In Kansas, a July 2020 mask mandate by Democratic governor Laura Kelly included the ability for counties to opt out if they (per consultation with health officials) assert that it is not medically necessary; the provision was described as a "bipartisan compromise" to gain support from the state's Republican-majority government. By July 9, 90 of Kansas's 105 counties had opted out, while several cities in counties that did opt out, such as Manhattan, Wichita, and Winfield, would enact municipal mandates. Out of a sample of counties, 15 counties that chose to enforce the order were shown to have a reduced rate of new cases than those which opted out. Research released in October 2020 by the University of Kansas found that these trends had continued in the, by then, 21 counties that implemented the order. The mayor of Dodge City, Kansas resigned from office in December 2020 after facing violent threats over her support of a local mask mandate.
