“ACLU Sues Kansas Over Dual Voter Registration System”

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The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a lawsuit challenging Kansas’ dual voter registration system, charging it violates the Kansas Constitution and state law.

The dual system prevents qualified Kansas voters from voting in state and local elections due solely to their method of registration. Secretary of State Kris Kobach received administrative approval last week of a temporary regulation aimed at formalizing this system, which a court has already declared violates state law.

“Secretary Kobach continues to seek ways to confuse and obstruct voters in Kansas. His flagrant disregard of the court’s findings means that Kansans still face unnecessary barriers to voting. We’re asking the court to immediately block the temporary regulation and to ultimately end this dual system once and for all,” said Sophia Lakin, a staff attorney with the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project.

Shawnee County District Judge Franklin Theis last monthreiterated that Kobach cannot stop Kansans from voting in state and local elections simply because they registered to vote using federal forms that don’t require the same onerous documentation that Kobach prefers.

The dual system would allow some Kansans to vote for federal offices, like U.S. senator and U.S. representative, but not for their state representative, state senator, or other state and local offices.

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