Kansas special election adds urgency to pending court cases

The special election for the congressional seat formerly held by new CIA Director Mike Pompeo has added new urgency to pending court decisions in multiple federal lawsuits challenging restrictive voter registration requirements in Kansas.

Gov. Sam Brownback has called an April 11 special election to fill the 4th District seat covering southcentral Kansas.

Preliminary court orders allowed Kansans who registered using a federal form or at motor vehicle offices to vote in the November election even if they didn’t conform to a disputed Kansas requirement to provide documentary proof of citizenship to vote, such as a birth certificate, naturalization papers or a passport.

The uncertainty comes in part because federal judges hearing three separate cases unfolding in Kansas and in Washington, D.C. could rule on pending motions seeking summary judgment that could impact April’s special election.