Article updated at 10:18 a.m. Friday, June 24:
Staff members in the Douglas County clerk’s office are still working to make sure they’ve got everything right before letting voters know about changes as the result of redistricting this year.
“There are a large number of new precinct splits, added precincts and districts in Douglas County,” according to a May 18 news release from the county. “… When completed, every voter will receive a new voter card in the mail with their new district assignments.”
But the process is taking quite a bit longer than the estimate of a few days the county shared at that time.
The cards have not been mailed out yet, Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew said via email Thursday, but he’s hoping to have them out by the end of next week.
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The next election is Tuesday, Aug. 2. You must be registered to vote by Tuesday, July 12.
You can quickly make sure you’re registered and request an advance ballot at KSVotes.org.
* We are not election workers *
“There were significant changes, especially in Townships which were divided so many different way with new districts,” Shew said.
“The process involves a review of household addresses and we are checking it multiple times to reduce possible error,” he said. “Our goal is to have the new cards out by the end of next week, but I will not go forward until we are extremely confident these divisions and moves are correct.”
But at the state level, the redistricting changes will only effect a few of the primaries in which Douglas County voters will cast ballots on Aug. 2.
Here’s what you can expect to see on your ballots. Races with primaries and votes that occur during the primary on Aug. 2 are indicated with an asterisk (*). See the new maps at this link.
Once the updates are complete, voters registered in Douglas County will also be able to check and see their districts via the county’s website.
The deadline to register to vote on Aug. 2 is July 12. Voters can register at KSVotes.org.
*August 2 ballot measure:
All Kansas voters, regardless of party, may 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.
If the amendment passes, it would remove legal protection of abortion in Kansas. If the amendment does not pass, Kansans would continue to have a constitutional right to abortion, even though the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade.
Abortion is already heavily regulated in Kansas, and that would not change if the amendment does not pass.
Unaffiliated and independent voters may vote on the amendment and do not have to declare a party affiliation to do so.
That vote will be on Aug. 2. Learn more about it at this link.
*Douglas County Commission District 1:
Democrats Patrick Kelly (incumbent) and Dustin Stumblingbear will face off in the Aug. 2 election.
The winner will advance to face Republican Justin Spiehs and Libertarian Steve Jacob in the Nov. 8 general election. This has not changed with redistricting. Read more about that at this link.
*Governor of Kansas:
The race for governor will be on partisan Aug. 2 ballots. Winning Democratic and Republican teams will advance to face each other and the Libertarian team on Nov. 8.
- 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 House:
Here are the districts that include parts of Lawrence and Douglas County, and who has filed to run for those Kansas House seats. Most House candidates in Lawrence-area districts do not face opponents.
*District 5: Carrie Barth (R-Baldwin City); Mark Samsel (R-Wellsville, incumbent)
District 10: Christina Haswood (D-Lawrence, incumbent)
District 42: Lance W. Neelly (R-Tonganoxie, incumbent)
District 43: Keith Davenport (D-Gardner); Bill Sutton (R-Gardner, incumbent)
District 44: Barbara Ballard (D-Lawrence, incumbent)
District 45: Mike Amyx (D-Lawrence, incumbent)
District 46: Dennis “Boog” Highberger (D-Lawrence, incumbent)
District 47: Ronald Ellis (R-Meriden, incumbent)
*District 117: Courtney Tripp (D-De Soto); Bob Parsons (R-Lawrence); and Adam Turk (R-Shawnee). This is a new district that includes parts of Douglas County, mostly southeast of Lawrence, and meanders east to include parts of Eudora, De Soto, Lenexa and Shawnee as well as parts of rural Douglas and Johnson counties.
U.S. House of Representatives:
In the redistricting process, Lawrence was gerrymandered into District 1, which stretches west to the Colorado border. (The Kansas Supreme Court has signed off on the new maps.)
Candidates who have filed in the District 1 race include James “Jimmy” Beard (D-Garden City) and Tracey Mann (R-Salina, incumbent).
The rest of Douglas County remains in District 2. Candidates include Patrick Schmidt (D-Topeka) and Jake LaTurner (R-Topeka, incumbent).
*U.S. Senate:
*Democratic candidates include Mike Andra, Wichita; Paul Buskirk, Lawrence; Mark Holland, Kansas City; Robert Klingenberg, Salina; Michael Soetart, Alta Vista; and Patrick Wiesner, Overland Park.
*Republican candidates include Joan Farr, Derby; and Jerry Moran, Manhattan (incumbent).
Libertarian candidate David C Graham, Overland Park, will run against the winners in the November general election.
Other races:
*There will be primary elections for Republicans running for secretary of state, attorney general and state treasurer. See those lists of candidates at this link.
There are also a number of township offices on the ballot. See those candidates at this link.
Judicial retention:
For Douglas County District Court, Judges Amy Hanley and Sally Pokorny will face retention votes.
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