TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- A state board in Kansas is keeping independent candidate Greg Orman on the ballot in the governor's race.
The State Objections Board on Thursday rejected a challenge filed by a Democratic legislative leader's aide.
The Democrat had argued that questions about how Orman gathered the signatures of registered voters were grave enough to warrant removing him from the Nov. 6 ballot.
Orman needed the signatures of 5,000 registered voters, and counties validated about 7,700. The objection raised questions about how at least 4,000 were collected.
The board was made up of representatives of the secretary of state, the attorney general and the lieutenant governor. All are Republicans and Secretary of State Kris Kobach is the GOP nominee for governor.
Many Democrats fear Orman's bid will help Kobach.
The Orman Doll Campaign sent out the following statement Thursday night:
“Today, the frivolous legal filing by Democrat activists, allies of Laura Kelly, to keep Greg Orman off the ballot, was denied.
For the second time, it has been affirmed that Greg Orman and John Doll will be on the ballot in November, and the voices of thousands of Kansas voters will not be suppressed by political tricks.
Over the last several days, we’ve had the curtain pulled-back and seen first-hand the Party bosses at work to further entrap Kansas in a broken system that rewards blind loyalty and partisanship, and which is destructive to our way of life.
The time for ending Republican and Democratic petty politics is now. Greg Orman is the independent voice that Kansas needs to reform a broken political system.”
