TOPICA, Kansas (AP) – Kansas on Partial recount of hands began on Tuesday of decisive this month vote in service of the right to an abortion, and move imposed by two Republican activists, despite the difference being so large that a recount won’t change the result.
Nine of 105 counties in the state are recalculating on demand of Melissa Leavitt, of Colby in Far Northwest Kansas, who pushed for tightening of the electoral legislation. Mark Gitzen, longtime anti-abortion activist, of Wichita, covers most of Expenses.
Higher than expected turnout of voters on August 2 rejected the vote it would be removed protection for the right to abortion from the Kansas Constitution and granted the Legislature the power to further restrict or prohibit abortion. it failed by 18 percent points or 165,000 votes throughout the state.
It attracted wide attention because it was first state referendum on abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.
WHY DO A RECALCULATION IF IT DOESN’T CHANGE THE RESULTS?
Gitzen and Leavitt suggested that perhaps problems without giving any real examples or evidence. Gitzen acknowledged in interview in which he would be surprised if Kansas told changed in results but what does he want system fixed”. He pointed out potential things that could disappear. wrong, such as malicious software, inaccurate voter lists and voting law violations, although there is no evidence that this happened.
Recalculations more and more tools encourage supporters of candidate or cause believe that the elections were stolen not lost. Wave of candidates who repeated former Lies of President Donald Trump that the 2020 elections were rigged, called for recounts after losing their own Republican primary.
In Nevada, attorney Joey Gilbert raised money to pay for $190,000 recount that still showed he lost the GOP nomination for governor at 26000 votes. In Colorado County Clerk Tina Peters raised $256,000 to pay for a recount that showed she scored 13 votes total in her bet for in party nomination for secretary of state but still lost more than 88000 votes. Both candidates continued to claim that in fact won in the elections, even as the recounts showed, they did not come close to anything.
Refusal of candidates or campaigns to believe they can ever be defeated in elections are dangerous development for American Democracy, said Tammy Patrick, former Voting in Arizona official who now senior Democracy Foundation adviser.
“What we see now people just don’t believe they’ve lost cause they’re constantly being fed these lies about legitimacy of process,” Patrick said. call for tells, “maintains its base up and donations,” she said. added.
Deb Otis of non-profit group Fair Vote wrote a report that found there were about two counts year in state elections between 2000 and 2019, and in only three did results change after recalculations revealed tiny but significant flaws in starting account.
“Voters will start losing track of when these claims are legitimate and when the state should to pay for recalculation,” Otis said.
Kansas state law requires a recount if who ask for it prove they can cover county expenses. Counties pay only if the result changes.
WHAT PROCESS?
Kansas state law says counties have five days after a request for complete recalculation. Watch for recalculation on The abortion measure began on Monday when Kansas secretary of states office concluded that Gitzen and Leavitt could cover the costs.
All nine counties are expected to finish by Saturday. Four started talking by Tuesday, and one of those county of Lyon, planned finish at the end of the day. The remaining five were planned start Wednesday.
WHERE IS THE MONEY FROM?
Leavitt and Gitzen provided the loan cards to pay for nearly $120,000 costaccording to secretary of states office. Leavitt has online fundraising page that raised more over $47,000 as of Tuesday afternoon. Gitzen also said he received donations from network built over three decades in the anti-abortion movement, but declined to be more specific.
Two originally wanted in vote told in in all 105 Kansas counties, but they failed to raise required $229,000. Gitzen said the nine districts were chosen based on in part on them population as well as cost.
Votes are being recounted in Douglas County, home to university of Kansas’ main campus; Johnson County, in suburban Kansas City; sedgwick County, home in Wichita, Shawnee County, home to Topeka; and Crawford, Harvey, Jefferson, Lyon, and Thomas counties. abortion opponents lost everything of these counties except for Thomas.
WHO IS BEHIND THIS?
Gitzen was active in anti-abortion movement and frequent protests outside abortion clinic in Wichita. He runs his own group Kansas Coalition for A life that is separated from more and more influential Kansas for A life that has significant power at the State House. He pushed through a law banning most abortions around the sixth week. of pregnancy. Kansas state law does not do this until the 22nd week.
He also heads the Republican Assembly of Kansas, which had some influence among the representatives of the Republican Party. conservative activists more than ten years ago before they consolidated their power over state party organization. He left the Boeing aircraft manufacturer.
He run repeatedly and unsuccessfully for Legislature and he was an activist against cities add fluoride to drinking water, which Wichita rejects in 2012.
“He’s so far away, right, he’s walking around another side,” said former Republican Rep. John Whitmer, host of appearance on Wichita Radio show. “There is just a little of room for maneuver with Mark.”
Leavitt has a hobby and a craft store in Colby. She interrogated how Thomas County is in charge of elections. She served on local election advisor group.
WHY IS THE RESULT NOT CHANGING?
Voters in nine districts accounted for approximately 59% of in more than 922 000 ballots on issue of the bulletin of 2 August. They refused to have an abortion opponents’measure by 31 percent points – Significantly more than the state total.
Recalculations almost never change the result of elections, even in next races. Since the count in Florida for president 2000 race, more over 30 statewide elections were held across the United States. of tells. The three that were tipped over were tackled by the hundreds of votes – not thousands.
The biggest lead erased by statewide recount was 261 votes in 2004 Washington state election for governor. No precedent in US history of recalculation of results of elections by decision more than 165,000 votes.
Even some violent abortion opponents treat recalculation as a waste of time and money. Whitmer said, money could have spent much better on GOP attempts to oust Democratic Governor Laura Kelly or on competitive seats in the legislature.
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Hollingsworth reported from Kansas City, Missouri, and Riccardi from Denver. Margaret Stafford also participated. in Kansas City, Missouri and Stephen Olemacher in Washington
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