Kansas amendment divides Secretary of State candidates

Amendment enters statewide contest

A proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution is stirring debate among candidates seeking to become the state’s next Secretary of State. Kansas voters will decide the amendment during the November general election.

The development connects two separate decisions facing voters: the proposed constitutional change and the contest for Secretary of State. The amendment is a ballot question, while the candidates are competing for a state office. Their disagreement over the proposal has brought the ballot measure into the Secretary of State race.

The debate began taking shape in March 2025. It concerns elections and voting, an issue area closely associated with the Secretary of State contest. The candidates’ disagreement gives voters another point of comparison as they consider the office and the amendment.

What voters will decide

The proposed amendment will be presented to Kansas voters during the general election in November. Voters’ decision on that question will determine whether the Kansas Constitution is amended.

The Secretary of State contest is a separate choice on the election ballot. The debate over the amendment does not combine the two decisions, but it makes the proposal part of the broader discussion surrounding the office.

For voters, the key distinction is between deciding the constitutional question and choosing the next Secretary of State. Both will be part of the November general election, and the amendment will remain a direct decision for Kansas voters rather than one made by the candidates.