Redistricting Could Be Headed To Federal Court

Kansas lawmakers have failed to make much progress this session on drawing new legislative and congressional district maps.

Secretary of State Kris Kobach is now asking a federal court to step in and take over the redistricting process.  Kobach is submitting various maps that lawmakers have considered, but he says federal judges -- or even his office -- could draw additional maps.

"My hope is that in the next day or two, the Legislature does its constitutional duty and gets the job done and makes this case move," Kobach said. "But we're at a point now where we have to proceed on the litigation track, or else the court will be unable to complete its job in time."

With state and federal election deadlines looming, Kobach says he can't wait any longer for lawmakers to do their job.  While courts have intervened in redistricting before, Kobach believes this is the first time the courts have been asked to draw all of the congressional and legislative maps in Kansas.