Kansas judge issues injunction temporarily blocking repeal of voters' 3-day grace period
TOPEKA — A Douglas County District Court judge issued a temporary injunction Thursday keeping in place a 2017 state law allowing the counting of advance mail ballots postmarked by Election Day but arriving at county offices up to three days after polls closed.
Judge Carl Folsom’s order placed a hold on a 2025 law that required rejection of advance mail-in ballots not received by county election officials by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
The lawsuit by Kansas Appleseed, Loud Light, the Disability Rights Center of Kansas and three Kansas voters asserted repeal of the three-day grace period was a “deliberate and unconstitutional assault on Kansans’ fundamental right to vote.” The plaintiffs filed the suit against Secretary of State Scott Schwab and Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew.
“After considering the extensive briefing and evidence submitted on this issue, the court grants the temporary injunction requested by plaintiffs,” the judge’s order says. “The deadline for the receipt by mail of the advance voting ballots by the office of the county election officer shall be the last delivery of mail by the United States Postal Service on the third day following the date of the election.”
https://kansasreflector.com/2026/07/16/kansas-judge-issues-injunction-temporarily-blocking-repeal-of-voters-3-day-grace-period/