UPDATE: Friday, November 9, 2012

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach has filed a federal lawsuit to block the release of voters' names to candidates in a tight Kansas House race.

Kobach filed his petition in U.S. District Court just hours after Shawnee County District Judge Rebecca Crotty ordered county officials to release the names of voters who cast provisional ballots in this week's election.

Crotty ruled in a lawsuit filed by Democratic state Rep. Ann Mah of Topeka. Mah trails her Republican opponent by 27 votes and wants to contact voters who cast provisional ballots to help them correct problems, so their ballots will be counted.

Kobach contends the disclosure violates federal law and invades voters' privacy.

Mah is a vocal Kobach critic.

Friday, November 9, 2012

A Kansas judge has ordered Shawnee County officials to give a Democratic legislator and her Republican opponent a list of voters who cast provisional ballots in this week's election.

District Judge Judge Rebecca Crotty ruled Friday, hours after Rep. Ann Mah of Topeka filed a lawsuit to force the county to turn over the names.

Mah trails GOP challenger Ken Corbet of Topeka by only 27 votes out of almost 11,000 cast. She said she wants to help voters correct potential problems so their ballots are counted.

Mah's lawsuit came a day after Secretary of State Kris Kobach advised county election officials across the state that releasing the voter names would violate state and federal law.

Kobach is a Republican. Mah is one of his most vocal critics