The recent vote in Kansas affirming abortion rights will be recounted by hand even though there was a 165,000-vote difference and it will not change the outcome, the Associated Press reports
Melissa Leavitt of Colby from western Kansas, requested the recount after she claims to have “seen data” about the election, implying there was fraud.
“I have seen data in the week following our election in Kansas that there were irregularities the night of August 2,” Leavitt wrote in an online fundraiser seeking money to help cover the cost of the recount.
There is no evidence to suggest that there was any significant problems with the election.
Though state officials authorized the recount, it will not start until Leavitt post a bond to cover the entire cost which is estimated to be around $200,000. Leavitt has so far raised about $25,000.
Bryan Caskey, state elections director for the Kansas secretary of state’s office said recounts, “normally reinforce the Election Day results,” adding “we stand by the results and will do the recount.”
Earlier this month, voters in Kansas rejected an effort by anti-abortion groups to amend the state’s constitution to allow the Republican-controlled legislature to pass more restrictive abortion laws.
Voters were allowed to choose “yes” if they support eliminating the right to abortion under Kansas law, or “no” if they want to leave the constitutional protections to abortion unchanged.
‘No’ won by 18 points. It was the first test of voter sentiment since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that established the right to an abortion nationwide.
