There are precious few things that will unite people on both sides of the political aisle these days, but apparently, hating Kansas’s new license plate is one of them. As a result, Governor Laura Kelly has announced that the state will pause the rollout of the new design.
The state is looking to replace its existing, embossed plates because they are reportedly hard to read after a couple of years on the road. Therefore, it unveiled a new design, with a wheat-yellow background and black text, with a midnight blue band on top. At the bottom, the words “to the stars” serve as a reference to the state motto: “ad astra per aspera.”
Governor Kelly said she saw the design before it was revealed, and thought people would like it. She said that the reference to the state motto and the Kansas blue topper would appeal to drivers. However, she admitted that she did not know the lettering would have to be black.
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“I promised to be a bipartisan governor, and I think we can all admit – I succeeded at bringing Kansans across the political aisle together in disliking this new license plate,” Kelly said per KSN. “I’ve heard you loud and clear. Elected officials should be responsive to their constituents, which is why we are adjusting the process so Kansans can provide direct input on our state’s next license plate.”
Some Kansans complained on social media that the colors were too similar to those of Missouri University’s sports teams. Others, such as Kansas Rep. Nick Hoheisel, R-Wichita said that the state deserved better than a New York-style clone.
And so, Governor Kelly has said that constituents will be allowed to submit and vote on new designs, using social media and the state website. The design will have to comply with law enforcement needs, and they should adhere to best practices established by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators:
- License plate numbers will be seven digits.
- Any phrase, motto, or slogan must be placed at the bottom of the license plate.
- Any graphic must be placed on the right or left side of the license plate number.
- Graphics must not resemble letters, numbers, or special characters in a way that would interfere with the ability to read the license plate number.
- Background design must not interfere with the ability to read the license plate number.
- The license plate must have a light background behind the license plate number, and the license plate number must be black.
Kansas initially planned to start issuing its new blue and yellow plates in March. CJ Online reports that the timeline has been pushed back around six months, due to this redesign process.