A Kansas judge rejected a GOP-drawn congressional map for violating Black voters' rights

The judge ruled the recently drawn map violates provisions in the state constitution related to free speech, voting and equal protection rights to favor Republican candidates by putting parts of Wyandotte County and Lawrence in districts where Democrats have little chance to win.
KANSAS CITY, Kansas — A Wyandotte County judge struck down the state’s new congressional map, clearing the way for the Kansas Supreme Court to weigh in on how far politicians can go in gerrymandering political boundaries.

District Court Judge Bill Klapper ruled the map — drawn by the Republican-dominated Kansas Legislature — violates the rights of residents in Lawrence and Wyandotte County by watering down the influence of Black voting blocs to serve partisan ambitions.

Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt said in a press release Monday afternoon that the state filed an appeal.

In his ruling, Klapper said a gerrymandered map violates provisions in the state constitution related to free speech, voting and equal protection rights.