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Elections are upon us
By: Bob Sigman, Opinion Page Editor
This is a major election year, but you wouldn’t know it from our city races. Contests are scheduled only in Leawood, Mission, Prairie Village, Shawnee and Westwood. Worse, at least for political junkies, not enough candidates had filed, as of this week, to force a primary.
“We’re holding our breath,” said Sarah Horn, election systems manager for the Johnson County Election Office, in discussing the possibility of not having to conduct a primary.
If a primary is necessary, it will be Feb. 26. The filing deadline is Tuesday; the general election will be April 1.
The junkies need not despair. More races, including the election of a president in November, are in the offing.
In fact, presidential nominating caucuses will be held in Johnson County next month.
Democrats will meet the night of Feb. 5, known as Super Tuesday, and the Republicans will convene during the day on Feb. 9. Registered party members will be eligible to vote on their choice for the party’s nominee.
This is the only opportunity Kansans will have to participate directly in the selection. The process will continue later with congressional caucuses and a state convention leading up to the national nominating convention.
Kansas does not have a presidential primary. The Kansas Legislature did not want to spend the $2 million or so to hold the election, an event that could have attracted more attention from the candidates and possibly visits by them to the state.
As it is, there is some activity. The campaign of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama opened an office in Lawrence in October, according to a spokesman. He said a statewide staff of 16 is at work.
In recent days, Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton’s supporters announced a Kansas steering committee of about 40. A supporter speaking for Clinton said she will not have a “store front” in Kansas. The staff, she said, is located in private offices and homes.
Not only are incumbents not being challenged at the local level this year, in wards 2 and 3 in Mission no one has filed as of this week.
The ballot will be heavy with incumbents.
In Leawood, current officeholders have filed in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd wards. A newcomer filed in the 4th Ward.
Two incumbents have filed in Mission, one in the 1st Ward, the other in the 4th Ward.
In Prairie Village, where there are six wards, four incumbents want to serve again. They are in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th wards. Two newcomers are unopposed in the 4th and 5th wards.
Mayor Jeff Meyers is running for re-election in Shawnee. He is joined by incumbents in all four wards in running without opposition.
Mayor Karen I. Johnson is challenged by Cami Savage in Westwood, but with only two candidates filed, the contest will be decided in the general election. Two at-large council members will be elected this year. One incumbent is seeking another term.
Other local elections will be held in August and November. County commission seats in the 2nd, 3rd and 6th districts will be on the ballot, along with district attorney and sheriff.
This is a big year for the Kansas Legislature. All seats, 40 in the Senate, 125 in the House, are up for election. Also on the state ballot will be positions on the Kansas Board of Education.
Members of the state Supreme Court and Kansas Court of Appeals, as well as district court judges in Johnson County, will run for retention in November. Precinct committeemen and committeewomen will be on the ballot in August.
Regardless of the level of government, all of these contests are important. Be prepared to make decisions.
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“We’re holding our breath,” said Sarah Horn, election systems manager for the Johnson County Election Office, in discussing the possibility of not having to conduct a primary.
If a primary is necessary, it will be Feb. 26. The filing deadline is Tuesday; the general election will be April 1.
The junkies need not despair. More races, including the election of a president in November, are in the offing.
In fact, presidential nominating caucuses will be held in Johnson County next month.
Democrats will meet the night of Feb. 5, known as Super Tuesday, and the Republicans will convene during the day on Feb. 9. Registered party members will be eligible to vote on their choice for the party’s nominee.
This is the only opportunity Kansans will have to participate directly in the selection. The process will continue later with congressional caucuses and a state convention leading up to the national nominating convention.
Kansas does not have a presidential primary. The Kansas Legislature did not want to spend the $2 million or so to hold the election, an event that could have attracted more attention from the candidates and possibly visits by them to the state.
As it is, there is some activity. The campaign of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama opened an office in Lawrence in October, according to a spokesman. He said a statewide staff of 16 is at work.
In recent days, Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton’s supporters announced a Kansas steering committee of about 40. A supporter speaking for Clinton said she will not have a “store front” in Kansas. The staff, she said, is located in private offices and homes.
Not only are incumbents not being challenged at the local level this year, in wards 2 and 3 in Mission no one has filed as of this week.
The ballot will be heavy with incumbents.
In Leawood, current officeholders have filed in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd wards. A newcomer filed in the 4th Ward.
Two incumbents have filed in Mission, one in the 1st Ward, the other in the 4th Ward.
In Prairie Village, where there are six wards, four incumbents want to serve again. They are in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th wards. Two newcomers are unopposed in the 4th and 5th wards.
Mayor Jeff Meyers is running for re-election in Shawnee. He is joined by incumbents in all four wards in running without opposition.
Mayor Karen I. Johnson is challenged by Cami Savage in Westwood, but with only two candidates filed, the contest will be decided in the general election. Two at-large council members will be elected this year. One incumbent is seeking another term.
Other local elections will be held in August and November. County commission seats in the 2nd, 3rd and 6th districts will be on the ballot, along with district attorney and sheriff.
This is a big year for the Kansas Legislature. All seats, 40 in the Senate, 125 in the House, are up for election. Also on the state ballot will be positions on the Kansas Board of Education.
Members of the state Supreme Court and Kansas Court of Appeals, as well as district court judges in Johnson County, will run for retention in November. Precinct committeemen and committeewomen will be on the ballot in August.
Regardless of the level of government, all of these contests are important. Be prepared to make decisions.