Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has won a second four-year term, defeating Republican Derek Schmidt in a campaign that pitted her economic accomplishments against his transphobic appeals and attacks on pandemic policies.
Unofficial results show four seats on the Kansas State Board of Education were won by conservative candidates who want to restrict how race and social-emotional learning are taught in schools.
Kansans voted to keep all six state Supreme Court justices up for retention on the November ballot. The justices were returned with more than 60% voter support, including two who voted in favor of abortion rights.
The state’s voters embraced an amendment to the Kansas Constitution on Tuesday requiring election of county sheriffs and narrowing options for ousting a wayward chief law enforcement officer, while an amendment granting the Legislature more authority to reject state administrative regulations could be headed to defeat.
Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, clinging to a slim lead late Tuesday, told cheering supporters she expects to be declared the winner over Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt after the few remaining votes have been counted.
Carter Gaskins/Lawrence Times
Supporters tensely watched election results come in and rooted on their candidates in Lawrence Tuesday night. But by late in the evening, the crowd had slimmed considerably at the Douglas County Democrats’ watch party at Maceli’s downtown.
Republican attorney general candidate Kris Kobach declared victory Tuesday night, though his Democratic opponent Chris Mann says the race is still too close to call.
Scores of winner-take-all campaigns for local, state and federal offices come to a dramatic close Tuesday as inflation, abortion, crime and election fraud color decisions of voters in red-state Kansas.
Chloe Anderson/Lawrence Times
Voter turnout at polling places in Douglas County as of Tuesday afternoon ranged from just short of 10% at one polling place to more than 60% at another.
Where to go to vote, when polls are open, and more key voting info for the Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 election
