BY SAM ZEFF

Millions of dollars have been spent on the governor’s race in Kansas. Money has poured in from all over the country.

But a new player has entered the fray — the American Civil Liberties Union.

An ACLU TV spot went up on cable and broadcast this week. Titled “The Rule of Law,” it starts out like any other opposition ad.

“Kris Kobach took an oath to uphold the constitution and then as secretary of state, he was held in contempt of court for refusing to follow court orders,” the narrator says, backed by somber music. It goes on to say Kobach wanted to defy the state supreme court’s ruling to increase school funding, “threatening children with disabilities.”

But suddenly the spot changes and says this: “Regardless of who you vote for on Nov. 6, we, the people, must demand that politicians respect the rule of law,” as pictures of all five candidates are revealed. “The ACLU does not endorse or oppose candidates.”

If it endorsed or opposed a candidate the organization would lose its tax-exempt status.

While the ACLU says it “has not singled out any candidate for scrutiny,” it walks right up to the line, says University of Kansas political science Professor Patrick Miller.

“At least they are open about who is paying for this and it’s not a dark money ad,” he told KCUR.

The ad is “clearly about issues and facts,” says Kansas ACLU Executive Director Micah Kubic. “What people do with those facts, they do.”

Kubic wouldn’t say how much the ACLU is spending on the spot. He would only say the organization is making a “significant expenditure.”

The ACLU tested a similar approach  in this summer’s race for St. Louis County Prosecutor. The organization had repeatedly clashed with long-time prosecutor Bob McCulloch. The ACLU created a website and ran radio ads discussing McCulloch’s record. It did not specically oppose McCulloch or back his opponent Wesley Bell. In the end Bell won with 57 percent of the vote.

After McCulloch was defeated, the ACLU seemed to crow just a bit in a news release.

“We wanted voters to know that this election will have a major impact on matters like curbing mass incarceration, holding police accountable, and reducing the inequalities based on race and income in our criminal justice system,” the group said.

The ACLU entered the Kansas governor’s race during the primary when it sent out mailers comparing Kobach to Gov. Jeff Colyer. While some believed the mailer was an attack on Kobach, the ACLU insists it was purely educational.

“The ACLU of Kansas criticized both of the leading Republican candidates in the primary, and has critiqued the positions of all of the gubernatorial candidates in the general election, as well,” Kubic said in a statement to KCUR.

The ACLU is now running this type of campaign around the country. It has ads running in the hotly contested race for Georgia governor and in the race for Arizona secretary of state, according to ACLU spokesperson Thomas Dresslar. It is also weighing in with ads on ballot issues in seven states. That includes the one in Florida that would restore voting rights to people convicted of crimes.

Sam Zeff is KCUR’s metro reporter in conjunction with the Kansas News Service. You can follow Sam on Twitter @samzeff

MCALLEN, Texas (AP) — Federal authorities have awarded a $145 million contract to a Texas company to build 6 miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said Friday that SLSCO will begin construction of an 18-foot (5.5-meter) reinforced concrete levee wall in February in the agency’s McAllen Station region. The company will also increase the height of existing fences.

It will be the first section of President Donald Trump’s border barriers in the Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.

The government recently completed construction of a 2-mile (3-kilometer), 30-foot tall (9-meter) section of fencingalong the border in California.

Trump has been ramping up anti-immigration rhetoric heading into Tuesday’s midterm elections and has ordered troops to the border to meet a caravan of Central American migrants slowly traveling through Mexico.

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A 38-year-old Lawrence man has admitted making more than 100 calls to 911 threatening to commit sexual assaults, which apparently never occurred.

Justin Allen Roehrich pleaded no contest on Wednesday to three counts of making a false alarm.

Prosecutors said Roehrich made 122 calls to 911 dispatchers in Leavenworth County. He told dispatchers his name was “Jesse.”

Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said officers who investigated the calls found no evidence that anyone was harmed or threatened.

The charges stem from three calls during which Roehrich said he was going to perform sexual acts on drugged, underage girls.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri voters have a long history of rejecting general tax increases. But supporters of a proposal to gradually raise the gas tax by 10 cents a gallon believe this could be the year that people say “yes.”

With just days to go before Tuesday’s election, there is no organized opposition to Proposition D, and not a penny raised to counteract the nearly $5 million raised by supporters.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe both have been traveling the state promoting the gas tax.

At least 30 other states have raised transportation taxes or fees over the past six years.

Missouri’s gas tax has not changed since 1996.

In 2014, Missouri voters rejected a proposed sales tax for roads. They also defeated a transportation tax plan in 2002.

LAGRANGE, Ga. (AP) – A west Georgia police department is seeking help solving the 15-year-old killing of a Missouri railroad contractor

LaGrange Police Detective Ley Wynne says William Kent Adams of Arcadia, Missouri, was found dead in his car in April 2003.

Adams was in Georgia working for a company that cleans railroad crossings.

The LaGrange Daily News reports an autopsy showed Adams had a gunshot wound to his chest, with officials ruling it a homicide.

Police interviewed some people but never settled on a suspect. Adams wasn’t seen on surveillance video from a nearby store.

Wynne says the case is difficult because Adams wasn’t from LaGrange, so there were no local residents to interview about friends or habits.

Anyone with information can call Troup County Crime Stoppers at 706-812-1000 or Wynne at 706-883-2609.

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN

The election is upon us. Here’s what you need to know.

Advance voting

Advance voting in person ends Monday at noon. For where you should go, check this county-by-county list.

If you are sending in your ballot by mail, the ballot needs to be postmarked by Tuesday — Election Day — and it needs to reach the election office by the Friday after the election. You’re best off double-checking that the postal staff do postmark it.

If you hadn’t requested a mail ballot, the deadline has passed to do so.

Voting at the polls

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at least. Some polling sites open earlier.

You can find the address of your polling place here. If you can’t recall whether you are a registered voter, check here. If you aren’t registered, it’s too late to register for Tuesday’s election.

If you show up at your polling site and for some reason are not on the registration rolls, you have the right to fill out a provisional ballot. But before you cast that provisional ballot, ask the poll workers if you simply went to the wrong polling site. If so, they can point you in the right direction.

The American Civil Liberties Union also has a hotline for anyone who experiences problems at the polls. 1-866-OUR-VOTE.

Don’t forget your photo ID

You need to show an approved form of identification at the polls. Here’s a list of your options.

If you don’t have one, you can get one for free at your local DMV office. Tell the clerks that you need a free ID for voting purposes and they will move you to the front of the line.

What are the races?

Everyone gets to vote in the statewide races for governor, attorney general, secretary of state, insurance commissioner and treasurer. After that, your candidates for Congress and the Kansas Legislature vary.

View our voter guide for the statewide races and Congress here.

Here’s the candidate list. If you need to know which districts you vote in — for example, which legislative seat — you’ll find those details in your online voter record.

You can also check the League of Women Voters guide for a list of candidates on your local ballot, and candidate surveys (where candidates responded).

Celia Llopis-Jepsen is a reporter for the Kansas News Service. You can reach her on Twitter @Celia_LJ.

CARROLL COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Friday in Carroll County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported an International farm tractor driven by Matthew G. Olson, 43, Dawn, was southbound in the 13000 Block of CR 151.

The driver attempted a right turn. The tractor overturned and landed on top of the driver.  Olson was pronounced dead at the scene.  He was transported Lindley Funeral Home in Chillicothe.