High stakes in Kansas Supreme Court retention vote

Gov. Sam Brownback could appoint a majority on the Kansas Supreme Court if efforts to oust four of seven justices succeed in November.

Four of Brownback’s gubernatorial predecessors have joined a campaign to ensure that doesn’t happen.

The judicial retention races – the only statewide races aside from the presidential and Senate races – promise to feature fiery rhetoric on a range of issues, including abortion and school funding, and ample spending on campaign ads.

However, Kansans likely will never know who spends money on either side because the retention races for the Kansas Supreme Court and the Kansas Court of Appeals fall outside the state’s campaign finance act. Neither side has to disclose its donors.

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article100083347.html