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2026 Kansas Elections for Supreme Court Justices Amendment

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2026 Kansas Elections for Supreme Court Justices Amendment
August 4, 2026
Elections for Supreme Court Justices Amendment
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Yes 240,799 38.64%
No 382,395 61.36%
Valid votes 623,194 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 0 0.00%
Total votes 623,194 100.00%
County results
No:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Yes:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

The Kansas Elections for Supreme Court Justices Amendment is a legislatively referred constitutional amendment that appeared on the ballot of the U.S. state of Kansas on August 4, 2026. The measure was rejected by a 20-point margin.[1]

Background

[edit]

Justices on the Kansas Supreme Court are currently appointed by the Governor of Kansas through recommendations by the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission.[2] The amendment would create elections and six-year terms for justices, to be voted on statewide.[3] It has been criticized for the impact it will have on the impartiality of justices elected to the court.[4] It passed the legislature with the support of Republicans.[5]

The current Supreme Court Justice nominating system entails that attorneys licensed in the state by the Kansas Supreme Court elect 5 commissioners for the Nominating Commission, and the governor chooses the other 4 non-lawyer commissioners. There is one lawyer and non-lawyer from each of the state's four congressional districts, plus one lawyer who serves as chairperson. Lawyers are elected by other lawyers within their congressional districts. The chairperson is elected by lawyers statewide. When there is a vacancy on the bench, the Supreme Court Nominating Commission reviews applications and conducts interviews of nominees.[6]

The nomination commission then sends three of their top choices to the governor, who picks one of them. After a new justice serves one year on the court, they must stand for a retention vote in the next general election to remain in the position. If retained, the state's Supreme Court justices would face a retention vote by popular vote every six years.[7][8]

Endorsements

[edit]
Yes
Federal judicial officials
Statewide officials
Judicial officials
State legislators
Organizations
Political parties
No
Statewide officials
Judicial officials
Labor unions
Organizations
Newspapers

Results

[edit]
Kansas Elections for Supreme Court Justices Amendment
ChoiceVotes%
For240,79938.64
Against382,39561.36
Total623,194100.00
Source: Secretary of State of Kansas[21]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Smith, Sherman; Hall, Jacinda; Carpenter, Tim (August 4, 2026). "Kansas voters reject constitutional amendment on judicial selection by wide margin". Kansas Reflector. Retrieved 1 September 2026.
  2. ↑ "Voters would elect Kansas Supreme Court justices under proposed change". Kansas Reflector. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  3. ↑ "Kansas Voters Will Decide Whether to Hold Open Elections for State Supreme Court". The New York Times. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  4. ↑ "Voters will decide how to pick Kansas Supreme Court justices. But how many will cast a ballot?". KCUR 89.3. 20 March 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  5. ↑ Mesa, Blaise (2 July 2025). "Republicans redouble push to change Kansas Supreme Court selection process". The Beacon. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  6. ↑ Courts, Kansas. "Become a Judge". kscourts.
  7. ↑ "Kansas Elections for Supreme Court Justices Amendment".
  8. ↑ Khanecar, Raj. "Kansas voters to consider constitutional amendment; what your vote means".
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Kansas Elections for Supreme Court Justices Amendment (August 2026)". Ballotpedia.
  10. ↑ https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/23/republican-candidate-for-kansas-governor-offering-voters-a-prescription-for-change/
  11. ↑ https://apnews.com/article/kansas-supreme-court-elections-abortion-9de28df410bb371f4b20e72ba7353fcb
  12. ↑ Graves, Bill (27 July 2026). "Two former governors: Party labels belong in elections, not on the Kansas Supreme Court". Kansas Reflector. Kansas Reflector. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  13. ↑ https://www.ksnt.com/capitol-bureau/kansas-gov-weighs-in-on-proposed-constitutional-amendment-as-she-casts-vote-for-primary-election/
  14. ↑ Sebelius, Kathleen (27 July 2026). "Two former governors: Party labels belong in elections, not on the Kansas Supreme Court". Kansas Reflector. Kansas Reflector. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  15. ↑ https://www.sumnernewscow.com/guest-editorial-partisan-judicial-elections-would-shut-rural-kansans-out-of-our-supreme-court/
  16. ↑ Matejkowski, Alina (April 3, 2025). "Let's Talk About the Judicial Selection Amendment". ACLU Kansas. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  17. ↑ https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2026/06/27/as-topeka-protesters-rally-against-amendment-leaders-talk-low-turnout/90724137007/
  18. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/DbEdgEnFge6/?img_index=5
  19. ↑ https://urge.org/kansas/
  20. ↑ "Endorsement: Star Editorial Board weighs in on Kansas Supreme Court amendment". The Kansas City Star. July 30, 2026. Retrieved July 30, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Results - All Races". Kansas Secretary of State. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
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