19-3439. Establishment and change of precinct boundaries in counties where an election commissioner has been appointed; effect of city's proposed annexation ordinance on elections; delay of ordinance's effective date by county election officer; appeal by city. Notwithstanding the provisions of any statute to the contrary, in any county where an election commissioner has been appointed all precinct boundary lines shall be established and may be changed from time to time, exclusively by the election commissioner of any such county. No precinct shall be divided by a ward boundary line. Whenever the governing body of any city proposes to adopt an annexation ordinance, at least seven days prior to such adoption, the governing body shall notify the county election officer by transmitting a copy of the proposed ordinance to such officer, together with a statement of the date the proposed ordinance, if passed, will take effect in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 12-523, and amendments thereto. If the county election officer is of the opinion that the date such ordinance takes effect will materially interfere with any election, such officer shall so certify, stating the reasons therefor, to the governing body of such city and deliver a copy of such certificate to the secretary of state. Whenever any such certificate is filed with the governing body of a city and the secretary of state, the ordinance to which it applies shall not take effect until the day after the election with which it will interfere, and if such an ordinance will materially interfere with the primary statewide election in the opinion of the county election officer, such ordinance shall not take effect until the day after the statewide general election. In the event that the governing body of any city that receives a certificate under this section is aggrieved thereby because the reasons for the opinion of the county election officer are deemed incorrect or insufficient, such governing body may appeal the decision to the district court. In any such case the district court shall advance the appeal for immediate determination as the public interest may require. A copy of any such appeal shall be filed with the secretary of state at the time the appeal is made, and the secretary of state shall file a statement of position with respect to the matter in controversy with the district court.

History: L. 1972, ch. 85, § 1; L. 2023, ch. 79, § 14; July 1.