Legislation

This bill includes provisions that threaten to disenfranchise Kansans twice over. First, it relies on signature verification rules known to disenfranchise eligible voters. Second, it threatens to eliminate “no excuse” mail-in voting if courts intervene to protect those voters’ rights. Courts often intervene to address unconstitutional implementation practices, not to attack mail-in voting itself. Rather than fixing the problems with signature verification, this bill takes a far more extreme approach: if courts protect voters and their constitutional right to vote, the legislature will punish them. This is not good-faith policymaking, nor is this a strategy for election integrity. This is a recipe for voter suppression.

Expanding the use of juvenile detention and an increased commitment to correctional facilities.

Requiring a person transmitting or delivering a ballot on behalf of another voter to include such person's driver's license number in the written statement on the ballot envelope.

Amending the Constitution of the State of Kansas to require voters to present photographic ID provided by the State of Kansas, the federal government, or a tribal government to vote.

Repealing the Mail Ballot Election Act, which provides for local, mail-only elections.

Changing several election deadlines, including when advanced ballots can be mailed out; adjusting time for applications for advanced ballots; and shortening the window for voter registration.

Defining "gender" as biological sex at birth; imposing criminal and civil penalties for violating harmful and poorly defined bathroom bans; directing the division of vehicles to invalidate and reissue driver's licenses to match sex at birth; and directing the office of vital statistics to invalidate and reissue birth certificates.

On December 15th, 2025, the ACLU of Kansas gave testimony in support of the language access Resolution 25-12, which calls for collaboration between the Secretary of State and the Johnson County Election Commissioner to translate election-related materials into Spanish. After passing the Prairie Village Diversity Council twice, the resolution was approved by the Prairie Village City Council, 10-2.

On November 20, 2025, the ACLU of Kansas submitted written testimony support of the subsection titled “Fair and Transparent Civic Processes” on the proposed 2026 Legislative Platform, specifically the inclusion of “expanded language access” and encouraged the Board of County Commissioners to mention specific steps that can be taken to give this phrase meaning. Supporting the expansion of language access is about making it easier for eligible citizens to fulfill their patriotic duty and fully participate in our elections. It is important to define what it looks like in practice to provide additional voting materials in Spanish: translated registration forms and instructions, polling place information, materials about Johnson County elections and the right to receive language assistance at the polls, or even ballots and sample ballots.