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Republican Calvin Hayden has repeatedly criticized Johnson County's election system and recent increases in Democratic voter registrations, but his years-long probe into election results has failed to successfully present any charges of fraud.
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Attacks on poll workers have been on the rise since 2020. One local election worker is afraid that four years of conspiracy theories and harmful rhetoric are putting her in danger — and she’s not alone.
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Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and former federal prosecutor Will Scharf both repeated lies that the 2020 presidential election was illegitimate. That's despite numerous independent studies and government reviews proving there was "absolutely no evidence" of fraud.
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New Republican-backed laws in several states — including Missouri and Kansas — threaten large fines or criminal penalties for minor mistakes in voter registration work. As groups pull back, they're reaching fewer voters.
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The sheriff's admission that no judge signed his search warrant for old election ballots came in the middle of a Republican candidate forum. For years, Hayden has claimed he is investigating voter fraud, but his probe has not yielded any charges or evidence.
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Officials in Missouri voting offices worry about Election Day problems, especially for voters who have recently moved, since the state pulled out of a collaboration that helps check voter rolls for accuracy.
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State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick, a Republican, issued an audit of Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft's office and downgraded his administration to the second-lowest rating because it illegally withheld documentation about election cybersecurity. Ashcroft, who is also a Republican, criticized the report as a political attack.
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In the few days since the 2024 Kansas legislative session started, bills governing mail-in ballots and advance voting applications have already been filed. There is still zero evidence that widespread election fraud happens at the state or national levels.
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Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden, who is set to be up for re-election next year, appeared at the Determined Patriotism Conference to deliver remarks about China, apartment buildings, and the county commission — all while continuing to question the security of elections without providing any evidence.
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Nearly one-third of Kansas election officials have left since 2020 amid harassment and criticism fueled by unsubstantiated voting fraud claims. The continued scrutiny may cause additional stress in 2024.
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Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden has been investigating election results for over a year, but has so far failed to produce any confirmed cases of voter fraud. An open records request revealed only a single case that has been referred to the district attorney, who said there was no evidence to support criminal charges.
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A 2021 Kansas law makes it a crime to engage in conduct that would cause someone to believe you are an election worker. In response, multiple nonprofits like the League of Women Voters suspended or limited efforts to educate and assist prospective voters.