Douglas County voters: Here’s who’s running for office after the first of two filing deadlines

The first of two filing deadlines to run for elected office this year was noon Wednesday.

Several filing deadlines were changed this year because of delays caused by redistricting. The deadline to file to run for precinct committeeperson seats and the U.S. House of Representatives, Kansas House of Representatives, and Kansas State Board of Education was extended to noon on Friday, June 10.

The deadline to register to vote in the Aug. 2 election is Tuesday, July 12. Register online or double check to make sure you’re registered at this link.

Here are the candidates who have filed for offices whose deadlines have passed, and their parties, where applicable. This information is pulled from the unofficial list from the Douglas County clerk’s office and the Kansas Secretary of State’s office. There could still be changes between this list and the ballot. Third-party candidates do not have to run in primary elections.

Countywide offices and issues:

Douglas County Commission District 1:

• Patrick Kelly, Democratic (incumbent)
• Dustin Stumblingbear, Democratic
• Justin Spiehs, Republican

Steve Jacob, Libertarian, said he has also filed for the commission seat.

Unless there are changes from Wednesday’s unofficial list, the two Democratic candidates will face off in the Aug. 2 election, and the winner will advance to the November general.

Will this race be on my ballot? District 1 is geographically the smallest of the three Douglas County Commission districts, but they all contain roughly the same total populations.

District 1 includes a large portion of central Lawrence. The district is not square, but its southernmost boundary is West 19th Street; its easternmost boundary is Massachusetts Street; one segment of the district reaches as far west as Wakarusa Drive; and an intricate boundary divides the northern side of town between the first, second and third districts.

See a detailed map at this link. Registered voters can also see their Douglas County Commission district by entering their information at this link.

Expansion to 5 Douglas County Commission districts:

The current three Douglas County commissioners voted in February to place on the Nov. 8 ballot a question asking county voters whether to add two additional commissioner seats and districts. Read more about that at this link.

Judicial retention:

In the Nov. 8 general election, Douglas County District Court Judges Amy Hanley and Sally Pokorny face retention votes.

Statewide offices and issues:

August ballot measure:

All Kansas voters, regardless of party, will be asked to vote on a state constitutional amendment that would clear the way for the Kansas Legislature to ban all abortions, regardless of whether someone’s life is endangered by a pregnancy or the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

That vote, as well as Democratic and Republican primary votes, will be on Aug. 2. Learn more about it at this link.

Governor of Kansas:

• Laura Kelly for governor with David Toland for lieutenant governor, Democratic (incumbent)
• Richard S. Karnowski for governor with Barry J. Franco for lieutenant governor, Democratic
• Seth Cordell for governor with Evan Laudick-Gains for lieutenant governor, Libertarians
• Arlyn Briggs for governor with Lance Berland for lieutenant governor, Republicans
• Derek Schmidt for governor with Katie Sawyer for lieutenant governor, Republicans

Kansas Secretary of State:

• Jeanna Repass, Democratic
• Cullene Lang, Libertarian
• Mike Brown, Republican
• Scott J Schawb, Republican

Kansas Attorney General:

• Chris Mann, Democratic
• Kris Kobach, Republican
• Tony Mattivi, Republican
• Kellie Warren, Republican

Kansas State Treasurer:

• Lynn Rogers, Democratic
• Steve Roberts, Libertarian
• Steven Johnson, Republican
• Caryn Tyson, Republican

Commissioner of Insurance:

• Kiel Corkran, Democratic
• Vicki Schmidt, Republican

Other local offices:

Clinton Township Clerk:

• David Devore, Republican

Eudora Township Clerk:

• Keith Knabe, Democratic

Kanwaka Township Clerk:

• Jeanne Waisner, Republican

Lecompton City Council:

• Mary Jane Hoffer
• Stephanie Confer

Marion Township Clerk:

• Frank Rhodes, Republican

Palmyra Township Clerk:

• Jenna Beason, Democratic
• Justin Shafer, Republican
• Lacey Snorgrass, Republican

Wakarusa Township Clerk:

• Larry Bartz, Republican

Willow Springs Township Clerk:

• Clint Hornberger, Republican

No candidates filed to run for Grant or Lecompton Township clerk, according to the county elections office.

What comes next

The next election is Tuesday, Aug. 2. Advance voting in person or by mail begins on Wednesday, July 13.

As noted above, the deadline to register to vote in the Aug. 2 election is Tuesday, July 12. Register online or double check to make sure you’re registered at this link.

Because of redistricting, some voters’ precincts and districts are changing.

“There are a large number of new precinct splits, added precincts and districts in Douglas County,” according to an update recently posted on the county’s website.

“It will take a few days to finish building these changes into its systems. The Clerk’s Office also wants to take the time to make sure all changes are correct before published. When completed, every voter will receive a new voter card in the mail with their new district assignments. The Clerk’s Office will announce when all changes have been made and new maps become available.”

There’s still time to file to run for some offices — the deadline for these offices is noon Friday, June 10:

• File for precinct committeeperson at the Douglas County Elections Office, 711 W. 23rd St., Suite 1, in Lawrence; no filing fee is required.
• File to run for the U.S. House of Representatives, Kansas House of Representatives, or Kansas State Board of Education — at the Secretary of State Office, Memorial Hall, 120 S.W. 10th Ave, Topeka, Kansas 66612.

Many candidates have already filed for those offices. We’ll publish an update after the second filing deadline on June 10. See lists of who has filed so far via the Douglas County clerk’s office and Kansas Secretary of State’s office.

Are we missing someone or something? Have other questions that aren’t answered here? Let us know.

More coverage: August 2 Election

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