Kansas Supreme Court finds Kansans have no 'fundamental right' to vote. What it means

[Nevilledog]

https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article288915452.html

The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled that voting is not a fundamental right protected by the Kansas Constitution.

The landmark decision on voting rights Friday is likely to weaken legal challenges to future voting restrictions in Kansas.

The majority opinion reversed a 2023 appeals court decision that recognized any restrictions on the fundamental right to vote would be subject to the highest legal bar for evaluation, or strict scrutiny.

Justice Caleb Stegall wrote for the majority, saying voting is instead a “political right” under the Kansas Constitution that has a lower bar for regulation than fundamental rights.

“But just because the right to vote is not protected in our Bill of Rights does not mean that constitutional voting guarantees are somehow weak or ineffective,” Stegall wrote. “Quite the contrary.”

*snip*

[The Unmitigated Gall]

1. Vote republican...lose your rights. nt

[edhopper]

2. Shouldn't the US Constituition

over ride the Kansas Constitution?

The 15th Amendment:
Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

[Wednesdays]

5. Yes, they need to take it to the US Supreme Court...

...where it will...

(sigh) Never mind.

[Buckeyeblue]

8. There are several voting amendments

15th is race based. 19th is sex based. And 26th is age based. I guess if a state establishes a restriction that is not race, sex or age based it would potentially be allowed. The SC has upheld voter ID laws. I don't know what Kansas has up its sleeve but it seems that the current court would be open to other restrictions.

[marble falls]

3. Gargle mergle muggle wugle. And he's a justice??? The ACLU is waiting for them to disenfranchise a class of people ...

... or arbitrarily take someone's vote away.

[roscoeroscoe]

4. What's the matter with Kansas?

I mapped three counties in western Kansas some years back. I still feel very sad for those stuck living there. However, no matter where you live, you can open your eyes and see for yourself what's real and what's not. Wake up Kansas! For heaven's sake you have a town called Liberal!

[Think. Again.]

6. This is off the charts batshit crazy....

...although the kansas state constitution doesn't mention voting, the U. S. Constitution, which overrides any state constitution, does absolutely guarantee the right to vote.

If they try to enforce this, kansas is going to have an awful lot of federal lawsuits to defend against.

[In It to Win It]

7. That sounds like a new ballot measure is needed