Voting Rights

While the right to vote should be guaranteed to all eligible Americans, this fundamental constitutional right is constantly under attack.

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Citizen participation is crucial to our democracy.

While the right to vote should be guaranteed to all eligible Americans, this fundamental constitutional right is constantly under attack. In the past decade, numerous states, often led by Kansas, have attempted or successfully passed legislation limiting the right to vote. These efforts have included new identification and documentation requirements, cuts to early voting, and purges of voter rolls. Each of these attacks on voting rights disproportionately hurts people of color, students, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

The more recent wave of attacks on voting rights have been enabled by a 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Shelby County v. Holder, where the justices struck down parts of the Voting Rights Act. The ruling prevented the federal government from providing meaningful oversight to state and local governments wanting to change their voting laws. Citing “progress” in the states, the Court opened the door for the creation of new restrictions on voting.

Kansas is at the epicenter of this movement to undermine the right to vote, and many eligible Kansas voters face unnecessary hurdles or are unable to access the ballot box. Lawmakers continue to push legislation that hampers the ability of Kansans to vote, mostly by creating limitations on mail-in voting and ballot boxes. Through collaboration and persistent work, we worked with partners and largely fended off these restrictions.

What are we doing about it?

Having your vote heard through voting is central to our Kansas values and foundational to our democracy. That's why we're fighting for voting rights as a major part of our campaign REPRESENT! Reclaiming our Democracy and Restoring our Vote. This campaign aims to ensure representation for all Kansans by expanding early voting, increasing accessibility, and more.

The Latest

Press Release
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ACLU of Kansas, Campaign Legal Center sue Sec. of State and Wyandotte County Election Commissioner over ‘brazen’ redistricting map

The ACLU of Kansas and the Campaign Legal Center, along with pro bono assistance from Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, filed suit in Wyandotte County District Court Monday, seeking to block the recently enacted congressional redistricting map, claiming it is a partisan and racial gerrymander.
Issue Areas: Voting Rights
Press Release
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Through deal struck with Kansas government, registering to vote will be that much easier 

Kansans have additional opportunities to register to vote or update their voter registrations through two government agency offices across the state, thanks to an agreement between a coalition of civil rights agencies and the State of Kansas.
Issue Areas: Voting Rights
Press Release
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In resounding victory for tens of thousands of disenfranchised Kansas voters, Supreme Court refuses to hear “proof of citizenship” case

The United States Supreme Court Monday rejected an attempt to breathe new life into a draconian Kansas law requiring documentary proof of citizen for voter registration, finally closing the book on a law that has failed at federal and appellate court levels.
Issue Areas: Voting Rights
Court Cases: Fish v. Kobach
Press Release
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Hammet, ACLU of Kansas prevail; JoCo Elections Commissioner Ronnie Metsker ordered to hand over provisional ballot, rejected signatures lists

Davis Hammet, president of Loud Light, a Topeka-based, civic engagement nonprofit focusing on expanding democracy and increasing voter turnout, filed his petition last summer with help from the ACLU of Kansas.
Court Case
Dec 16, 2022

Coca and Rangel-Lopez v. City of Dodge City

On December 15, 2022, the ACLU of Kansas, UCLA Voting Rights Project, American Civil Liberties Union, and pro bono partner Cleary Gottlieb LLP filed a federal challenge to the at-large method of elections in Dodge City, Kansas, charging it unlawfully dilutes the voting power of Latine* residents.
Court Case
Feb 15, 2022

Alonzo et al. v. Schwab et al. (Rivera v. Schwab)

On February 14, 2021, the ACLU of Kansas and partners filed suit in Wyandotte County District Court Monday, seeking to block the recently enacted congressional redistricting map. On May 18, 2022, the Supreme Court of Kansas ruled against the Plaintiffs, allowing the Ad Astra 2 map to take effect.
Court Case
Jun 24, 2020

LOUD LIGHT & HAMMET V. SCHWAB

Court Case
Oct 26, 2018

KS LULAC and Rangel-Lopez v. Cox