Secretary of State defies court order over ballot records

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab is refusing to turn over provisional ballot records in advance of Tuesday's primary election, even though an appeals court ruled his refusal is a violation of the state's open records law.

By

State News

August 1, 2022 - 1:45 PM

A voter fills out an advance ballot Friday at the Shawnee County Elections Office. Photo by Sherman Smith / Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — Secretary of State Scott Schwab is refusing to turn over provisional ballot records in advance of the primary election, despite an appeals court ruling that says he is violating state open records law.

Voting rights advocate Davis Hammett renewed his request for the records in hopes of helping voters ensure their ballots are counted for an election in which a constitutional amendment on abortion rights could be narrowly decided. Schwab rejected the request while considering whether to appeal the case to the Kansas Supreme Court.

Hammett said it was “absurd” that Schwab was still trying to withhold public records, and that the legal battle over the records has lasted three years.

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