Kansas City, Kansas voters face an August 4 question on electing Supreme Court justices

Kansas City, Kansas voters will see a statewide constitutional-amendment question on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, asking whether Kansas Supreme Court justices should be elected instead of selected through the current governor-and-commission system. The question appears on the Kansas primary ballot as a Yes-or-No vote. It concerns the statewide Kansas Supreme Court, not a local Kansas City, Kansas judicial race.

What Kansas City, Kansas voters will see

The proposed amendment would add language to the Kansas Constitution giving qualified Kansas voters the right to elect Kansas Supreme Court justices. The official ballot says the rules for those elections and the designation of justice positions would be provided later by law.

A Yes vote would approve the proposed change and abolish the Kansas Supreme Court nominating commission, whose membership the ballot describes as consisting of a majority of lawyers. A No vote would continue the current selection system.

When elections would begin

Under the proposal, justice positions 1, 2 and 3 would be elected in the November 2028 general election. Positions 4 and 5 would be elected in November 2030, followed by positions 6 and 7 in November 2032. The proposal calls for six-year terms and elections every six years thereafter.

The ballot language also says that a vacancy for an unexpired term would be filled by election as provided by law. It does not spell out every future election rule, including all procedures or position-designation details. Those implementation questions would depend partly on laws adopted after approval.

What a No vote would preserve

If voters reject the amendment, the current system would remain in place. When a vacancy occurs, the Kansas Supreme Court nominating commission provides the governor with a list of three candidates, and the governor selects one. Justices serve six-year terms and may remain in office if they win a retention election without an opposing candidate.

Under that system, voters decide whether to retain a justice rather than choosing among competing Supreme Court candidates. The Associated Press reported that Kansas voters changed the state Constitution in 1958, ending nearly a century of electing justices and establishing the current governor-and-commission process.

Why the question has become political

Supporters, including conservative lawmakers and groups, argue that voters should have direct control over who sits on the state’s highest court. The Associated Press reported that supporters have pointed to court decisions involving abortion, school funding, election procedures and the death penalty as reasons to change the selection system.

Abortion is a central part of the debate. AP reported that the push for elected justices gained momentum among Republicans after Kansas voters in 2022 rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have removed protections for abortion rights. Supporters have said electing justices could change the court’s direction, while opponents, including Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, have warned that judicial elections could make the court more partisan and less independent.

Those are competing political arguments, not settled outcomes. If approved, the amendment would change how justices are selected, but the details and effects of future elections would also depend on laws adopted by the Kansas Legislature and on later election campaigns.

What happens after Tuesday

The Kansas Secretary of State lists August 4 as the 2026 primary election. The Secretary of State’s election calendar lists September 1 as the last day for the State Board of Canvassers to certify official results. Until the vote is certified, the amendment remains a proposal.

For Kansas City, Kansas residents, the practical question is whether future Kansas Supreme Court justices should be chosen by voters under a new election system or continue to be selected through the existing nominating-commission and governor-appointment process. Voters should read the official ballot wording and confirm local election information with election officials.

Sources

• Kansas Secretary of State — 2026 Primary Constitutional Amendment Ballot
• Associated Press — Republicans want voters to elect Kansas Supreme Court justices and move court to the right