Kansas governor vetoes redistricting plan

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has vetoed a Republican redistricting plan that would make it harder for the lone Kansas Democrat in Congress to win reelection this year. GOP lawmakers are expected to try to override the veto Kelly issued Thursday. However, if they do, the new lines are likely to face court challenges. The measure would split the Kansas City area into two congressional districts and cost Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids some of the territory in her 3rd District where she performs best. The map also would move the liberal northeast Kansas community of Lawrence into in the 1st District of central and western Kansas.

Kelly issued a statement Thursday, saying in part, that the plan, Senate Bill 355,” or, “Ad Astra 2,” does not follow guidelines the governor said call for protecting communities of inters, preserving the core of existing congressional districts, and ensure that whole counties are in the same congressional district if possible.

You can read the governor’s full statement below.

“The process of drawing districts each decade is the core to ensuring that all Kansans have the opportunity to participate in their government and have their voices heard. The courts and the Legislature have established case law and criteria on how to draw Kansas districts fairly and constitutionally.

“Those guidelines call for ensuring that districts are nearly equal to 734,470 in population as practicable while ensuring that plans have neither the purpose nor effect of diluting minority communities’ voting strength. The guidelines call for protecting communities of interest, preserving the core of existing congressional districts, and ensuring that whole counties are in the same congressional district if possible. The Legislature’s guidelines further state that ‘to a considerable degree most counties in Kansas are economic, social, and cultural units, or parts of a larger socioeconomic unit. These communities of interest should be considered during the creation of congressional districts.’

“Senate Bill 355, known as Ad Astra 2, does not follow these guidelines and provides no justification for deviation from those guidelines. Wyandotte County is carved into two separate congressional districts. Without explanation, this map shifts 46% of the Black population and 33% of the Hispanic population out of the third congressional district by dividing the Hispanic neighborhoods of Quindaro Bluffs, Bethel-Welborn, Strawberry Hill, Armourdale and others from Argentine, Turner and the rest of Kansas City, Kansas south of I-70. To replace lost population in the third district, this map adds in counties that are more rural to the south and west of the core of the Kansas City metropolitan area.

“Ad Astra 2 also separates the city of Lawrence from Douglas County and inserts urban precincts of Lawrence into the largely rural Big First Congressional District, reducing the strength of communities of interest in Western Kansas and unnecessarily dividing communities of interest in Eastern Kansas.

“Several alternatives would allow for the same deviation as Ad Astra 2 while protecting the core of the existing congressional districts and without diluting minority communities’ voting strength. I am ready to work with the Legislature in a bipartisan fashion to pass a new congressional map that addresses the constitutional issues in Senate Bill 355. Together, we can come to a consensus and pass a compromise that empowers all people of Kansas.

“For those reasons, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto Senate Bill 355.”

House Republican leadres responded to the veto, accusing Kelly of following a directive from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

Full statement from Speaker Ron Ryckman, Majority Leader Dan Hawkins and Speaker Pro Tem Blaine Finch:

“This isn’t the first time the legislature has had to step up to protect Kansans from Laura Kelly’s partisan agenda. It is no coincidence she pulled out the veto pen just hours after the ACLU told her to. It’s clear she is beholden to New York special interests. The legislature is bound to do what is best for Kansans and we won’t back down from that responsibility.”

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