Kansas voter ID laws focus of federal civil rights committee

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas division of a federal civil rights commission says it will investigate whether Kansas voter identification laws have affected voter turnout.

KCUR reports that the Kansas Committee of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission voted Tuesday to hold hearings to determine if voter turnout in some Kansas communities has been suppressed by the Kansas voter identification law.

The committee also voted to ask Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the architect behind the state’s voter ID requirements, to testify at its hearings, which are expected to take place early next year.

Kobach’s office said it would comment later Wednesday.

Elizabeth Kronk, chair of the Kansas committee, says there’s concern that the law could be impacting certain age groups and races.

This story was originally published July 29, 2015 at 11:17 AM with the headline "Kansas voter ID laws focus of federal civil rights committee."