TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A Kansas House committee has endorsed Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s proposal to require some potential Kansas voters to prove their U.S. citizenship ahead of this year’s presidential election.
The Elections Committee approved a bill to impose the proof-of-citizenship requirement starting June 15 for people registering to vote in Kansas for the first time. The state enacted the rule last year, but it isn’t scheduled to take effect until Jan. 1, 2013.
The committee’s endorsement of the bill allows a debate in the House. Kobach has said he wants to impose the proof-of-citizenship rule ahead of schedule because voter registration peaks once every four years in the months before a presidential election.
But critics say the bill will hurt voter participation.
