Kansas abortion vote: Why recount with such a large margin?

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – Kansas’ decisive statewide vote in favor of abortion rights has been affirmed through a partial hand recount, a move forced by two Republican activists.

Voters earlier this month rejected a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have allowed the Republican-controlled Legislature to further restrict abortion or ban it.

The measure failed by 18 percentage points or 165,000 votes statewide.

But state law allows any registered voter to ask for a recount on a statewide ballot question, and the two GOP activists provided credit cards to cover the roughly $120,000 in costs.

After the recount, the side that supported the measure gained six votes.