The Kansas Senate has approved an amendment to the state constitution that would allow voters to elect justices to the Kansas Supreme Court.

The vote Thursday was 27-13.   If the amendment is approved by the House, it would go to the voters in August, 2026.

Senate president Ty Masterson of Andover said in a statement on social media, “Kansas currently stands alone as the only state in the union that enshrines the power to decide who sits on our highest court to a commission controlled by five lawyers selected by other lawyers. This outlier system has failed, producing an often-overturned court that has no real accountability to the people. ”

Most Senate Democrats voted against the amendment, saying that justices could be compromised by money going into political campaigns.  Senate Democratic leader Dinah Sykes of Lenexa said the amendment is really about Republicans “allowing outside, special interests to buy their preferred court so they can get the rulings they want on school funding, reproductive rights, and voting rights.”