Proposal Would Purge 34K Prospective Voters

Opponents of a proposed regulation to purge the names of more than 34,000 prospective voters will protest at public hearing next month, but concede there is little else they can do.

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is pushing an administrative rule that would allow him to throw out any incomplete voter registration forms after 90 days, most of which lack proof-of-citizenship documentation.

The number of incomplete voter registrations on hold as has grown to 34,454 names as of Wednesday. Purging it would leave just 4,202 prospective voters.

A hearing is set for September 2nd in Topeka over the proposal. Kobach and opponents of the move all say he has the power to unilaterally change the rule.