Kelly released a statement on Tuesday, Sept. 23 regarding the possibility that Republican lawmakers may call for a special session soon to look at redistricting the state. Kelly said she opposes the redistricting effort and will refuse to call for a special session, meaning that lawmakers will instead need to reach a two-thirds majority in the Senate and House to conduct the meeting.
“A special session to draw new maps without new data would be an unprecedented departure from the normal post-Census process. For Kansans to have any faith in these new maps, they must be afforded opportunities to speak directly, in person, with their legislators.”
Governor Laura Kelly statement excerpt
The use of old information and a “partisan agenda” stand out amongst Kelly’s complaints of the possible special session on redistricting. She is encouraging lawmakers to instead host town halls prior to the special session to give Kansans a chance to weigh in on the issue.
All federal and state election district boundaries must be redrawn or revised every decade in the aftermath of the federal census, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The NCSL reports that many states have rules against mid-decade redistricting in their respective constitutions.
Redistricting procedures are laid out in the Kansas Constitution in Article 10. The Kansas Constitution requires the Senate and House districts to be redrawn every 10 years in coordination with data from the federal census, according to the Kansas Legislative Research Division.
The KLRD reports the process of redistricting involves all three branches of the government. The governor of Kansas must either sign the redistricting bills, veto them or allow them to become law without a signature, similar to the process of bills being passed during the annual session of the Kansas Legislature. The Kansas Supreme Court reviews the maps before giving them final approval.
Kansas Republicans could potentially gain another seat in Congress as a result of a redistricting measure. Democratic Representative Sharice Davids holds the only non-Republican seat in Congress for Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District. Davids has already overcome a previous effort to redraw her district’s map in 2022.
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