State Summary
Kansas’s congressional and state legislative lines are drawn by the legislature, as normal legislation, subject to gubernatorial veto.
In the 2010 cycle, the legislature could not agree on congressional or state legislative district lines. On June 7, 2012, a federal court drew district lines instead.
In the 2020 cycle, Gov. Kelly signed the new state legislative districts into law on April 15, 2022. Gov. Kelly vetoed SB 355, the congressional redistricting plan advanced by the legislature. The legislature then voted to override her veto. On April 25, 2022, a Kansas state court judge found the congressional plan unconstitutional. Kansas Secretary of State Schwab appealed that decision to the state’s supreme court.
,
Seats: (projected)
Institution:
Drawn by:
Plan Status:
Party Control:
Upper House:
Lower House:
Governor:
Key Info for 2000 Cycle
Primary governing law
Website
Key Info for 2010 Cycle
Website
Primary governing law
Key Info for 2020 Cycle
Primary governing law
Data
Website
The Latest Updates
Institution
Kansas’ congressional and state legislative lines are both drawn by the state legislature, as a regular statute, subject to gubernatorial veto.
The state legislative plan is automatically sent to the Kansas Supreme Court for review; if the plan is unlawful, the Court will allow the legislature another opportunity to redraw the lines. No similar provision exists for congressional lines. [Kan. Const. art. X, § 1(b)]
Timing
Kansas state law does not impose a particular deadline for drawing congressional lines, though candidates must file for congressional primary elections by June 1, 2022. [Kan. Stat. Ann. § 25-205(a)(1)] The legislative session began on Jan. 11, 2021, and is currently scheduled to end on May 14, 2021.
State legislative lines must be drawn in the regular legislative session of 2022; that session is scheduled to begin on Jan. 10, 2022, and end on Apr. 10, 2022. [Kan. Const. art. II, § 8; art. X, § 1(a)] Candidates must file for state legislative primary elections by June 1, 2022. [Kan. Stat. Ann. § 25-205(a)(1)].
Kansas prohibits redrawing state legislative district lines mid-decade, before the next Census, but has no similarly explicit prohibition on redrawing congressional lines. [Kan. Const. art. X, § 1(a); Harris v. Shanahan, 387 P.2d 771 (Kan. 1963)]
Public input
The legislative redistricting committees held a series of 14 public hearings on the redistricting process from August 9, 2021, through August 13, 2021.
Criteria
Like all states, Kansas must comply with constitutional equal population requirements. (Kansas once adjusted census data in order to count military personnel and college students at their permanent residence, but as of 2019, no longer does so.) [Kan. Const. art. X, § 1(a); Kan. S. Con. Res. 1605; Kan. Stat. §§ 11-301 – 307]
Kansas must also, like all states, abide by the Voting Rights Act and constitutional rules on race.
2010 cycle
Kansas’s legislature could not agree on congressional or state legislative district lines. On June 7, 2012, a federal court drew district lines instead. [Essex v. Kobach, 874 F. Supp. 2d 1069 (D. Kan. 2012)]
2000 cycle
Kansas’s legislature enacted state House districts (HB 2625) on Mar. 11, 2002, state Senate districts (SB 256) on Apr. 8, 2002, and congressional districts (SB 152) on May 31, 2002.
The state legislative plans were automatically submitted to state court, and upheld. The congressional plan was also challenged in federal court, and ultimately upheld. [In re Substitute for House Bill 2625, No. 88735 (Kan. 2002); In re Substitute for Senate Bill 256, No. 88821 (Kan. 2002); Graham v. Thornburgh, 207 F. Supp. 2d 1280 (D. Kan. 2002)]
Redistricting Cases in Kansas
State court rejected challenge to congressional plan: partisan gerrymandering, racial discrimination
State Supreme Court approved legislative redistricting maps
(consolidated) State court challenge to congressional districts: partisan gerrymandering under state constitution
