Kobach orders Kansas group to stop offering voting incentives

Kansas attorney general issues order

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach sent Bluestem Kansas a cease-and-desist letter ordering the organization to immediately stop offering incentives connected to voting in the Nov. 3 general election.

Kobach’s office said it obtained evidence from a voter who was offered a gift card by a canvasser associated with the group. Kobach characterized the alleged conduct as an unusually direct attempt to offer voters something of value shortly before the election and said violations of election law would be prosecuted.

State and federal election laws

Kobach’s office cited Kansas Statute 25-2409, which defines election bribery to include giving, offering or agreeing to give a benefit in exchange for voting in a public election. The offense is classified under Kansas law as a severity level 7, nonperson felony.

The office also cited federal law, 52 U.S.C. § 10307(c). That statute makes it a crime to pay or offer to pay someone for voting in an election that includes federal candidates.

A cease-and-desist letter is an order to stop the conduct identified by the attorney general. It is not itself a court ruling on whether a violation occurred.

Trump cites photographs in Wichita

President Donald Trump said Kobach informed him that an operative was photographed going door to door in Wichita and offering gift cards in exchange for votes. Trump described the alleged conduct as a criminal offense and said there was photographic evidence.

Trump asked anyone with information to contact the Kansas attorney general’s office at 785-296-2215. Kobach previously served as Kansas secretary of state and said his office would pursue election-law violations.