Much publicity has been given to Dodge City, Kansas, over the location of its only polling place. In September, the Ford County Clerk moved it from the Civic Center, which is downtown, to an Exposition Center that is one mile beyond the city limits and 3.7 miles from the old location. Dodge City has many Hispanic residents.
On October 26, a federal lawsuit was filed by the ACLU, asking for an injunction requiring that a second polling place be opened, the new one to be inside Dodge City. Rangel-Lopez v Ford County, Kansas, Clerk. The case was originally assigned to U.S. District Court Judge John W. Lungstrum, a Bush Sr. appointee. But he recused himself, and now the case is assigned to Judge Daniel Crabtree, an Obama appointee.
The hearing will be November 1 in Topeka, at 9:30 a.m. The county wanted the hearing to be in Wichita, but its request was turned down. The county fiercely defends its decision; here is its brief. The county says it is providing free transportation for any voter from the voter’s home to the Expo Center, on election day. Thanks to Marilyn Brune for this news.