RON THORNBURGH
Secretary of State |
STATE OF KANSAS |
Memorial Hall, 1st Floor
120 SW 10th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66612-1594
(785) 296-4564
www.kssos.org
|
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Thursday, February 27, 2003
Contact Information
Jesse Borjon, Communications Director
Office of the Secretary of State
(785) 296-4580
jesseb@kssos.org
THORNBURGH CONVENES KANSAS ELECTION
REFORM ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING
Topeka, KS Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh today convened the first Kansas
Election Reform Advisory Council meeting. The advisory council is mandated by federal
law, the Help America Vote Act of 2002, (HAVA), and is established to assist the
Secretary of State in developing a state plan to implement federal requirements outlined
by HAVA. Establishing an advisory group and filing a state plan are prerequisites to
receiving federal funding for HAVA implementation.
"This is the first step towards drafting a state plan, stated Thornburgh. The
advisory council will provide recommendations for implementing requirements. I look
forward to working with members of the advisory council and hope to provide leadership
for election officials across the nation. All 50 states are in the early stages of
implementing the new federal requirements and I believe Kansas will continue to be a
leader and set the standard for administrating fair and accurate elections.
The Kansas Election Reform Advisory Council is comprised of 45 members from various
organizations and with various expertise. The law requires the chief election officials
of the two most populous jurisdictions within the state to serve on the council. Among
the members of the committee are Johnson County Election Commissioner Connie Schmidt
and Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Marilyn Chapman. In addition, representatives
of groups of individuals with disabilities serve on the council. The group met at the
Kansas Historical Society.
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