Anticipated Vote on H.B. 958 Election Law Reforms
H.B. 958 is expected to receive a vote in the coming weeks and should be watched closely by election officials, advocacy groups, and voters alike. Most provisions will be effective January 1, 2026.
Key provisions in H.B. 958 (v3):
Bans ranked-choice voting in all state and local contests
Requires continuous counting of in-person and paper absentee ballots immediately after polls close
Shortens the provisional ballot counting deadline to 5:00 PM on the third business day post-election
Sets a cure deadline for absentee ballots with missing signatures or ID: Noon on the third business day after the election. Voters may cure by mail, email, or phone
Moves absentee ballot meeting time to 9:00 AM on Election Day
Classifies early vote count disclosure before polls close as a Class 1 misdemeanor
Mandates photo ID or sworn affidavit for military and overseas ballots
Launches a ten-county signature-verification pilot during the 2026 primary
Pilot report due by May 1, 2026
Raises the 48-hour campaign finance reporting threshold to $2,000 (CPI-indexed)
