Kansas GOP lawmakers override Democratic governor's vetos on election bills, make them into law

The two bills follow a slew of other GOP-backed voter integrity measures across the country.

Published: May 5, 2021 11:59am

Updated: May 5, 2021 5:10pm

Kansas state legislators voted earlier this week to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's vetoes on two election-related bills, make them law.

The bills include one that limits who is allowed to return a mail-in-ballot for another person, according to The Kansas City Star.

Kelly vetoed the bills last month, calling them "designed to disenfranchise Kansans."

The GOP-controlled legislature on Monday exceeded the two-thirds majority vote needed to pass the bills without the governor's approval.

"Every single vote matters and the accuracy matters," Republican state Sen. Caryn Tyson said. "This bill is not about voter suppression it is about voter accuracy and making sure every legal vote counts."

The one bill makes it a misdemeanor for someone to return more than 10 ballots on behalf of other voters. The other prevents the Judicial and Executive branches from interfering with election laws.