Following a ruling by the Kansas Supreme Court last week, several state agencies will be having their day in court as they oppose a state statute they claim is hindering their mission.
The Kansas League of Women Voters, Loud Light, Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, Inc., and Topeka Independent Living Resource Center all joined the suit against Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab who played a role in the creation of Kansas State Statute 25-2438. The statute makes the engagement in conduct that gives the appearance of being an election official or that would cause one to believe an individual is an election official a felony.
The organizations, all of whom are focused on registering and educating voters across the state, filed the suit seeking a revision to certain wording claiming the statute is far too broad and vague. Local League of Women Voters spokesperson Teresa Briggs says the statute in its current form could lead to unnecessary penalties for perceived violations while in fact, the league is simply providing the same services it has throughout its existence.
When asked if there was one singular event that led to the statute’s creation, Briggs felt it was actually more of a result of “misinformation” and observations of several incidents from outside Kansas’ borders.
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is representing the state of Kansas in the matter which will now go back before the Kansas Court of Appeals at a later date that has yet to be announced.
