Editor’s note: The 2026 Kansas Legislative session ended April 11. This letter was submitted on April 18, after the legislative session closed. House Bill 2091 died when the legislative session ended. The bill would need to be reintroduced in the next legislative session to be relevant.
Dear Editor,
I am shocked at the number of bills currently targeting voting rights in Kansas and in our country. There are various bills up for debate in the House that affect voting rights and could result in voting suppression for several groups of individuals. Check out www.kslegislature.gov or www.aclukansas.org to find out more.
Under Kansas law, felons lose their right to vote; however, once they complete their sentence, their voting rights are restored. Unfortunately, many felons are unaware of that, because there’s no legal requirement that the state inform them of their rights or send them a new voter registration form.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas website, 84,938 Kansans, or 1 in 35 people, are returning citizens from incarceration who are eligible to vote. Of that number, only 14,147 individuals with past felony convictions have actually registered to vote and are prepared to exercise that right, which is only 16.6%. House Bill 2091 would require the state to simply notify eligible felons that they can register to vote.
It encourages civic participation and voter education and should be supported by us all, yet it stalled in the legislature and was not passed. Meanwhile, several bills aimed at suppressing voting rights have been moving right through the House and quickly becoming laws.
As a state, we want felons to successfully rehabilitate and reintegrate into society. Part of being a Kansas citizen is having the right to vote, exercising that right and having your voice heard. Every voice matters and counts, and every eligible citizen should at least be aware of their voting rights. I ask that you support the passage of HB 2091 and stand up for all of the unheard voices in our community.
To register to vote, go to www.kdor.ks.gov/Apps/VoterReg.
— Ginger Baysinger
Social Work Graduate Student
Wichita State University
