Statewide Elected Officials Weigh in on the Role of Executive Branch Officers

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt submitted a brief of amicus curiae in the case of Kelly v. Kobach and was joined by Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab and Kansas State Treasurer Steven Johnson.

“The governance of the state of Kansas and the roles of its elected officials are at stake in this lawsuit,” said Commissioner Schmidt. “The people of Kansas have not given the Governor supreme executive power over all other statewide elected officials.”

“This interpretation carries implications beyond this case and should respect the independence of all constitutional officers without creating unintended shifts in power,” said Secretary Schwab.

“Our constitutional system of government contemplates divided executive authority among the statewide elected officers,” said Treasurer Johnson. “This decentralized form of governance has existed throughout the history of the Kansas constitution.”

The brief can be read here.

The Kansas Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on the case, Friday, January 16, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.

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