Kansas Judge Rejects Congressional Map

While Missouri still wrestles with it’s own congressional district maps, our neighbors to the west seem to also be having issues getting a map finalized.

According to an Associated Press report, a Kansas district court judge Monday struck down a new Republican-backed congressional map that would likely make it harder for the only Democrat in the state’s delegation to win reelection.

It was the first time a court has declared that the Kansas Constitution prohibits political gerrymandering. The state is expected to appeal to the Kansas Supreme Court.

The decision from Wyandotte County District Judge Bill Klapper came a little more than five weeks before the state’s June 1 candidate filing deadline.

Lawsuits claimed the map violated voting rights and constitutional guarantees of equal rights for all Kansas residents and freedom of speech and assembly.