Judge refuses to block enforcement of Kansas election law

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge is allowing the state to keep enforcing a new election law and has expressed strong doubts about arguments that it hinders efforts to register and educate voters. Shawnee County District Judge Teresa Watson on Thursday denied four groups’ request to temporarily block the law. She concluded that they are unlikely to prevail in their lawsuit seeking to have it struck down. The groups are challenging a provision making impersonating an election official a felony. They argued that routine registration and education activities could be interpreted as impersonating election officials. Watson disagreed, saying someone has to knowingly impersonate an official to break the law.