Atchison did the right thing on voter registration — even if it took an ACLU threat

Atchison County, Kansas, has done the right thing — even though it took the threat of litigation from the ACLU of Kansas. We applaud officials for reversing a decision that would have stopped a whole lot of residents from voting in the upcoming August primary election.

Recognizing that the Aug. 2 primary — which includes a question about an amendment to the state constitution on abortion — could be one of the most consequential for thousands of women and families in Kansas, the ACLU quickly jumped on county officials for closing voter registration for that election early.

County Clerk Michelle Phillips had closed registration in late June because of a local sales tax election next week. State law cuts off registrations 21 days before an election.

The registration blackout meant city residents who still needed to register ahead of the critical statewide Aug. 2 election had lost their opportunity to vote.

The August election includes hotly contested primary races as well as that critical vote to determine the future of abortion rights in Kansas.

“It would have been an egregious violation of these voters’ rights for an election official to prevent voters from registering up until the deadline as provided by the National Voter Registration Act,” Sharon Brett, legal director for the ACLU of Kansas, said in a statement released Friday.

The ACLU worked with the Kansas secretary of state’s office to correct the error as part of the group’s Election Protection Program. That means Atchison County residents who want to vote in the Aug. 2 election have until July 12 to register.

Now Phillips is calling residents who tried to register and were turned away and giving them the chance to return and register for the primary. That’s exactly what should happen. So cheers to Atchison County for the quick fix.

But county officials should have noticed the problem and corrected it sooner. According to the ACLU, “multiple community members” had complained about the conflict at a City Commission hearing on July 5. On top of that, the city of Atchison and county clerk had not effectively notified residents about the registration deadline.

The ACLU is reminding residents who run into any issues with voter registration or have trouble casting their ballot, to report it to their voter protection hotline, 866-OUR-VOTE. Here’s rooting for a clean, safe and fair election.