Election lawsuit against Rep.-elect Wasinger dismissed

Updated: 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27 with quotes form Barb Wasinger.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

All parties who sued to contest the 111th District Kansas House race have agreed to dismiss the case.

Attorneys for Barb Wasinger, who was declared the winner in the race after a recount and those who filed to contest the race said paperwork to dismiss the case will be filed in district court Thursday.

The move to dismiss was announced during a pre-trial hearing in front of District Judge Blake Bittel at 10 a.m. Thursday.

Democrat Eber Phelps lost to Republican Wasinger by 35 votes after a recount was conducted.

The attorneys said the group of Ellis County voters who filed the lawsuit still have issues with how the election was conducted, but agreed to dismiss for the sake of judicial efficiency.

A group of seven Hays residents filed a lawsuit against Wasinger alleging voting irregularities led to Wasinger improperly being named the winner of the election. The group most notably included former Kansas State Sen. Janis Lee. Lee currently serves as vice president of the Ellis County Democratic Party.

Wasinger was present by phone for the pretrial hearing Thursday.

She said later in an interview with the Hays Post, ” I’m just delighted this is done and I’m looking forward to serving the 111th district.”

“Just as I have since Election Day, canvass, recount, and now the dismissal, I look forward to serving my constituents in the 111th District in the Kansas Legislature,” Wasinger said.

The lawsuit had been set for trial Monday, Dec. 31.

This clears the way for Wasinger to take her seat when the Kansas 2019 Legislative session opens Monday, Jan. 14.