ACLU of Kansas warns Kansas lawmakers against attacking 3-day window
SB 14 would eliminate the three-day voting window that eligible Kansas voters depend on to have their vote count and shorten voter registration times
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
CONTACT: Esmie Tseng, Communications Director, ACLU of Kansas, [email protected]
TOPEKA, KAN. – The ACLU of Kansas is warning Kansas lawmakers against SB 14, a bill that would eliminate the three-day window for Kansas voters’ ballots to be counted. The bill faces a possible vote in the House and Senate Tuesday, after Monday’s “gut and go” in the House Elections and Senate Fed and State committee.
SB 14 would remove the three-day grace period, shorten the voter registration period and move the deadline to a weekend date, and change early voting deadlines.
“Lawmakers are essentially punishing Kansans for what’s totally out of their control – the postal service,” said Micah Kubic, Executive Director of the ACLU of Kansas. “We’re talking about completely eligible voters who have done everything right, from registering on time and filling out their ballots, and this bill would mean yet another unnecessary barrier blocking Kansans’ ability to vote. Kansas lawmakers should immediately change course.”
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas urged lawmakers to oppose other anti-democracy bills introduced in the 2024 session, noting the continued attacks on Kansans’ ability to vote and the unfortunate prevalence of conspiracy theories in the statehouse. This week’s effort renews several provisions that were already defeated in the Senate earlier this session.
“Once again, lawmakers are completely out of touch with reality of how everyday Kansans across the political spectrum exercise their right to vote, and the reality of how the election process works,” said Rashane Hamby, Policy Director of the ACLU of Kansas. “It’s unfortunate that Monday’s discussion of the bill seemed to focus on ballots without a postmark, which wouldn’t count either way – and thus ignored that many postmarked and previously eligible ballots would now be thrown out under this bill. Kansas voters deserve better from their lawmakers than these moves to discourage and prevent their own constituents from participating in our elections.”
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About the ACLU of Kansas: The ACLU of Kansas is the statewide affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU of Kansas is dedicated to preserving and advancing the civil rights and legal freedoms guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For more information, visit our website at www.aclukansas.org.
