Federal Court Orders Kansas to Register Thousands of Voters Who Have Been Blocked From Doing So
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A federal court has ordered Kansas to register thousands of eligible voters who have been blocked from doing so. The state must begin registering them effective June 1.
The ruling stems from an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit filed on behalf of Kansans who have tried to register to vote through the Kansas Department of Motor Vehicles and have illegally been forced to provide additional documentation of citizenship. Thousands of people have been blocked from registering because of this bureaucratic hurdle. The ACLU was in court last month seeking the preliminary injunction to allow them to register so they can participate in the August primary and November general election.
Dale Ho, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, said of today’s order:
“This ruling lifts the barrier that the state illegally imposed on Kansans who were trying to register to vote. It means thousands of people who could have been sidelined during the upcoming primary and general election will be able to participate.”
The ACLU is representing the League of Women Voters of Kansas and individual plaintiffs. Co-counsel are the ACLU of Kansas and Dechert LLP.
The ruling is at: https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/fish-v-kobach-preliminary-injunction-memorandum-and-order
More information is at: https://www.aclu.org/cases/fish-v-kobach
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A federal court has ordered Kansas to register thousands of eligible voters who have been blocked from doing so. The state must begin registering them effective June 1.
The ruling stems from an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit filed on behalf of Kansans who have tried to register to vote through the Kansas Department of Motor Vehicles and have illegally been forced to provide additional documentation of citizenship. Thousands of people have been blocked from registering because of this bureaucratic hurdle. The ACLU was in court last month seeking the preliminary injunction to allow them to register so they can participate in the August primary and November general election.
Dale Ho, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, said of today’s order:
“This ruling lifts the barrier that the state illegally imposed on Kansans who were trying to register to vote. It means thousands of people who could have been sidelined during the upcoming primary and general election will be able to participate.”
The ACLU is representing the League of Women Voters of Kansas and individual plaintiffs. Co-counsel are the ACLU of Kansas and Dechert LLP.
The ruling is at: https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/fish-v-kobach-preliminary-injunction-memorandum-and-order
More information is at: https://www.aclu.org/cases/fish-v-kobach
Stay Informed
Every month, you'll receive regular roundups of the most important civil rights and civil liberties developments. Remember: a well-informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy policy.
The Latest in Voting Rights
-
Civil Rights Groups Seek to Lift Stay in Federal Lawsuit Challenging Louisiana’s Discriminatory State Legislative Maps on Heels of U.S. Supreme Court Alabama Decision
-
Historic Win: U.S. Supreme Court Rules Alabama’s Congressional Map Violates the Voting Rights Act by Diluting Black Political Power
-
Utah State Legislature v. League of Women Voters
-
New Motions Filed in Lawsuit Challenging Georgia’s Omnibus Anti-Voter Law Seek to Defend Against Racial Discrimination and Remove Barriers to Absentee Voting
ACLU's Vision
The American Civil Liberties Union is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America.
Learn More About Voting Rights

Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and the fundamental right upon which all our civil liberties rest. The ACLU works to protect and expand Americansʼ freedom to vote.