Court: Kansas election chief’s software change violated law

By JOHN HANNA
AP Political Writer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Court of Appeals has ruled that the state’s top elections official violated the state’s open records law when he had office computer software altered so that it could no longer produce data sought by a voting-rights advocate. The decision directed a trial-court judge to order Secretary of State Scott Schwab to reverse the change so that the software can again produce a statewide report on provisional ballots. Those ballots are cast when election officials have doubts about whether someone is eligible to vote. The data was sought by founder Davis Hammet of the voting-rights group Loud Light. The appeals panel said Schwab’s action improperly concealed a public record.