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“I think it’s pretty clear that the reason for the change is to move us away from a system of fair and impartial justice and instead towards one where justices are politicized,” said Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Kansas.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and League of Women Voters of Kansas put the secretary of state on notice of a potential lawsuit alleging a new election-related state statute conflicts with federal election law. A notice letter sent by the ACLU, on behalf of the LWV, to Secretary of State Scott Schwab asserted provisions of House Bill 2437 were potentially not compliant with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. The bill was designed to rapidly remove ineligible voters from registration rolls and restrict the use of voter registration websites.

County election officials in Kansas should offer more options, including advance voting sites and longer hours, to encourage a higher turnout, according to a study released last week by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas.

Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Kansas, wrote in a letter to Schmidt that closing sites where the median household income is lower than the Johnson County average, with a large percentage of Black and Latino residents and along the Interstate 35 corridor will “disproportionately burden low-income voters, voters of color, elderly voters, voters with disabilities, and communities with limited transportation access.”

Opponents of the measure said it resulted from the court issuing decisions that the Legislature disagreed with. ACLU of Kansas director Micah Kubic said: “This is a blatant attack by the legislators on our justices, and it’s part of a decades-long pattern of politicians attempting to punish the judicial branch for issuing decisions on education and reproductive freedom that they disagree with.”

Despite some local leaders sharing concerns about voters losing early voting access, the Johnson County Election Office is moving forward with changes to advance voting locations, including several closures, for the August primary election. In May, Election Commissioner Connie Schmidt notified the Johnson County Board of Commissioners that the Election Office plans to close eight advance voting locations throughout the county, but will add two new locations in rapidly growing Spring Hill and De Soto.

ACLU of Kansas director Micah Kubic said: “This is a blatant attack by the legislators on our justices, and it’s part of a decades-long pattern of politicians attempting to punish the judicial branch for issuing decisions on education and reproductive freedom that they disagree with.”

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas is calling on Johnson County’s Interim Election Commissioner Connie Schmidt to reverse a decision to eliminate eight advance voting sites ahead of the Aug. 4 primary.

A Kansas coalition made up of about 70 organizations launched a grassroots canvassing campaign against a constitutional amendment. Kansas United for Impartial Courts rounded up volunteer door-knockers in Lenexa and Wichita to encourage people to vote Aug. 5 against selecting Kansas Supreme Court justices by general election.