Democrats say one of their Kansas House candidates is being denied a spot on the ballot because the secretary of state’s office lost his paperwork.

Democratic Party officials announced Thursday that they will challenge a decision by Secretary of State Kris Kobach not to list Larry Meeker, of Lake Quivira, as a candidate for the 17th House District in the Kansas City area. They had until Thursday evening to file an objection with Kobach’s office.

Kobach is a Republican, but House Minority Leader Paul Davis, a Lawrence Democrat, said he doesn’t believe the decision against Meeker was motived by politics or malice. Davis said he believes Kobach’s office simply made a mistake.

Kobach spokeswoman Kay Curtis said only that his office does not have a form for Meeker.