Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach highlighted some state policies Wednesday as he helped lead the first meeting of a federal election integrity commission.
The group discussed voter fraud and ways states can spot it by sharing information. Kobach used examples from Kansas, including the Crosscheck program for comparing voter registrations across states. He says Kansas has also used jury duty records from state courts to find people on the voter rolls who aren't citizens.
“We weren’t getting it until we asked for it and then finally had to pass a statute to get it and I’m certain that we’re not getting it yet from the federal courts,” Kobach said.
Kobach’s critics have said voter crimes are rare and Kansas policies to prevent fraud have blocked citizens from voting.
Related: Kansans Caught In Crosscheck System Singled Out For Kobach's Voter Fraud Campaign
The meeting comes a day after the NAACP filed a lawsuit aimed at blocking the commission's work, saying it might be used to “manufacture” evidence of voter fraud. Members of the commission say their work will continue and they have no preconceived notions of what they'll find.
Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio, a partner in the Kansas News Service.
