State Feed: Kansas

Missouri: Petition seeks to put red-light cameras before Kansas City voters

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:30:03 -0400

The fight against red-light cameras still rages, although it’s been pretty quiet lately. However, it’s about to get a lot louder if the petition drive against the cameras gains steam.

KMBC Channel 9 reported the petition drive that aims to wipe out Kansas City’s 29 cameras, which since going live in the spring of 2009 have generated $9.7 million for the city in 97,000 tickets ($3.1 million of that has gone to American Traffic Solutions, which has a year left on its contract with the city).

PRESS RELEASE: Incoming Kansas Secretary of State Kobach Honored for Plan to Bring Citizen Initiative Rights to State

Staff — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 13:40:51 -0500

(LAKE RIDGE, VA) – Today, Citizens in Charge Foundation, a national voter rights group focused on the ballot initiative and referendum process, presented incoming Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach with the December 2010 John Lilburne Award in recognition of Kobach’s outspoken advocacy during the recent election campaign for establishing a statewide citizen initiative and referendum process in Kansas.

“Kris Kobach’s campaign emphasized the importance of the initiative and referendum process in giving voters an essential voice in government and a check on those in public office,” said Citizens in Charge Foundation President Paul Jacob. “We honor his effort to highlight citizen empowerment.”

Let Kansans Vote on Issues

Staff — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 10:59:02 -0400

Citizens in Charge President Paul Jacob has a Letter to the Editor published in today’s Wichita Eagle to dispel some myths about the initiative process that have been put forward by some in Kansas:

LTE: Let Kansans Vote on Issues

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 10:53:07 -0400

Fort Hays State University political science professor Chapman Rackaway is entitled to his opinion that “Voter initiative sounds good but is bad idea” (Sept. 14 Opinion) but not to make up his own facts to buttress this viewpoint. Rackaway used inaccurate claims about California’s initiative process to argue against Republican secretary of state candidate Kris Kobach’s proposal to allow Kansans to petition issues onto the ballot for a statewide vote.

PRESS RELEASE: Kansas Attorney General Honored

Staff — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:25:14 -0400

(LAKE RIDGE, VA) – Today, Citizens in Charge Foundation, a national voter rights group focused on the ballot initiative and referendum process, presented Kansas Attorney General Steve Six with the September 2010 Lilburne Award. Steve is honored this month for agreeing with, rather than fighting, the plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging Kansas’ residency requirement for petition circulators, which resulted in U.S. District Judge Sam Crow permanently enjoining enforcement of the statute as an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment rights of citizens.

Kansas: Plan for initiative rights brings criticism

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:52:15 -0400

A Kansas politician’s plan to allow voters to enact laws without going through the Legislature is drawing criticism from major farm groups, and a fellow Republican leader said Friday that the idea worries agriculture leaders. Kris Kobach, the Republican nominee for secretary of state, said he’s not surprised interest groups oppose his voter initiative plan. As residents of other states can, Kansas residents could put proposed laws and state constitutional changes on the ballot for voters’ approval.

Kansas Residency Requirement Struck Down by Judge

Staff — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:05:25 -0400

There is great news in Kansas for citizen initiative rights:

Kansas: Despite low turnout, tax measure passes

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:03:15 -0400

Only 255 of Louisburg’s 3,700 voters turned out April 6. City Manager Jeff Cantrell said he’s not surprised at the low participation. “The city council positions were unopposed, which didn’t raise interest in voting,” he said. “(The voters seem to think) the incumbents are doing a good job and are going to stay in office.” The 1/4-cent sales tax increase on the ballot last week passed with 131 “yes” votes and 124 “no” votes, but the results were not official until Tuesday morning when the Louisburg City Council instated the infrastructure initiative with a vote.

Kansas: Congressman endorses 2nd Amendment initiative

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:33:09 -0400

Congressman Todd Tiahrt (R-Goddard) announced his endorsement of the Second Amendment ballot initiative slated to appear on the November ballot. The Kansas Legislature overwhelming passed the initiative last session to cement the right of the individual to bear arms in the Kansas Constitution. The Kansas Constitution currently states, “The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security” which was interpreted in a 1905 Supreme Court decision to mean collectively, not individually.

Residents allow themselves to buy and sell alcohol on Sundays

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:00:26 -0400

Tonganoxie residents now will be able to purchase retail liquor on Sundays and select holidays. In a special election conducted Tuesday, voters, by about a 2-1 margin, approved a ballot question asking whether retail liquor sales should be allowed on those days. The “yes” vote prevailed, 250-132.

Read the story from the Lawrence Journal

Date for mail in ballot decided

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:00:17 -0400

A date has been set for the mail ballot election in which Butler County residents will decide between a .25 cent increase in the sales tax or a mill levy increase to pay for federally mandated upgrades to the countywide emergency management communications system. Butler County Commissioners announced at their Tuesday meeting the mail ballots will be sent to active registered voters on Nov. 10 and will be due Nov. 24.

Read the story from the El Dorado Times

Possible future vote on Wichita Greyhound Park

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:44:15 -0400

The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission on Friday is expected to take action on a proposed reopening plan for Wichita Greyhound Park. The plan calls for the facility to reopen if the Kansas Legislature during the 2010 session, which starts in January, approves slot machines for the track. The plan also would be contingent on a public vote on the issue.

Read the story from the Wichita Business Journal

Oklahoma tinkers with petition law; Kansas has none

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:42:20 -0400

Sometimes we in Kansas like to poke fun at our neighbors to the south in Oklahoma. I’m sure they do the same to us.

But one way in which Oklahoma has Kansas beat is in Oklahoma citizens’ ability to petition their government through the process of initiative and referendum.

Kansas's Ballot Initiative History

Staff — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:37:53 -0400

The movement to establish the initiative process in Kansas was well
under way by 1900, when the Democratic and Populist parties in the state
endorsed the idea. In 1909, initiative supporters won approval of their
amendment in the state’s lower house but were defeated in the state
senate.

Opponents start petition drive to vote on smoking ban repeal

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:48:05 -0500

Opponents of a new tougher anti-smoking ordinance for the city of Salina have begun a petition drive aimed at repealing the measure before it takes effect.

But if the petition drive succeeds in bringing the measure to a vote in April, and a repeal is approved, the current ordinance restricting restaurant smoking to between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. would remain in effect. The current ordinance doesn’t apply to bars.

Colorado Spending Transparency

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:16:22 -0500

At COST we don’t pursue a personal agenda. We promote financial transparency because we believe taxpayers (that does include us — so maybe it is personal) have a right to know how their money is spent. We aren’t fishing for praise or accolades. Our rewards will come when every level of government in Colorado embraces full financial transparency. That doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate compliments when we get them.