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“The thing that’s consistent about all of those is that they’re all attacks on democracy, all attacks on voting rights,” Kubic said. “Precisely the sort of attacks that have already been rejected by Kansans, rejected by courts and rejected by common sense.”

“Every day there are new attacks on voting rights in this country and Kansas is no exception,” Kubic stated. “Democracy is not just about voting rights. Democracy is the idea that everyone matters.”

Earlier this past summer, in the ACLU of Kansas’ report about the historical and social significance of the Quindaro settlement, we talked about the aspirational Kansas we fear too many residents here have forgotten.

A federal lawsuit against Dodge City that claims unfair voting systems create a barrier for Latine candidates in the city is set to move forward. The ACLU of Kansas recently announced that the case will now go to trial on Feb. 24, 2024, in Wichita.

Experts who study representation have found that at-large election systems have frequently diluted the minority vote intowns and cities with significant non-White populations across the country. Shifting to what are known as “single-member districts,” can help, they say.

A pair of residents in Dodge City, Kansas, first sued the city a year ago, alleging the current at-large election method used to elect city commissioners denies Dodge City's Latino residents an equal opportunity to participate in the municipal political process.

A leading Kansas civil rights organization says an estimated 30,000 people living in the state should be informed they have the right to vote. The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas launched a campaign to reach out to Kansans with felony records and encourage them to register to vote.

The ACLU of Kansas says that around 30,000 Kansans who have completed their sentences for felony convictions are unaware that they have the right to vote. To that end, a new effort has been launched to inform them of their restored voting rights, recruit volunteers and to get more voters to vote.

“Counting provisional ballots is an incredibly important part of ensuring that everybody has the opportunity to participate” in elections, says Sharon Brett, Legal Director of the ACLU of Kansas.