Did the Kansas legislature override the governor’s veto of a new voting law?
On May 3, 2021, the Republican-controlled Kansas legislature overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a bill establishing new rules for absentee ballots. The bill makes it a misdemeanor for an individual to deliver more than ten absentee ballots on behalf of other voters during an election. It also requires that signatures on absentee ballots match what the state has on file.
Voting rights advocates argue that the law will make voting more difficult for people who rely on others to deliver their ballots, including disabled people and the elderly. Signature matching has also been criticized for disenfranchising voters. Proponents think the bill will make the voting process more secure.
“There remains no evidence of significant voter fraud in Kansas,” Gov. Kelly said in her veto message. “This bill is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.”