Impacts of Voter Suppression in Kansas
Voter suppression harms our communities and undercuts the health of our shared democracy. This report discusses the effects of voter suppression, the relationship between voting and health, feelings of stigmatization that impact the voting experience, legislative and policy challenges, voter ID requirements and looks at solutions and opportunities.
Published 2022-07-18Kansans deserve safe, accessible voting.
The system is designed to disengage folks. It makes folks so tired so they just finally give up and move on. - Alejandro Rangel-Lopez, organizer, New Frontiers Project
From the report:
Our communities are healthier, safer, and stronger when we are all able to participate in our democracy. Unfortunately, forms of targeted oppression such as voting restrictions have never made this possible.
In Kansas, access to the ballot box is consistently under threat. Dozens of elections-related bills were filed during the 2021-2022 state legislative session despite strong connections between societal benefits and voting accessibility and virtually zero indicators of election fraud.
Voting restrictions reinforce historically higher barriers to civic participation, harming Kansans who are marginalized due to their race or ethnicity, disability, income, geographic location, or age. Kansans deserve better.
This report explores:
- The effects of voter suppression
- The relationship between voting and health
- How feelings of stigmatization impact voting experience
- Legislative and policy changes
- Voter ID requirements
- Solutions and opportunities