Topeka ? Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s office is telling county officials they shouldn’t release names of voters casting provisional ballots.

The advice from Kobach’s office Thursday came as a Democratic Rep. Ann Mah of Topeka is seeking a list of such voters so that she can contact such them before their ballots are reviewed.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the memo from Kobach’s office from a county clerk who received it.

Mah is a vocal critic of the Republican secretary of state. She trailed her GOP challenger from Tuesday’s election by 27 votes out of nearly 11,000 cast.

She said she wants to help voters correct problems affecting their ballots, so their votes will count.

In the memo, Kobach’s office said releasing voter names would violate federal law.