Month: November 2018

ACLU expands its Election Protection efforts

In anticipation of strong voter turnout for the Nov. 6 general election, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Kansas will lead a more robust, statewide, Election Protection Hotline effort to safeguard the voting process than it did during the August primary.

The nonpartisan project, in partnership with the Kansas City law firm Stinson Leonard Street, LLC, will feature nearly 30 lawyers providing assistance for citizens encountering difficulty voting—nearly double the number on hand during the primary.

“Voting is one of the most important things we do as citizens, and we want to make sure that all eligible voters get to exercise this sacred right,” ACLU of Kansas Executive Director Micah Kubic said. “Citizens actually participating makes our democracy stronger.”

The Election Protection Hotline is more relevant than ever. Kansas voters likely will need some clarity following confusion last summer regarding provisional ballots and mail-in ballots, according to the ACLU.

The hotline fielded more than 100 calls – with concerns about long lines, addresses on identification not matching addresses on voting rolls, and more – during August’s primary, and virtually all of them were resolved.

Hotline callers can ask voting-related questions or report problems encountered while attempting to vote. Hotline lawyers will help voters with questions and assist election officials in resolving issues. Calls are logged in a database, tracked for trends, and followed up when necessary.

The hotlines are nonpartisan and all voters are encouraged to call the hotlines.

Hotlines

866-OUR-VOTE provides assistance in English – administered by the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law;
888-VE-Y-VOTA provides bilingual assistance in English and Spanish – administered by NALEO Educational Fund;
888-API-VOTE provides assistance in Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Begali, Hindi, Urdu and Tagalog – administered by APIA Vote and Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC).

Hotline calls will be answered live on Nov. 6, 2018. After-hours calls are directed to voicemail and promptly returned.

McLaughlin, Schmidt run for Kansas commissioner of insurance

Nathaniel McLaughlin, left, of Kansas City, Kansas, and Vicki Schmidt, right, of Topeka, are running for Kansas commissioner of insurance in Tuesday’s general election. (Staff photos)

Running for Kansas commissioner of insurance in Tuesday’s general election are Nathaniel McLaughlin, Democrat, from Kansas City, Kansas, and Vicki Schmidt, Republican, from Topeka.

Both candidates appeared at a candidate forum Oct. 17 at the Faith Deliverance Family Worship Center, 3043 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.

Both candidates support Medicaid expansion in Kansas. McLaughlin said first, there would have to be a prudent review of its financial impact.

“I am against any program that adds a tax burden to the Kansas citizens,” McLaughlin said.

Work, faith in God, respect for his neighbor and his country are his values, he said.

McLaughlin said he had the business qualifications and academic credentials to serve as insurance commissioner.

He has a bachelor’s degree from Winston-Salem State University. He worked 37 years for Sodexho, including management positions, and is now retired. While at Sodexho, he was responsible for the company’s health care operations in an eight-state area.

“I want to advocate for the 350,000 adult Kansans who do not have any type of health insurance,” McLaughlin said.

A state senator for 14 years, Schmidt said she grew up in Wichita and has been a pharmacist for more than 40 years. She worked briefly at a pharmacy in Wyandotte County.

She said she became a pharmacist to help people, and helping people is also why she wants to be insurance commissioner.

As a state senator, she said she has protected Medicare for seniors and has made sure children with autism have the insurance coverage they need. She said she would continue fighting for Kansans if elected.

She added she originally ran for the Senate when she found some errors being made in the Kansas medical assistance program, and developed a plan to correct the errors resulting in a savings of $391 million.

“I deal with health insurance every day when I am practicing my trade as a pharmacist, so I am familiar with that world,” she said.

More information about the candidates and their positions on the issues can be found at Vote411, offered by the League of Women Voters at https://www.vote411.org/.