Blueprint Kansas Inc. doing business as KSVotes.org to register voters
There is a progressive “nonprofit in the middle” between a growing number of voters and election offices in Kansas
This is the first of a three-part series on Blueprint Kansas Inc. doing business as KSVotes.org. This article looks at how Blueprint Kansas has become a “nonprofit in the middle” between many voters and their election offices.
Part 2: History, Financials, Statistics of Blueprint Kansas Inc. dba KSVotes.org
Loud Light's Davis Hammet and Democratic Secretary of State Candidate Brian McClendon started KSVotes.orgPart 3: Technical notes about Blueprint Kansas Inc. dba KSVotes.org
GitHub gives many technical details about the "non-profit-in-the-middle," the Kansas online voter registration site between voters and election offices
Remove the “non-profit-in-the-middle” and avoid KSVotes.org by using an Official State of Kansas government website to register to vote. Look for "An official State of Kansas government website” when you register to vote.
Kansas Voter Registration Before 2018
Not many years ago Kansas voters could simply contact their local county clerk, or election office, to register to vote, or request an advance ballot.
Historically, no third-party was part of these interactions between citizen and government and no one watched what they were doing. No one took immediate notes about such interactions between a voter and their election office — or one’s failure to register.
“Man in the Middle”
Cybersecurity experts have great concerns about what can happen when a “man in the middle” can silently appear when communicating on the Internet.
This “man in the middle” might be benign, but often silently causes other things to happen.
Can something similar happen when you register to vote?
“Nonprofit in the Middle” starting in 2018
KSVotes.org is the “nonprofit in the middle” between a voter and their election office. Why do they want your data? What do they do with your data?
A Kansas non-profit, Blueprint Kansas Inc., first appeared in 2017. Early filings with the Kansas Secretary of State’s office left off the part: “doing business as KSVotes.org.”
Later filings with the IRS admitted the connection between Blueprint Kansas and KSVotes.org.
Blueprint Kansas, which is a very partisan name, created the web site KSVotes.org to allow voters to use the federal voter registration form instead of the Kansas voter registration form.
The federal from can be filled out without a driver’s license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. The Kansas form makes cheating more difficult with this requirement.
KSVotes.org captures the information from a voter, including a signature with a stylus, mouse or finger, and creates a PDF form.
This PDF file is emailed for free to the county clerk or election office corresponding to the voter’s address. The “old way” required a stamp or a visit to the election office.
If such online sites were truly about voter registration, that would be the end of the story.
Online voter registration sites like KSVotes.org capture the voter’s information in addition to sending it to the election officials.
Voters’ data can be used for follow-up reminders about deadlines, to request advance ballots, or to provide a link to a “non-partisan” web site for information about candidates. The data can also be used to “chase” a voter when an advance ballot is in play.
Privacy policy
KSVotes.org seems to say your data is safe with them in their privacy policy.
We will not sell your information to any third party or allow any third party to use your information for partisan or commercial purposes.
But …
We may also use information that We collect about you or that you provide, including any personal information, to contact you for purposes, including voting awareness, voting registration information, and other voting-related purposes.
Kansas law already prohibits use for commercial purposes, but KSVotes.org has the information before it becomes a public record.
Kansas Law: K.S.A. 25-2320a prohibits using information derived from voter registration records for commercial purposes. This includes using public records to sell property or services. Persons are also prohibited from obtaining public records with the intention of making the records available to a third party for such purposes.
As a 501(c)(3) IRS non-profit KSVotes.org cannot use the data for any partisan purpose: they cannot say “vote for” or “vote against” any candidate, but they can send mailings that can confuse voters about candidate positions as part of “education.” There’s no evidence they have done this, but it is possible.
Confusing “push surveys” by nonprofits can steer voters one way or the other. In 2022 Kansans received over one million “push surveys” as part of get-out-the vote efforts of two different out-of-state nonprofits. The information in these surveys is often politically biased.
KSVotes.org can use your data for any type or number of reminders or other uses — and they can give or sell your data to other third-party non-profits.
Over several years KSVotes.org has accumulated a sizable number of mostly progressive voters they can now shepherd” to the polls. Statistics about this are in the next article.
Spanish version of Privacy Policy?
KSVotes.org provides links to Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Contact Us.
The Spanish version of KSVotes.org has similar links.
But the Terminos de Uso and Poliza de Privacidad links are to the English language pages!
Internet Referrals to KSVotes.org
Progressive non-profits mostly promote progressive causes and their progressive voters vote that way.
So why not invite all your progressive partners to use KSVotes.org to build the progressive database for progressive voter targeting?
That’s exactly what KSVotes.org has done.
Certain Kansas counties should place better disclaimers on their county government web sites cautioning voters that KSVotes.org is a “nonprofit in the middle.”
GOTV Coordination with Other Kansas Nonprofits in 2022?
If progressive nonprofits organize to register members of their progressive organizations, and then progressive nonprofits shepherd their progressive voters to the polls, what is the likely consequence? A large progressive turnout!!
Aug. 2022 Primary
A Kansas progressive nonprofit in a July 2022 email announced payment of $50 per shift to contact progressive voters against the Value Them Both amendment.
We've joined forces with several nonpartisan, nonprofit orgs in a phone bank effort to reach communities often underrepresented at the polls. We’re calling to remind them to make their voices heard by voting on August 02. If you would like to join us, we are paying $50 a shift!
The link in the graphic with details about the “nonpartisan phonebank” was to an announcement via the progressive Action Network sponsored by Kansas Grassroots.
A number of organizations across Kansas are collaborating on this to maximize our reach. You can sign up for one shift, or several. You can participate in the phonebanking from the comfort of your own home.
Kansas Grassroots was the name of a consulting business with principals Jake Lowen and Mike Gaughan before their Lawrence firm was acquired by GPS Impact in May 2015.
In Part 2, History and Financials, there are quotes from Jake Lowen of GPS Impact in Oct. 2019 on his Kansas Voting Data blog interviewing Kate Davis, one of the developers of KSVotes.org.
Davis credits the “dedicated people who have been working on this for a long time” including “we partnered with Jake Lowen … of GPS Impact” for the creation of KSVotes.org
Davis acknowledged Lowen was one of the key partners in the development of KSVotes.org. In 2022 through his organization, Kansas Grassroots, Lowen announced the “nonpartisan phonebank.” Can this be a coincidence?
With Lowen’s connections to both, and his history of being a leading progressive activist in Kansas, is it probable the phonebank was using KSVotes.org voter data — especially newly acquired registrations and advance ballot requests — for its GOTV efforts?
Lowen acknowledges on his blog the work he did for the Kansas Health Foundation’s “Integrated Voter Engagement” project, and their partners, and their need for data to target voters more effectively to improve “civic health.”
The Kansas Health Foundation has contributed $80K to “Accessible and Open Kansas Voting Data” as well $50,000 to KSVotes.org to “Increase Civic Participation in 2022 Elections” and $75K to The Voter Network Foundation (Mainstream Coalition), which runs a Voter-to-Voter project.
Nov. 2022 General
Likewise in Oct. 2022 a progressive non-profit sent an email offering to pay “volunteers” $20/hour for shepherding progressives to the polls.
PS - We couldn’t do this without volunteer support, but we can also pay $20/hour for folks interested in participating who could use the cash this fall! If you’d like to be paid for your time making phone calls you can let us know that when you attend.
Again, the link in the graphic with details about the “nonpartisan phonebank” was to an announcement via the progressive Action Network sponsored by Kansas Grassroots.
The message was slightly different, now with an organizational signup link:
A number of organizations across Kansas are collaborating on this to maximize our reach. If your organization would like to be listed, have their phonebankers tracked, and receive a report on phonebankers' activity after the election, complete the organizational signup here.
How is it possible to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with an unnamed entity?
Related
Privacy concerns shadow popular voter registration website. At Democrat-backed ksvotes.org, voters agree to let lease personal information in exchange for better platform. Kansas Reflector, Aug. 2, 2020.
How could Blue Valley Schools hold a partisan-tinged voter registration event?, Kansas City Star Editorial Board, March 4, 2020.