State legislatures across the country are criminalizing democracy with bills ostensibly designed to suppress voter turnout. Most voters will not read these bills, and many would not fully grasp the details of their provisions if they did. What they will grasp is that helping someone to vote can be a FELONY punishable by fine and/or imprisonment. Practically speaking the penalties of fine and imprisonment will rarely apply; the FELONY threat alone will suffice to discourage voter turnout.

Proponents of these bills argue that they protect the integrity of the ballot when instead they sow confusion and discourage voter participation by instilling fear in potential voters. While the aim is largely partisan, the effect will be bipartisan. Republican voters will suffer as well as Democratic voters. The partisan thinking is that Republicans will suffer less thus better insuring Republican electoral victories. Obviously, an element of Trump contagion infects these bills. Even in fly-over country Republican politicians live in fear and trepidation of THE DONALD.

The Kansas legislature has introduced bills to reduce voter turnout, SB292 and HB2332 for example. These bills have not become law, but SB2332 has passed both the House and Senate with veto proof majorities. Rep. Rhiley of Wellington and Sen. Doll of Garden City were the only two Republicans with courage enough to vote against the bill. I remember a time when more Republicans shared similar courage. It seems that day has passed.

Voters that genuinely care about living in a democratic country will need to steel themselves to learn the details of the suppressive legislation marshalled against their constitutional right to vote, not an easy task. A key factor in that effort in Kansas will be the need to elect more Democrats to the state legislature. Republicans have a choke hold on the Kansas legislature; it is time for that to change.

Postscript: The Kansas legislature passed HB2039 mandating that students pass a civics test before graduating from high school. As I read it, the bill takes effect for the class of 2022. The irony is profound: while passing a bill to effectively discourage voter turnout, legislators require students to pass a civics test. It occurs to me that the legislators are the ones in need of a civics lesson.

Jerry L. Marsh

Ellsworth