With a number of important Kansas political races shaping up as close contests, it will be more important than ever that state elections — and the election results — have the full confidence of Kansas voters.

Voters need to believe that their election process is rising above all the political maneuvering that has marked both sides of the current election campaign.

Unfortunately, a number of factors are raising questions and injecting confusion in the state’s voting process.

More than 500 election ballots have been mailed to Kansans currently residing in other countries, but Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach has warned those ballots may be replaced with different ballots if he can convince the courts that the Democratic Party is required to name a candidate to replace Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor, who withdrew from the race. Will voters understand this situation and know whether to go ahead and return their ballots or wait in case a second ballot is on its way? If replacement ballots go out, will the original ballots be counted if they are cast?

Before the Supreme Court ruled that Taylor’s name must be taken off the ballot, Johnson County election officials mailed 67 ballots that included his name to overseas voters. What happens to those ballots? Will Johnson County have to send out new ballots without Taylor’s name — or maybe ones with the name of another Democrat?

Thousands of voter registrations also remain “in suspense” at the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office because they include no proof of citizenship. Those would-be voters apparently weren’t an issue in the August primary but could come into play in the November election, when a larger turnout is expected. It’s impossible to know how many confused voters whose registrations are in limbo will show up to the polls and want to cast a vote.

A number of Kansas races are drawing national attention, and it would be unfortunate if that attention ends up being focused on battles or concerns over the validity of state election results.