To the editor:

Remember the primary election in August 2022? Some legislators attempted to change the Kansas constitution to remove the constitutional right to abortion. By placing this amendment question on the primary election ballot, I believe these legislators hoped to increase the chance that the amendment would succeed, thinking that motivated partisan voters would drive favorable results. Once people learned, however, that any voter, regardless of party affiliation, could vote in a primary election for the amendment, they showed up and rejected it by a large margin.

Now in August 2026, another amendment will appear on the primary ballot. This one will determine how Kansas supreme court justices are elected. Many in the legislature are apparently not happy with the current merit-based method of nominating new justices. The proposal is to scrap the current process and replace it with an open election process. People really need to educate themselves and not disregard this amendment. It’s a significant change. The fact that this amendment is once again on a primary ballot, suggests a similar hope among proponents that limited partisan voter turnout will drive acceptance. So, will independents step up this time? It is allowed!

I’m not driven to write this letter by my feelings on the abortion amendment or the supreme court amendment, but rather by my strong belief that any amendment to the state constitution should be placed on the general election ballot rather than on the primary ballot. That should be the law.

Chris Johnson,

Lawrence