Contact the Douglas County Commission
We believe it is a healthy and essential function for members of the public to contact the people who are making laws and decisions on their behalf. Therefore, we’re listing contact information and social media pages (although some may not be present or active on all platforms) on our site.
Five Douglas County commissioners are elected to four-year terms by districts that are relatively equal in population. The offices are partisan. Commissioners are elected in even years. They are paid about $40,000 per year.
With the November 2024 election, the commission expanded to five seats. Voters in November 2022 determined that the commission should expand.
Meeting info
The Douglas County Commission meets most Wednesdays in the courtroom on the second floor of the historic Douglas County courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St. An elevator is available. Business meetings begin at 5:30 p.m. Oftentimes, the commission also holds work sessions, where no action is taken, starting at 4 p.m.
See a list of upcoming meetings at this link. Meeting agendas are available via this link.
Meetings can be accessed live via Zoom, and recordings are posted on the county’s YouTube channel.
The commission welcomes written public comment until 24 hours before the meeting begins. Email written public comment to Robin Crabtree at rcrabtree@douglascountyks.org. If you can’t email comments, written comments may be placed in the county’s dropbox in the south parking lot adjacent to the courthouse. The commission also hears live public comment during meetings.
You can sign up to receive notices from the county and agendas for upcoming meetings at this link.
Last update: Feb. 5, 2025
County commissioners
Patrick Kelly, 1st District – Chair
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Party: Democrat
First elected to a four-year term in 2018; reelected in 2022
Contact: 785-393-8346 • pkelly@douglascountyks.org
Twitter: @PatrickKelly4DG • Facebook page
Shannon Reid, 2nd District – Vice Chair
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Party: Democrat
First elected to a four-year term in 2020; reelected in 2024, sworn in Jan. 13, 2025
Contact: 785-331-9635 • sreid@douglascountyks.org
Karen Willey, 3rd District
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Party: Democrat
Selected by Democratic precinct committeepeople to finish out a four-year term in August 2022; sworn in Sept. 14, 2022; elected to a full term in November 2024, sworn in Jan. 13, 2025
Contact: 785-979-9455 • kwilley@dgcoks.gov
Gene Dorsey, 4th District
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Party: Democrat
First elected in November 2024; sworn in Jan. 13, 2025
Contact: 785-393-5260 • gdorsey@dgcoks.gov
Erica Anderson, 5th District
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Party: Democrat
First elected in November 2024; sworn in Jan. 13, 2025
Contact: 785-393-3683 • eanderson@dgcoks.gov
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Districts
The easiest way to determine the county commission district in which you reside is by entering your name and date of birth at this link on the Kansas Secretary of State’s website; then scroll down to the dropdown that says “Districts.”
Here’s a map of the districts following the expansion to five commissioners:
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Meeting archives
See a list of past county meetings at this link. Information about meetings before June 2014 can be found at this link.
Find recorded meetings on the county’s YouTube page.
Prior to spring of 2020, audio recordings of meetings are available via the information pages.
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