HB 2437 Hearing--Voter Suppression--March 15

House Bill 2437 will receive a hearing in the Ethics and Elections Committee on Thursday March 15th. This bill will force Kansans to provide proof of citizenship documents before being allowed to register to vote starting in June. This hearing is a decisive moment in the fight against voter suppression. Use the three steps listed below to do your part in stopping this bill!

This bill poses major problems for our state this election year.

• Grassroots voter registration including tabling at community gatherings, registering the elderly and disabled at care homes, and door-to-door registration will be impossible.

• Voting for all Kansans will be more difficult. Those facing the greatest challenges are low income Kansans, women, and the elderly.
  
• The administrative failures of voter ID at the DMV, KDHE, and the voting booths indicate that our state is not ready more restrictions. Rushing in to more stringent voting restrictions will distract officials from correcting the existing problems and invite additional complications. 

Take 3 simple steps to stop this bill

1.      Contact your area senator on the Ethics and Elections Committee RIGHT NOW!

A simple message of “My name is _________, and I am against rushing proof of citizenship for voter registration” would be a great contributing to defending voter rights.

Call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924  and ask to speak with your area senator on the Ethics and Elections committee or email your area senator directly using the contact below

• Senator Terrie Huntington, Fairway/Topeka area. Terrie.Huntington@senate.ks.gov
• Senator Vickie Schmidt, Topeka area. Vicki.Schmidt@senate.ks.gov
• Senator Oletha Faust-Goudeau, Wichita area, Oletha.Faust-Goudeau@senate.ks.gov
• Senator Pat Apple, Louisburg area, Pat.Apple@senate.ks.gov
• Senator Pete Brundgart, Salina area, Pete.Brungardt@senate.ks.gov
• Senator Dick Kelsey, Goddard area, Dick.Kelsey@senate.ks.gov
• Senator Kelly Kultala, Kansas City area, Kelly.Kultala@senate.ks.gov
• Senator Mike Peterson, Wichita area, Mike.Petersen@senate.ks.gov
• Senator Roger Reitz, Manhattan area, Roger.Reitz@senate.ks.gov

 2. Testify

• To testify in person: Join Kansans from around the state in testifying next Thursday. The hearing will be held at 9:30 am in room 159-S in the capital which is located at 900 SW Jackson St, Topeka, KS. Contact Ellen Martinez, assistant to the Ethics and Elections Committee at 785-296-8621 and request time to speak. She will ask that you submit 30 copies of your testimony to her by noon the day before the hearing. Her email address is ellen.martinez@senate.ks.gov. Representative Ann Mah has offered to print copies of our testimonies and deliver them to Ms. Martinez. Send your testimonies to be copied at ann.mah@house.ks.gov.

• To submit written testimony: If you cannot attend the hearing you can submit written testimony. Email your written testimony to Ellen Martinez at ellen.martinez@senate.ks.gov requesting that it be included in Thursday’s hearing. Email Representative Ann Mah at ann.mah@house.ks.gov and request that copies be made for the committee.

• Confirm your participation here http://www.facebook.com/events/203148619786893/.

3. Spread the Word

• Forward this email to each of your contacts and ask that they do their part to defend voter rights in Kansas.
• Invite your friends to sign this online petition: http://signon.org/sign/prevent-the-rushed-implement.
• Become a part of the movement and stay up to date on all of the latest news on voter suppression by liking KanVote on Facebook.