Kansas officialdom is strangely blasé about the growing number of voters in “suspended” status, meaning they have filled out registration forms but won’t be able to cast an official ballot unless they provide proof of U.S. citizenship. The numbers are approaching 15,000, and the American Civil Liberties Union has notified officials of a possible lawsuit. Kansas risks notoriety as a voter suppression state. But Gov. Sam Brownback, when asked about the problem, said voting is the secretary of state’s responsibility. Brownback’s Department of Revenue, which runs the vehicle offices where citizens can also register to vote, says it doesn’t plan to change its procedures, even as voter experiences suggest the procedures might be part of the problem.
State Attorney General Derek Schmidt is taking his time with an opinion on whether a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision affects the constitutionality of Kansas’ controversial voting law.
And Secretary of State Kris Kobach has proposed creating an even bigger mess by allowing some Kansans to vote in elections for federal offices, such as president and Congress, but not in elections for state and local offices and issues. That may be one his all-time worst ideas.
Full Article: Kansas faces a voting rights debacle – KansasCity.com.
The Voting News
A News Service of the Verified Voting Foundation
