Dickinson County Public Information Office
ABILENE - Advanced voting currently is underway at the Dickinson County Courthouse, making it an official polling site.
That means protesters who have been gathering on the courthouse grounds holding signs regarding the Value Them Both amendment are breaking the law and may be arrested.
Recently, protesters have set up on Sundays at the corner of First Street and Buckeye, outside the courthouse with signs regarding the Value Them Both amendment
The protesters are in violation of Kansas Electioneering law, K.S.A. 25-2430. Electioneering is “knowingly attempting to persuade or influence eligible voters to vote for or against a particular candidate, party or question submitted.”
Electioneering is not allowed within 250 feet from the entrance of a polling site. Violating the state’s electioneering law is a class C misdemeanor and can lead to an arrest.
The courthouse will be a polling site until advanced voting ends at noon on Aug. 1. With the ballot drop-off inside the front entrance, this means the courthouse is considered a polling place 24 hours a day and on weekends, even when the courthouse is closed. Therefore, between now and election day, protesters will have to select locations off the courthouse property to avoid violating the law.
Electioneering includes wearing, exhibiting or distributing labels, signs, posters, stickers or other materials that clearly identify a candidate or an issue, explained Dickinson County Clerk/Election Officer Jeanne Livingston.
The Value Them Both amendment is a very “polarizing” issue, leading to strong sentiments on either side. However, protesters attempting to influence a yes or no vote through signs and posters are considered to be electioneering, thus, they cannot gather on the courthouse grounds until advanced voting ends.
For more information about Kansas voting laws and Dickinson County election questions, contact the Dickinson County Clerk/Election Office at (785) 263-3774.