Voters in two Republican-leaning states rejected ballot measures supported by opponents of abortion, according to election coverage. The results represented setbacks for groups seeking to use state-level constitutional changes and elections to advance their broader political goals.
In Kansas, voters turned down a proposed constitutional amendment that would have changed how state Supreme Court justices are selected. The measure would have moved the state toward direct election of justices, rather than retaining the existing selection process. Its defeat was also described as a rejection of a Republican-backed effort to alter the court’s structure.
The Kansas results came amid several closely watched races. Coverage reported that Wikle won a contest against a Democratic challenger, while a House race in Eudora remained too close to call. Those contests unfolded alongside the statewide vote on the proposed amendment, making the election a test of competing political priorities as well as a decision on judicial selection.
The outcomes showed that conservative backing does not guarantee approval for ballot measures in states where Republicans hold substantial political influence. Voters’ decisions preserved the existing approach to selecting Kansas Supreme Court justices and rejected the measures at issue in both states.
Related Coverage
- Kansas voters reject electing state Supreme Court justices as constitutional amendment fails
- Wikle cruises to victory over Democratic challenger who had ties to Communist party; House race in Eudora too close to call
- Kansans vote ‘no’ on constitutional amendment to change Supreme Court selection
- Kansas voters reject GOP-backed measure to directly elect state Supreme Court justices