Don’t like the new Kansas license plate? Fine, governor says. You can pick a new one
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It was a license plate Kansans wanted to kill.
A week after Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly faced widespread condemnation for the state’s new black and gold license plate, she is reversing course and putting the issue to a vote.
“I promised to be a bipartisan governor, and I think we can all admit – I succeeded at bringing Kansans across the political aisle together in disliking this new license plate,” Kelly said in a statement Tuesday.
The governor rolled out the original design last week, a black line across the top and gold space with the plate numbers and “to the stars” at the bottom. The backlash was immediate.
Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach posted on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, that the plate resembled the design used in New York.
“First our NY born Gov brings NY policies. Now NY plates!” Kobach wrote.
The plates were quickly panned by Kansans on social media for using the University of Missouri color scheme and appearing too simple.
On Friday state Rep. Nick Hoheisel, a Wichita Republican, sent a letter to Kelly and Transportation Secretary Mark Burghart urging them to seek public input on the new design.
“There is a consensus that we can, and should, strive for a better design that resonates positively with the citizens of Kansas, distinct from the New York-style license plate proposed,” Hoheisel wrote.
“As representatives of the people, it’s imperative that we consider the sentiments and concerns of Kansans, particularly when it involves something as prominent as the license plates that will adorn their vehicles for the next decade or more. License plates are more than just identifiers; they symbolize a sense of pride and belonging for the people of our state.”
The design was part of an effort to phase out embossed license plates that have become difficult to read as they age.
In the coming weeks, the Kelly administration will release a set of license plates for Kansans to vote on. The administration said it will share details on this process, and how it will impact the planned transition away from embossed plates “soon.”
