Kansas Legislature takes $5M from taxpayers and uses it in election some can't vote in
Let’s start with a question: If you could spend $5 million belonging to the state of Kansas, what would you spend it on?
Some of you might quickly respond to not spend it at all but to give it back to citizens in tax cuts. Others might say to spend it helping those who need assistance with health care bills or child care costs. Some, like myself, might lean toward putting the money toward infrastructure, such as fixing old bridges and filling the potholes that seem to dot so many of our streets.
I would venture that very few of you — if any — thought: “Let’s give it to the two Kansas political parties!”
And yet that’s exactly what the Kansas Legislature did when it passed a bill requiring the state to pay for a statewide election on March 19, 2024, at which the political parties will allocate delegates to their respective presidential conventions that summer.
It passed on a bipartisan basis, of course, since both parties benefit. There were a few legislators who weren’t happy.
Republican Sen. Rob Olson said: “I’m just thinking what we could do with that $4-$5 million. We’re going to have water issues in the future. We’ve got special-needs kids who need services.” Fellow Republican Rep. Trevor Jacobs said, “This is a one-time spend just for junk,” and “This is taking taxpayers’ money and giving it to the Republican and Democratic parties.”
Those who voted for the bill argue that changing from the party-paid-for system that’s been in place since 1996 to a state-paid primary will increase voter turnout. Yes, it certainly will. In 2016, the turnout of party voters in the party caucuses was about 9%, while the last two-party primary in 1992 featured about 35% party turnout.
What’s interesting is that Kansas Democrats solved the turnout problem in 2020. Instead of a caucus, they held a mail-in primary with ranked-choice voting, raising turnout to nearly 30% of registered Democrats.
Also interesting is that Kansas Republicans, many of whom don’t disavow Donald Trump’s claims that election officials can’t be trusted, now want to hand over their party election to these same election officials.
Former Republican National Committeewoman Helen Van Ettan said, “The voters of Kansas deserve the opportunity to fully engage in the process of selecting the next president.”
Indeed that does sound good. But this bill doesn’t provide all the voters of Kansas with a chance to vote but does so only for Republican and Democratic voters, as unaffiliated voters can’t participate.
Don’t fall for the ol’ rope-a-dope from those who say of course they can, all they have to do is register for a party. Think about it: If an unaffiliated voter can only vote if they change their party registration to one of the parties, then unaffiliated voters aren't allowed to vote. So Kansas unaffiliated voters — currently there are 537,392 — get to help foot the bill for a party they’re not invited to.
Keep in mind that they will already be paying for the August 2024 party primary to which they’re also not invited. This bill adds a second $5 million tab.
In short, both parties want to have their cake and eat it, too: Party elections paid for by voters who can’t all participate. Rep. Jacobs' comments seem to define the bill exactly.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Bill benefits Kansas political parties but not the state's voters
