Kansas Secretary of State: ‘No systemic election fraud in our state’

TOPEKA, Kan. (KWCH) - Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab on Monday announced the 2022 Primary Election recount results for the three requested races -- House District 118, State Treasurer, and the Value Them Both Constitutional Amendment.

“The results of this unprecedented recount of more than half the ballots cast in the 2022 Kansas primary election, with less than 2/100ths of a percent difference in the county canvasses and the recount process, proves once and for all that there is no systemic election fraud in our state’s election process. Kansans should be confident that these results put to rest the unfounded claims of election fraud in our state and know that our elections are secure and that their vote counted,” said Schwab.

Numbers released by the secretary of state showed a difference of 57 votes from the recount and canvass on the Value Them Both question, which forced recounts in nine Kansas counties. In the House District 118 and State Treasurer races, there was a difference of only a couple of votes. The recount did not change the outcome of any of the races.

That’s not stopping abortion opponent and Kansas Republican Assembly President Mark Gietzen who used his credit card to pay for the recount on the constitutional amendment vote. Gietzen on Monday announced he is filing a lawsuit because Sedgwick County didn’t meet the deadline for confirming the final tally on the recount.

“I would bet money on it that it’s the same problem that was uncovered in Cherokee County,” he said.

What Gietzen is referencing is an error caught in a post-election audit in Cherokee County in which votes were flipped in a single race. But the error was corrected. Gietzen is questioning the entire primary result. He voiced concerns about the machines but ballots counted by computer have now been re-counted by hand with no evidence of fraud.

Generally, recounts reflect county canvass certified vote totals. However, when a recount is conducted, especially by hand, minor discrepancies in vote totals can occur, said the secretary of state. For example, an election board worker reviewing a hand-completed ballot during a recount may make a different determination than an election board worker makes during the initial vote count (canvass). Following the recount completion, counties are required to submit the results to the Secretary of State’s office. The recount results on the sos.ks.gov website provide a comparison between county canvass vote totals and recount numbers.

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