Hartenstein Poor & Foster LLC

11/12/2026

Following a heated debate Tuesday night over Wichita's cooperation with ICE agents, city council members said a town hall meeting will be held to discuss the issue. https://www.kwch.com/2026/11/12/wichita-council-majority-opposes-proposed-limit-ice-agreements/

11/09/2026

🌻 Build coalitions. Hold candidates accountable.

🗳️ Same candidate. More than one party.

Fusion voting lets parties share a nominee, with votes on each party’s ballot line counting toward that candidate’s total.

🤝 When parties share a nominee, fusion voting eliminates the risk of splitting their support between competing candidates.

Separate vote totals show the winner which coalition helped elect them, giving voters leverage to hold candidates to shared commitments.

🗳️ SHARED SUPPORT. VISIBLE COALITIONS. ACCOUNTABILITY.

Suppose 10% of Republican voters favor a moderate Democratic candidate and want their votes to reflect United Kansas’s priorities. If Democrats and United Kansas both nominated that candidate, those Republican voters could choose the United Kansas line.

Their votes would count alongside votes on the Democratic line. The separate tally would show the winner how much support came through United Kansas, giving those voters a way to hold the winner to the commitments that brought the coalition together.

Fusion voting gives voters a way to support a shared candidate while making their coalition’s contribution visible.

⚖️ TWO HOUSE CANDIDATES ASKED TO KEEP BOTH NOMINATIONS

United Kansas nominated Democrat Kylie Kilmer for House District 70 and Republican J.C. Moore for House District 100. The Kansas Secretary of State’s office received both nominations on May 21, ahead of the June 1 filing deadline.

Both candidates asked to keep their United Kansas nominations while remaining in their respective primaries. In notices dated June 2, the office declared both nominations invalid under K.S.A. 25-306.

Kilmer and Moore invoked their fundamental political rights guaranteed under the Kansas Constitution when they asked to appear on both parties’ ballot lines if they won their primaries.

🏛️ ASKING THE KANSAS SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW THE FUSION BAN

On August 14, the Kansas Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of United Kansas Inc. v. Schwab, the lawsuit challenging Kansas statutes banning fusion voting.

The court acknowledged that the fusion ban burdens speech and association and that the Kansas Constitution protects freedom of association more broadly than federal law. It nevertheless drew on U.S. Supreme Court precedent under the federal Constitution to uphold the ban.

The United Kansas plaintiffs argue that the court’s reliance on federal precedent gave too little weight to Kansas’s independent constitutional protections. The plaintiffs petitioned the Kansas Supreme Court for review on September 11.

💬 “Morgan drew support in all 105 Kansas counties, earning more than four times the vote share needed to retain official party status. Kilmer and Moore saw an opportunity to build coalitions across party lines in their own House races,” said Aaron Estabrook, co-founder of United Kansas.

“We believe the State violated both candidates’ rights to free speech and political association when it invalidated nominations they explicitly asked to keep. We’re asking the Kansas Supreme Court to decide whether Kansas’s century-old ban on fusion voting is constitutional.”

⚖️ Our lawsuit continues.

United Kansas is asking the Kansas Supreme Court to review the state’s century-old fusion ban. We believe Kansans deserve the freedom to build coalitions across party lines and nominate candidates who reflect their priorities.

🌻 “We are closer than ever to offering Kansans a viable, constructive alternative to two-party rule,” Morgan concluded. “I want to thank our supporters and voters across the state.”

📚 Read the sources:

🔎 Case background and court filings — Protect Democracy:
https://protectdemocracy.org/work/challenging-anti-fusion-laws-in-ks/

🗳️ Fusion voting, explained — Protect Democracy:
https://protectdemocracy.org/work/fusion-voting-explained/

🏛️ Kansas Supreme Court review petition:
https://centerforballotfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/199/FINAL-petition-for-filing-9-11-26.pdf

🤝 Kansas and Fusion Voting — New America:
https://www.newamerica.org/insights/kansas-and-fusion-voting/

11/08/2026

“Healthy futures don’t start in jail cells” is a message you can’t miss as you drive through the intersection of North Cleveland and East Second Street.

11/08/2026

If it starts in Wichita, it can ripple across Kansas. As the largest city in our state, Wichita has an opportunity to set a powerful precedent for communities across Kansas. What happens here matters far beyond city limits. When one community takes a stand to protect its neighbors, it can inspire others to do the same.

The Kansas Immigration Coalition proudly stands with the ACLU of Kansas and community advocates calling on Wichita City Council to reject 287(g) agreements and oppose expanding local law enforcement collaboration with ICE.

Our communities deserve to feel safe seeking help, reporting crimes, going to work, and raising their families without fear. Trust between residents and local law enforcement is essential to public safety and immigration enforcement should not come at the expense of that trust.

Change doesn’t have to happen everywhere at once. Sometimes, it begins with one city willing to lead. We hope Wichita’s leadership will encourage cities and counties across Kansas to take similar steps toward protecting the dignity, safety, and rights of all their residents.

Wichita, we need to show up.

Tuesday, November 10, 2026
6:00 PM
Wichita City Hall, 455 N. Main St.

Your presence matters. No public comment is required. Simply show up, stand in solidarity, and remind our elected officials who they serve.

Register and stand up for our immigrant communities:
https://www.mobilize.us/acluks/event/1060809/

One city can set a precedent. Together, we can build a Kansas where every family belongs. 🌻

11/08/2026

Hartenstein Poor & Foster LLC Members: Eric A. Hartenstein, Sarah M. Foster, and Scott B. Poor

10/25/2026

Substance Abuse Prevention Month is observed in October.

This is a time to highlight how prevention supports healthier individuals and stronger communities.

Substance misuse can impact anyone, but prevention efforts help reduce risk and promote well-being across all ages.

Prevention means education, early support, and creating environments where healthy choices are the easy choices.

Learn more about prevention efforts in our community and see the data: www.schd.online/OD2ADashboard

Connect with a Community Health Worker for help and resources: www.schd.online/GetSupport.

You can also find treatment options at www.findtreatment.gov.

10/14/2026

The event gives community members the chance to anonymously dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired medications.

LEARN MORE >>> https://www.ksn.com/news/health/sedgwick-county-hosts-prescription-drug-take-back-event/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_KSN_TV

10/13/2026

Hartenstein Poor & Foster LLC will represent more than 4,000 Wichita defendants, combining legal defense with behavioral health collaboration.

10/13/2026

10/13/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HARTENSTEIN POOR & FOSTER LLC APPOINTED TO RUN CITY PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE

(Wichita, KS) HARTENSTEIN POOR & FOSTER LLC has accepted a contract to operate the City Public Defender office. The firm will represent more than 5,000 indigent criminal defendants in the City of Wichita municipal court system.

The Wichita City Council unanimously approved the contract at its October 13, 2026, meeting.

“Our firm is uniquely positioned to serve this community,” said Managing Member Scott B. Poor. “We bring the experience and expertise necessary to implement meaningful reform to Wichita’s approach to poverty, addiction and mental health.”

“We intend to increase efficiency and improve quality of representation,” said Member Sarah M. Foster.

“We work collaboratively with behavioral health and social services agencies,” continued Foster. “Our goal is to leverage community resources to help people improve their lives and avoid future legal problems.”

HARTENSTEIN POOR & FOSTER LLC is the largest private indigent defense contractor in the State of Kansas. The firm offers collaborative defense services, with a focus on cases involving substance use and mental health concerns. The firm also maintains a civil rights litigation practice group, extending its advocacy to individuals whose rights have been violated.Together, these practices reflect the firm’s commitment to protecting clients and providing focused, strategic representation.

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