TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas House is preparing for a final vote on Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s proposal to require first-time voters to prove their U.S. citizenship starting next month.
The measure on Wednesday’s agenda would impose the proof-of-citizenship requirement on June 15.
Kansas already has the rule for people registering to vote for the first time in the state, but it doesn’t take effect until January 2013. Kobach wants the rule in place for the normal surge of voter registrations ahead of this year’s presidential election. Critics argue it will suppress voter turnout.
The House approved an earlier version of Kobach’s plan in February, but the measure stalled in a Senate committee. Kobach’s allies hope senators will vote on the latest version without sending it to committee.
