The Democratic Parties of Douglas County and Kansas will hold a rally at South Park to discuss the 2026 election, including who will run for governor.
The rally is set for 4 p.m. Sunday, April 27 at the South Park gazebo, which is on the east side of Massachusetts Street.
Candidates running in 2026 and current elected officials will give short speeches, according to a news release about the event.
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who has often exercised her veto power to prevent radical legislation from becoming law since she was elected in 2018, will be term limited and unable to run for the office again.
They’ll also discuss who will challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, who has represented Kansas in Congress since 2021.
Speakers, according to the release, will include:
• Melinda Lavon and Jeanna Repass, chairs of the county and state Democratic Parties, respectively;
• Rep. Suzanne Wikle, of Lawrence;
• Sen. Dinah Sykes, of Lenexa; Sen. Marci Francisco, of Lawrence;
• Carole Cadue-Blackwood, school board member and chair of the Kansas Democratic Party’s Indigenous Caucus;
• Sen. Cindy Holscher, of Overland Park;
• Rep. Brooklynne Mosley, of Lawrence;
• Christy Cauble Davis, formerly of the United States Department of Agriculture, of Cottonwood Falls; and
• Rep. Barbara Ballard, of Lawrence.
Between now and the 2026 election, however, Lawrence voters will elect two Lawrence city commissioners and three Lawrence school board members. The deadline to file to run for office is noon Monday, June 2.
The deadline to register to vote or update your voter registration for the Aug. 5, 2025 primary election, if a primary is necessary, is Tuesday, July 15. Douglas County voters can register quickly online at KSVotes.org.
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