Kansas Election Officials are Reviewing Text Messages claiming to be from President Trump and Telling Residents that their Early Votes hadn’t been Recorded, as Democratic Leaders were quick Thursday to worry that they were Part of Efforts to “Steal” a Close Governor’s Race.
State Elections Director Bryan Caskey said the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office received 50 or 60 Calls about the Texts Wednesday, mostly from the Northeastern part of the State. Caskey said the Office is trying to determine whether the Texts broke a Law before determining what to do next.
One text says “Your absentee ballot is ready. Remember to vote for Pres. Trump’s allies.” A follow-up Text says, “This is President Trump. Your early vote has NOT been RECORDED on Kansas’s roster.” It urges the Voter to Confirm their Polling Place.
Kansas Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley (D-Topeka, 19th District), and Kansas House Minority Leader Jim Ward (D-Wichita, 86th District), said during a Statehouse News Conference that they worry the Texts are Confusing Voters because at least a few Democrats received them. Ward said some New Voters may conclude that the Voting Process is too Complicated and give up.
“The whole purpose of sending it out is to sow confusion,” Ward said. “Remember, we’re talking about an election that can be determined by 300 or 400 votes. So, 50 here, 50 there, 50 there, pretty soon, you’ve stolen an election.”
While one State GOP Official said the Texts appeared to Signal a Get-Out-the-Vote Operation, Democrats are on edge because Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R), the State’s Top Elections Official, is a Trump Ally, and the Republican Nominee for Governor. He’s in a Dead Heat with Democratic State Sen. Laura Kelly after Defeating GOP Gov. Jeff Colyer in the August Primary by only 343 Votes out of more than 317,000 cast.
They are being pushed by Independent Greg Orman, who I support, and supported when he came close in 2014 in his run for the Senate.
Ward and Hensley sent an Open Records Request Thursday to Kobach demanding Copies of all Written and electronic Communications between him, his Employees, and his county election Officials since the Aug. 7th Primary. “We’re not trying to cause chaos. We’re trying to make sure they know we’re watching and we’re not going to let them steal an election, OK?” Ward said. “This is an incredibly close election and any mistake or any action that diminishes or suppresses the vote could swing an election.”
The Texts to Voters Link to a Website for the Republican National Committee (RNC), and Kansas Republican Party Chairman Kelly Arnold said he Suspects that’s who sent the Messages. He said the Texts didn’t come from State Party Officials. He said Party Officials Pay for Regular Updates on who has Requested and Returned advance Ballots or Voted Early In-Person, though that Information can sometimes be slightly Outdated. “We are trying to get out as much information to our voters as possible,” Arnold said.
Caskey said Voters should Only Trust Voting Information that comes from State or Local Election Officials. He added that this is the First time the State has received a Complaint about the Content of a Text, which Campaigns have Increasingly used this Election Cycle.
Lyon County Clerk Tammy Vopat (R), the Texts which she described as “bogus” were discussed Wednesday during a Routine Weekly Phone Call with State and County election Officials. “It worries me that information like this is being sent out that puts doubt in our voters’ minds,” Vopat said.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
