Citizen Call to Action - Election Integrity

Free State News proudly wishes to publish your thoughts on issues in Kansas.

Here is a Call to Action letter to the Kansas Elections Committee from a faithful patriot and worker for years.

January 24, 2024

Respected Committee Chair, committee members, and committee assistant

First, Happy New Year and welcome back to Topeka. I hope and pray we have a great session and that major election reforms take place. While there are other issues of concern (like Medicaid Expansion), election reform IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE.

It is critical you and our Kansas legislature are clear on what We the People of Kansas are expecting from ALL of you this year. This is our #1 priority and, in my case, I will not be supporting anyone on this committee or anyone in the Kansas legislature who is not firmly of the mind that we need major election reform, and you all need to be speaking clearly and loudly that this is #1 to you. That means if you are not on board, I will tell people your position. I want to hear you say it out loud. I want it to be part of your elevator speech. This means I will not donate, stuff lit, drop lit or vote for anyone in the Kansas legislature who does not solidly support the following, that would ensure election security for our state:

Single Day Voting
Paper Ballots
Government Issued Voter ID Matched to the ID on File
Drop Boxes Should NOT be Used Under Any Circumstances
No Electronic Voting Machines, including Electronic Tabulators and Electronic Poll Books
Mail-In Ballots Limited to Disabled and Military, Must Be Notarized and Received by Close of Polls.
Enforcement Mechanism For Violating or Neglecting Laws
Voter Rolls Should be Updated Regularly (at least every two years)
Full Transparency of the Entire Election Process from Count to Canvass to Certification

Nothing else matters AT ALL unless our elections are legitimate. Michelle Obama recently said the quiet part out loud when she referred to “the people we will select…”. Yes, the days of selection or appointment are over. Our elections must be fair and honest. All of you and all of the Kansas legislature should want this as well.

I know there are many of you who do not think there are problems with the process in Kansas or nationally. Ok, that’s fine. Is there any reason improvements can’t still be made? If you don’t think we have a problem, then you won’t mind if we go to the lengths many of us are demanding right now because many of us think our votes are not being recorded properly if at all.

We need paper ballots that are hand counted, one day voting, voter ID presented to vote, no machines, limited mail in ballots, updated voter rolls, enforcement for violating laws, and full transparency start to finish.

We will be very interested in what happens this session and I, for one, will attend hearings in Topeka when I can. I know many of you and respect many of you, but you must know how important this is to many of us. It’s practically the only thing we are watching this session. If we don’t have free and honest elections, we have nothing.

Most sincerely,

Jill O’Connor
Kansas Precinct Committee Woman

Jill’s request to the public:
“I know this is very late notice since this committee is meeting minutes from now, but please send this CTA or something similar to the House Elections Committee hearing today or even tomorrow or in the next few days. We need to make it clear to them that we mean business this session!”

Chair Pat Proctor at pat.proctor@house.ks.gov

Vice Chair Paul Waggoner at Paul. Waggoner@house.ks.gov

Brandon Woodard at Brandon.Woodard@house.ks.gov

Emil Bergquist at emil.bergquist@house.ks.gov

Kenneth Collins at Ken.Collins@house.ks.gov

Chris Croft at Chris.Croft@house.ks.gov

Michael Dodson at mike.dodson@house.ks.gov

Robyn R. Essex at Robyn.Essex@house.ks.gov

Allison Hougland at Allison.Hougland@house.ks.gov

Leah Howell at Leah.Howell@house.ks.gov

Cindy Neighbor at Cindy.Neighbor@house.ks.gov

Melissa Oropeza at Melissa.Oropeza@house.ks.gov