The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Aug. 19, 2026
TOPEKA — We have updates from Kansas and North Carolina today. August 4th, Kansas voters rejected a measure to elect state supreme court justices, and August 17th, North Carolina’s governor vetoed an anti-voter bill which would have shortened early primary voting among other restrictions.
The Kansas Reflector reports that the Republican supermajorities in the House and Senate had hoped a smaller turn-out of GOP faithful might support a long-sought measure to elect, rather than nominate, state supreme court justices. It didn’t work, with 61% of voters rejecting the measure. Kansas will continue to use an independent, merit-based process which nominates three qualified candidates from which the governor may choose. Voters enshrined the process in the constitution after a 1956 scandal in which a lame duck governor resigned and was immediately appointed as a justice by his successor.
We reported August 7th that an anti-voter bill passed by the North Carolina legislature may be vetoed by Governor Josh Stein. August 17th, Stein vetoed House Bill 958, which would have shortened early primary voting from 17 days to 10, expanded the window during which voter eligibility could be challenged, and directed the state election board to use the notoriously inaccurate SAVE database for voter roll maintenance. A veto override is unlikely.
We’ve linked to the local reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Kansas Reflector – Kansas voters reject constitutional amendment on judicial selection by wide margin
BallotPedia – Kansas Elections for Supreme Court Justices Amendment (August 2026)
Kansas Secretary of State – Results of Aug. 4 State Primary
NC Newsline – Stein vetoes Republican-backed ‘anti-voter’ North Carolina elections bill
North Carolina General Assembly – House Bill 958
Related ADM Reports:
American Democracy Minute – North Carolina Governor Signals Veto of Anti-Voter Bill Shortening Early Voting, and Lengthening the Window for Ballot Challenges
Groups Taking Action:
Democracy North Carolina, ACLU NC, League of Women Voters NC, League of Women Voters KS, Kansas Appleseed, ACLU KS
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
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