Kansas Court of Appeals examines arguments on constitutionality of state ban on 'fusion voting'
TOPEKA — Members of a three-judge Kansas Court of Appeals panel on Tuesday pushed a United Kansas Party attorney to explain why they didn’t take their fight to the Legislature regarding a state law banning multi-party nominations of the same candidate.
Saline County District Judge Jared Johnson last year tossed United Kansas Party’s lawsuit seeking to allow “fusion voting” by deciding the state made a strong argument that nomination of a candidate by more than one party in the same election cycle could undermine competition while elevating voter confusion and weakening voter confidence in elections.
United Kansas Party appealed its First Amendment case to the state Court of Appeals by arguing the case should be sent back to district court for reconsideration under standards more favorable to the idea of striking down the law.
Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Hill, the longest-serving judge in state history with more than 45 years on the bench, broached the jurisdictional issue soon after plaintiffs attorney Ori Lev began a presentation on how the state’s 1901 prohibition on fusion voting violated the Kansas Constitution’s Bill of Rights and handicapped third parties by tipping elections in favor of dominant political parties.
https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/24/kansas-court-of-appeals-examines-arguments-on-constitutionality-of-state-ban-on-fusion-voting/