Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s office is trying to preserve the state’s voter registration rules after missing a filing deadline this week in a lawsuit. A federal court ruled against Kobach after the deadline had passed. The secretary of state’s office has now submitted the required filing.
Mark Johnson, one of the attorneys challenging the law, says they will oppose the judge accepting the document because Kobach was late with another filing already in the suit.
“The secretary missed the answer date, but we gave them additional time. We’ve let them do this once. We’re not going to agree to it twice,” says Johnson.
In instances like this, Johnson says judges often do accept a late filing if there’s a good reason.
The lawsuit argues the state’s proof-of-citizenship law for voter registration violates the Constitution. Johnson says no matter what the judge decides, there’s likely more legal fighting ahead in the lawsuit.
Kobach's office did not responded to a request for comment.
KPR's Stephen Koranda reports on the legal wrangling: