The Kansas Senate has put off a debate on a
proposal for redrawing the chamber’s 40 districts as talks
involving Republicans continue.
Aides to Senate Majority Leader Jay Emler said Wednesday the
Lindsborg Republican was called away by family business, leading to
the cancellation of the debate.
But even in Emler’s absence, conservative and moderate
Republican senators were negotiating privately over adjustments of
district boundaries to account for changes in population over the
past decade. The Senate’s Democratic leader also was involved.
The dispute among Republicans over redistricting threatens to
delay the state’s August 7th primary election.
Also Wednesday, Secretary of State Kris Kobach asked a federal
court to resolve redistricting issues for legislators. Kobach is
the defendant in a federal lawsuit over redistricting.
