Kansas Representative Keith Esau (R-Olathe) has introduced HB 2017, to vastly improve ballot access in Kansas special U.S. House elections. Current law does not make it possible for a qualified convention party to enter a nominee in such elections, and requires independent candidates to submit approximately 17,000 valid signatures. Here is the bill’s text.

The bill makes it possible for all qualified parties to nominate someone by convention, and lowers the independent petition to exactly 1,000 signatures. The bill has a hearing January 10 in the House Elections Committee. Thanks to Rob Hodgkinson for this news.