The Kansas Supreme Court Friday morning denied Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s petition to dismiss redistricting lawsuits claiming legislative maps constituted racial and partisan gerrymandering.

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.

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.

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.

As Americans prepare to celebrate their freedoms this July Fourth holiday, grassroots community leaders will be pressing Senate President Susan Wagle to support Election Day Registration (EDR) legislation next session as “the most patriotic thing a legislator could do.”

But as for tonight’s ruling, Ford County Clerk Debbie Cox’s late decision and notice to voters left little room for the court to issue injunctive relief. Had voters learned of her decision sooner, our case may have prevailed.

We commend Dodge City Mayor Kent Smoll for his efforts to ensure that citizens there wanting to vote can actually cast a ballot.