Kansas Supreme Court Justices, Amendments to be voted on this election season
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Tomorrow, October 18, will be the last day to register to vote in Kansas. Advanced voting will begin October 19. There are many things Kansas voters need to understand prior to voting. We’re looking at two big things in this article. The first thing is Kansas Supreme Court Justices. Six of the seven Justices are up for retention. What this means is that voters will decide whether these judges stay for another term or not. Those up for retention include Daniel Biles, Marla Luckert, Evelyn Z. Wilson, Caleb Stegall, Keynen Wall, and Melissa Standridge. This is what we know about them:
Assumed office on January 7, 2009
Appointed by Democrat Governor Kathleen Sebelius
Donated $1,500 to Democratic candidates and organizations
Ballotpedia Rating: Mild Democrat
In a 2012 study of campaign contributions, Biles received a campaign finance score of -0.21, indicating a liberal ideological leaning.
Assumed office on January 13, 2003
Appointed by Republican Governor Bill Graves
Ballotpedia Rating: Mild Republican
In a 2012 study of campaign contributions, Luckert received a campaign finance score of 1.32, indicating a conservative ideological leaning.
Assumed office on January 9, 2023
Appointed by Democrat Governor Laura Kelly
Donated $100 to Democratic candidates and organizations
Ballotpedia Rating: Mild Democrat
Assumed office on December 5, 2014
Served as chief legal counsel to Republican Governor Sam Brownback from 2011-2013
Donated $750 to Republican candidates and organizations
Appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals in 2013 and the Kansas Supreme Court in 2014 by Brownback
Ballotpedia Rating: Strong Republican
Assumed office on August 3, 2020
Appointed by Democrat Governor Laura Kelly
Assumed office on December 14, 2020
Appointed by Democrat Governor Laura Kelly
Served on Kansas Court of Appeals from 2008 to 2020, appointed to this court by Democrat Governor Kathleen Sebelius
The second big thing Kansans need to know about are the Kansas Constitutional Amendments they will be voting on. There are two of them. Kansans just voted against one Constitutional Amendment on August 2 which would have made it so there was no right to an abortion or abortion funding. For November 8, we have one amendment that would affect Legislature, the other would affect elections and campaigns. This is what we know about these amendments:
Amendment 1: Legislative Veto or Suspension of Executive Agency Regulations Amendment (2022)
Ballot Summary:
“The purpose of this amendment is to provide the legislature with oversight of state executive branch agencies and officials by providing the legislature authority to establish procedures to revoke or suspend rules and regulations.
“A vote for this proposition would allow the legislature to establish procedures to revoke or suspend rules and regulations that are adopted by state executive branch agencies and officials that have the force and effect of law.
“A vote against this proposition would allow state executive branch agencies and officials to continue adopting rules and regulations that have the force and effect of law without any opportunity for the legislature to directly revoke or suspend such rules and regulations.”
A "yes" vote supports this constitutional amendment to allow the state legislature to pass laws by a simple majority vote to revoke or suspend rules and regulations adopted by executive agencies or officers.
A "no" vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thereby maintaining that the legislature can pass bills to change the law governing the executive agency or pass a resolution expressing displeasure with the rule or regulation.
Amendment 2: County Sheriff Election and Recall Amendment (2022)
Ballot Summary:
“This amendment would preserve the right of citizens of each county that elected a county sheriff as of January 11, 2022, to continue electing the county sheriff. The amendment would also provide that a county sheriff only may be involuntarily removed from office pursuant to either a recall election or a writ of quo warranto initiated by the attorney general.
“A vote for this proposition would preserve the right of citizens of each county that elected a county sheriff as of January 11, 2022, to continue electing the county sheriff via popular vote. The amendment would also direct that a county sheriff only may be involuntarily removed from office pursuant to either a recall election or a writ of quo warranto initiated by the attorney general.
“A vote against this proposition would not make any changes to the constitution and would retain current law concerning the election of a sheriff and the procedures for involuntary removal of a sheriff from office.”
A "yes" vote supports amending the state Constitution to require the election of county sheriffs in counties that had not abolished the office as of January 2022 and provide that sheriffs may be recalled from office or removed by a writ of quo warranto initiated by the attorney general.
A "no" vote opposes this amendment to require counties to elect sheriffs, thereby maintaining that counties can elect to operate under a consolidated law enforcement agency according to state law.