House and Senate Democratic leaders Friday alleged the Kansas secretary of state violated professional codes of conduct by serving as honorary chairman of a Republican candidate's campaign for the state Senate.

Secretary of State Kris Kobach, elected in 2010 as the state's chief elections officer, agreed to work on behalf of Mark Gilstrap, a Republican seeking to oust Sen. Kelly Kultala, a Democrat serving District 5 in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties.

House Minority Leader Paul Davis, D-Lawrence, and Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, said Kobach appeared to be in violation of constitutional boundaries established by the National Association of Secretaries of State and the standards of conduct created by the Election Center, an international service association of election officials in Houston.

Both commit elections officials to the conduct of fair, efficient and accurate elections that maintain public trust in the process.

"It is critical that the chief election officer of Kansas demonstrate complete impartiality," Davis said. "For someone who claims to be so

concerned about the integrity of elections, Kris Kobach doesn't hesitate to let his own political gain compromise the integrity of his office."

In an interview, Kobach said previous secretary of states in Kansas had endorsed candidates in primary and general elections. He viewed his association with the Gilstrap campaign as nothing more than an endorsement of a fellow Republican.

"There's nothing inconsistent with a secretary of state making an endorsement and the secretary of state fulfilling his duties," Kobach said.

Kobach said the Democratic leaders should have done their homework before launching the attack.

Hensley said he wasn't aware of a Kansas secretary of state endorsing a candidate in a way that "so blatantly involved partisan politics."

Gilstrap's campaign website lists his campaign advisers. At the top of that roster is Kobach, denoted as the lone honorary chairman. Others in Gilstrap's fold are former U.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, Wyandotte County Sheriff Don Ash and Lansing Mayor Ken Bernard.

The likely general election showdown between Gilstrap and Kultala would be interesting. Gilstrap, a former Democrat, was defeated in the primary four years ago by Kultala, who was supported by Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Gilstrap's falling out with Democratic colleagues led to his subsequent switch to the Republican Party.

In addition, Kultala and Kobach engaged this week in a war of words regarding implementation of statewide reform of Kansas voting law.

Kobach was the driving force behind adoption last year of laws requiring voters to present proof of citizenship when they register to vote and require all voters to present a photo ID when they go to the polls.

The photo ID requirement took effect Jan. 1, but the voter registration piece was delayed until 2013. There has been controversy about when the statute required the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to provide free birth certificates for purposes of complying with new voting law.

Kobach said confusion was a result of an amendment authored by Kultala to postpone part of the reform.

Tim Carpenter can be reached

at (785) 296-3005 or

timothy.carpenter@cjonline.com.