By TIM CARPENTER
Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — The Kansas House rejected legislation Monday authorizing a 2024 presidential primary approved by the Kansas Senate with opponents objecting to the minimum $4 million price tag and the new state filing fee or petition signature requirements of candidates.
The House voted 56-64 to sideline House Bill 2053, which was approved by a bipartisan majority of 28-12 in the Senate. It would have given the Republican and Democratic political parties the option of participating in a preference primary March 19, 2024, rather than continue the traditional caucus system whereby Kansans convene across the state to pick partisan winners.
“Vote no on this,” said Rep. Trevor Jacobs, a Fort Scott Republican. “This is a one-time spend just for junk.”
The Republican or Democratic parties could choose to skip the chance to have presidential aspirants visit Kansas, but all candidates entering the Kansas showdowns would pay a $10,000 filing fee or obtain the signature of 5,000 registered voters to be eligible. Analysts predicted county and state election officials would require $4 million to $5 million to administer the one-issue, one-ballot primary next year.
Rep. Pat Proctor, a Leavenworth Republican and chairman of the House Elections Committee, made a motion for the House to concur with the Senate on the bill. The Senate measure would enable independent registered voters to participate in the primary election by declaring a party affiliation as late as the primary date.
“We’re actually in a minority of states,” Proctor said. “(In) 43 states the government runs to some degree the presidential preference primaries.”
Rep. Brenda Landwehr, R-Wichita, said the Legislature had for years chosen to stay out of the wild presidential primary business due to cost and likelihood voting in other states would make decisions in Kansas irrelevant to the nominations. There was no compelling reason for Kansas to change course, she said.
“The size of the fiscal (cost) was large enough that it was better to spend that money elsewhere,” Landwehr said. “If the parties want to have them, they can organize them and have their vote.”
Kansas conducted presidential primaries in 1980 and 1992. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kansas GOP opted not to conduct a caucus in 2020 due to popularity of Republican President Donald Trump. He went on to carry Kansas in the general election. Kansas Democrats conducted a mail-in primary in 2020 won by former Vice President Joe Biden, who later prevailed against Trump in the national election for president.
The Senate’s bill rejected by the House would have applied only to a primary in 2024, meaning the Legislature would have to take further action to host primaries in 2028 and beyond.
Rep. Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, said he supported the legislation and would prefer Kansas permanently employ the primary approach.
“I think primaries encourage more people to be involved,” he said. “I wish that this would go on beyond just the 2024 election.
In the Senate, Republican Mike Thompson of Shawnee said he also was convinced partisan primaries would increase participation of voters. Some people cannot attend the Sunday caucuses, he said, but would be available for a Tuesday vote or engage in the advance voting process.