By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab was in Hays Thursday to discuss the 2026 election cycle.
Schwab stopped by the Eagle Media Center for an interview with Hays Post. He highlighted the removal of the state's three-day grace period for mailed ballots and voter rolls.
"It used to be as long as the ballot was postmarked by Election Day, it could show up three days late because most mail leaves the state before it comes back," Schwab said.
He said that with the grace period eliminated, ballots must now be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted, encouraging voters to plan ahead and use county drop boxes rather than mailing their ballots.
The Associated Press reported that on Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up a case to decide whether states can continue counting mail ballots that arrive after Election Day.
The justices will hear an appeal from Mississippi after a panel of judges ruled last year that the state’s law allowing ballots to be counted if they arrive shortly after Election Day violates federal law.
Schwab said the court’s decision could have national implications and that voters will need to be more diligent. Regardless, he says voters should not give their ballots to the federal government.
"Why would you put it in the post office for it to leave your community, when you can put it in that drop box by the administrative center here in Ellis County?" he said. "It's handled by your neighbors, friends, people you go to curch with and work with. I don't think it's really that much of an impingement."
Schwab emphasized security and stability ahead of next year’s election to ensure the voting process is consistent and voter rolls remain accurate.
He said the state recently received, for the first time in a decade, a list of deceased individuals from the Social Security Administration to help identify and remove ineligible voters.
"I can delete a name if someone asks me to, if they're dead, a felon, a non-citizen with proof of that, or if they're an inactive voter for over two presidential election cycles," Schwab said.
Aside from the end of the three-day grace period, Schwab said the goal for 2026 is to avoid significant changes to the election. He added that while 20 to 30 election bills are typically introduced each legislative session, few are ever passed.
In January, Schwab announced his gubernatorial campaign on X, pledging to cut property taxes, block China from purchasing land near military bases and restore conservative values in Topeka.