State court blocks Kansas dual voter registration system

The Shawnee County District Court today permanently blocked a dual voter registration system in Kansas.

The action means that those people who registered on a federal election registration form in the motor vehicle offices will be able to vote in the election on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

The court had issued a temporary injunction in the Brown vs. Kobach case previously.

Kansas had said previously that persons who had registered through the motor vehicle offices and had not shown proof of citizenship would be allowed to vote only for federal offices, not state and local offices. The ruling today means they can vote for all offices on Nov. 8.

There were separate election Kansas lawsuits in state and federal courts. Previous cases have been appealed by the secretary of state’s office. Those who registered to vote at motor vehicle offices are fully registered at this time for the Nov. 8 election, a spokesman said.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which brought the case to court, issued a statement today from Sophia Lakin, an ACLU staff attorney: “This ruling is a victory for Kansas voters and a stinging rebuke of Secretary (Kris) Kobach’s repeated efforts to improperly use his authority to obstruct their access to the ballot. This decision recognizes that Kansans’ right to vote in state and local elections should be honored, no matter what registration form they used.”