Kansas AG Derek Schmidt works to ensure “free, fair, and secure election”
TOPEKA, Kan. – Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt today joined a bipartisan coalition of 36 state and territory attorneys general in issuing the following statement pledging to support the rule of law to ensure a ‘free, fair, and secure’ election in which every lawful vote is counted:
“As state and territory attorneys general, our backgrounds and perspectives are as diverse as the citizens whom we serve. But we are united in our goal of protecting the rule of law and defending the laws and constitutions of our states, territories, and nation.
Fundamental to our democracy, the rule of law is built upon citizen participation in electing the leaders who make and execute our state and national laws. Therefore, we urge all eligible voters to plan now for how they will vote in this election.
Trusted sources like the National Association of Secretaries of State or the National Association of State Election Directors provide information on how to register to vote and your options for voting in-person or by mail. Eligible voters who plan to vote by mail should follow the instructions provided by state and local election officials, fill out your ballot properly, and return it to an officially designated drop-off place, by mail, or any other means permitted under your state’s laws as soon as possible.
Across the country and under circumstances both familiar and uncharted, election officials are working to ensure that every eligible citizen can vote and that every vote is counted. America’s attorneys general are also working to ensure a free, fair, and secure election. As part of our duty to uphold the rule of law, we will take seriously any allegations of election interference, including voter fraud, voter intimidation and suppression.
Moreover, we remind our fellow citizens that violence against persons or property is never an acceptable response to any election outcome and we condemn political violence of any kind.
The attorney general’s office also recently successfully defended against a legal challenge that threatened a Kansas statute that helps prevent the intimidation of voters by prohibiting electioneering within 250 feet of any polling place. And it has participated in successful efforts around the country to prevent courts from creating uncertainty by rewriting election rules as Election Day approaches.
A copy of the attorneys general’s full statement is available at https://bit.ly/3e5465B.