Kansas voters reject push to directly elect Supreme Court justices
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Kansas voters rejected a constitutional amendment that would have allowed voters to directly elect state Supreme Court justices.
The measure would have abolished the state’s current appointment system.
Under that process, the governor selects justices from candidates recommended by a nine-member nominating commission. Justices later face voters in retention elections.
The Republican-controlled Legislature placed the proposal on the ballot after several Kansas Supreme Court decisions frustrated conservatives, including a 2019 ruling that the state constitution protects abortion rights. Kansas voters upheld those protections in a separate constitutional amendment vote in 2022.
Supporters argued direct elections would give Kansans greater control over the court. Opponents warned the change would turn judges into politicians and allow wealthy donors and special-interest groups to influence judicial races.
Twenty-one states directly elect their supreme court justices, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
Kansas will retain its current appointment and retention-election system.
