2/SCS/SB 96 (2023) and substantially similar to HB 2225 (2024), HCS/HB 1214 (2023), provisions in the perfected HCS/HBs 267 & 347 (2023), and HCS/HB 783 (2023). TESTING OF ELECTION EQUIPMENT (Section 115.233) Current law requires, in any election in which an electronic voting system is to be used, an election authority to have the automatic tabulating equipment tested within 14 days prior to the election to ascertain that the equipment is in compliance with the law and that it will correctly count the votes cast for all offices and on all questions. This act changes the timeline for testing such that it must be completed at least 14 days, but no less than one week prior to the election. ABSENTEE VOTING (Sections 115.277 and 115.284) The act allows eligible covered voters to vote absentee by submitting a federal postcard application at the office of the election authority on election day even though the person is not registered. Interstate former residents and new residents may vote by absentee ballot at the office of the election authority on election day for the offices for which such voters are entitled to vote. This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/SB 182 (2025), SB 926 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1525 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2140 (2024), and a provision in HCS/HB 2895 (2024). The act provides that all lists of absentee ballot applications for persons with permanent disabilities shall be kept confidential. This provision is identical to provisions in SCS/SB 182 (2025), SB 926 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1525 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 2140 (2024), and a provision in HCS/HB 2895 (2024), substantially similar to a provision in SCS/SB 346 (2023), and similar to a provision in the perfected HCS/HBs 267 & 347 (2023), a provision in HCS/HB 783 (2023), and a provision in CCS/HS/HCS/SS#2/SCS/SB 96 (2023). VOTER IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS (Section 115.427) The act makes accommodations for individuals who appear at the office of an election authority to vote absentee and fail to present a form of personal identification by explicitly allowing such voters to cast a provisional ballot that will only be counted upon the voter returning to the office of the election authority by 7:00 p.m. on election day and presenting a form of personal identification for voting. CASTING PROVISIONAL BALLOTS (Section 115.430) The act expands a provision of law governing the casting and counting of provisional ballots to all public elections, rather than just particular primary or general elections. This provision is identical to provisions in SCS/SB 182 (2025), HCS/HB 1525 (2024), HB 2052 (2024), HCS/HB 2140 (2024), HCS/HB 2895 (2024), SCS/SB 346 (2023), the perfected HCS/HBs 267 & 347 (2023), and a provision in HCS/HB 783 (2023). WRITE-IN CANDIDATES - REPEAL OF EXEMPTION FOR ELECTIONS WITHOUT PARTY CANDIDATES (Section 115.453) Current law provides that votes for write-in candidates are only counted for candidates who have filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate. Current law also provides an exemption to this requirement in instances where no candidate has filed for the office in question. This act repeals the exemption so that write-in candidates are only counted when a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate has been filed with the proper election authority. This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/SB 182 (2025). SCOTT SVAGERA
Who sponsors SB 1094?
SB 1094 is sponsored by Sandy Crawford.
What is the current status of SB 1094?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced December 01, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 1094?
Track SB 1094 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on SB 1094

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of SB 1094

Last checked for changes about 2 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →