South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has joined a coalition of 17 states in an effort to support election integrity. The group submitted a friend-of-the-court brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in relation to a Kansas law that bans organizations from sending pre-filled ballot applications to registered voters.
The Kansas legislation specifically prevents groups from mailing out advanced ballot applications that are partially or fully completed for voters, leaving it up to individuals to fill out their own forms. This law was blocked by a district court, prompting Kansas and supporting states to appeal.
“We must protect the integrity of our elections, and allowing organized groups to pre-fill ballot applications and directly solicit them to registered voters creates real potential for election interference, which we will not stand for,” said Attorney General Wilson. “The Constitution gives the states the authority to regulate the ‘times, places, and manner’ of elections, so we’re also defending state sovereignty in this case.”
In their brief, the attorneys general argue that there were significant issues with pre-filled ballot applications during the 2020 election cycle, including cases of duplicate submissions, incorrect information being provided, and confusion among voters. They urge the appeals court to overturn the lower court’s decision and uphold state powers regarding election processes.
Other states joining South Carolina in this legal action include Oklahoma, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.
