Topeka Protest Highlights Judicial Amendment and Data Center Concerns in Shawnee County
A protest in Topeka, Kansas, which primarily focused on a judicial amendment, also included advocacy against data center construction in Shawnee County. This coincided with the Shawnee County commissioners' recent approval of zoning text amendments to allow data centers with a Conditional Use Permit, which has met with public opposition.
A "No Kings Protest" in Topeka, Kansas, experienced significantly lower attendance compared to previous events, with organizers citing summer schedules and the emergence of other local resistance groups. The demonstration's primary focus was an upcoming constitutional amendment on judicial selection, which would allow residents to elect Kansas Supreme Court justices, a system that changed after a 1950s scandal.
However, the protest also featured speakers advocating against data center construction in Shawnee County. Meghan Ryan, founder of Protect Kansas, a nonpartisan coalition, was present to raise awareness about the issue, stating that "Shawnee County is not welcoming to these data centers." This opposition comes after the Shawnee County commissioners recently approved text amendments to a zoning ordinance, enabling data centers to be built only with a Conditional Use Permit.