Kansas State Legislative Republican Primaries, 2018

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2018 Kansas
State Legislature elections
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GeneralNovember 6, 2018
PrimaryAugust 7, 2018
2018 elections
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Debate between supporters and opponents of former Gov. Sam Brownback's (R) 2012 tax cuts made the August 7 legislative primaries a battle between rival Republican factions. Twenty-three of the 31 contested primaries featured contests between pro-Brownback supporters of the cuts and anti-Brownback opponents. All 125 state House seats are up; the next state Senate elections were scheduled for 2020.

In 2018, 19 incumbents faced primary challengers, while 14 chose not to seek reelection. Twelve of the 19 who faced challengers generally opposed Brownback's tax cuts, five mostly supported them, and two did not firmly belong to either faction. Of the 14 who retired, seven were pro-Brownback, six were anti-Brownback, and one did not belong to either faction.

Six of the 12 anti-Brownback incumbents lost their primaries. One pro-Brownback incumbent lost his primary.

Anti-Brownback candidates won six of the 12 open primaries. Pro-Brownback candidates won five.[1]

This was not the first time the Brownback tax cuts—which lowered income tax rates and exempted more than 300,000 businesses from taxation—have been an issue in the Republican primaries. Eighteen legislators opposed to Brownback's policies were defeated in 2012. Fourteen incumbents supportive of Brownback were unseated in 2016.

In the 2017 legislative session, the Kansas State Legislature largely repealed the tax cuts and overrode Brownback when he vetoed the repeal. Anti-Brownback Republicans said the repeal was necessary to address the budget deficit and increase education funding. Read more below.

The state legislative elections occurred alongside a Republican gubernatorial primary to select Brownback’s successor. He resigned in January 2018 to take a position in the Trump administration and was replaced by Lieutenant Gov. Jeff Colyer.[2] Colyer and Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the leading candidates in the Republican primary, both indicated support for lowering taxes.[3]

As of August 2018, Kansas was one of 26 Republican trifectas, a term used to describe a single-party government where one political party holds the governor's office and a majority in both chambers of the state legislature. To find out more about state government trifectas, click here.

For information about the Democratic primary elections in Kansas, click here.



Contents

Incumbents who did not advance to the general election[edit]

Retiring incumbents[edit]

Fourteen Republican state House incumbents did not file for re-election.

Incumbents defeated[edit]

Seven state House incumbents were defeated in their primaries.

Competitiveness[edit]

See also: 2018 primary election competitiveness in state and federal government and Kansas state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018

There 11 Democratic primaries in 2018 compared to five in 2014, the last election where only the state House was up.

Year Total seats Open seats Total candidates Democratic primaries contested Republican primaries contested Total contested Incumbents contested in primaries Total incumbents contested in primaries
2018 125 14 232 11 30 16.4% 26 23.4%
2016 165 34 354 14 55 20.9% 39 29.8%
2014 125 13 238 5 29 13.6% 21 18.8%

Factional conflict[edit]

Overview[edit]

This section tracked factional conflict between the pro-Brownback and anti-Brownback factions in the 31 contested state House Republican primaries in 2018.

Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 85 Republicans and 40 Democrats in the state House. A two-thirds supermajority (84 votes) is needed to override a gubernatorial veto. In 2017, anti-Brownback Republicans, Republicans without a clear faction, and Democrats voted together to override Brownback's veto of legislation that repealed the tax cuts.

The chart below provides an overview of the factions' memberships heading into the 2018 Republican primaries.

Kansas Republican factions
Faction Pre-primary members Retirements Incumbents with challenges Post-primary members
Anti-Brownback 41 6 12 33
Pro-Brownback 38 7 5 43
No clear faction 6 1 2 9
Total 85 14 19 85

Battleground races[edit]

Of the 31 contested Republican primaries in 2018, 19 featured challengers running against incumbents, 10 were open primaries in seats where a Republican incumbent retired, and two were for seats held by Democrats.

Factional conflicts in Kansas state House Republican primaries
District Incumbent Incumbent faction Incumbent running? Challenger(s) Challenger(s) faction
District 5 Kevin Jones Pro-Brownback No
Mark Samsel Approveda Anti-Brownback
Renee Slinkard Pro-Brownback
District 6 Jene Vickrey Approveda Pro-Brownback Yes
Clifford Blackmore Pro-Brownback
District 8 Patty Markley Anti-Brownback Yes
Chris Croft Approveda Pro-Brownback
District 11 Jim Kelly Approveda Anti-Brownback Yes
John Lowrance Pro-Brownback
District 12 Doug Blex Approveda Pro-Brownback Yes
Brad Hall Unclear faction
District 13 Larry Paul Hibbard Approveda Anti-Brownback Yes
Londa Tindle Pro-Brownback
District 14 Keith Esau Pro-Brownback No
Charlotte Esau Approveda Pro-Brownback
Aaron Young Anti-Brownback
Tom Stanion Anti-Brownback
District 17 Tom Cox Approveda Anti-Brownback Yes
Jim Eschrich Pro-Brownback
District 18 Cindy Neighbor Democratic Democratic seat (Yes)
Cathy Gordon Unclear faction
Eric Jenkins Approveda Pro-Brownback
District 27 Sean Tarwater Sr. Approveda Unclear faction Yes
Rochelle Bird Pro-Brownback
Karen Snyder Anti-Brownback
District 28 Joy Koesten Anti-Brownback Yes
Kellie Warren Approveda Pro-Brownback
District 29 Brett Parker Democratic Democratic seat (Yes)
Peggy Galvin Approveda Anti-Brownback
James Todd Anti-Brownback
District 30 Randy Powell Pro-Brownback No
Wendy Bingesser Approveda Pro-Brownback
Colleen Webster Anti-Brownback
District 38 Willie Dove Approveda Pro-Brownback Yes
Noel Hull Unclear faction
District 39 Shelee Brim Anti-Brownback No
Kristy Acree Anti-Brownback
Owen Donohoe Approveda Pro-Brownback
District 42 Jim Karleskint Approveda Anti-Brownback Yes
Lance Neelly Pro-Brownback
District 45 Thomas Sloan Anti-Brownback No
Cynthia Smith Approveda Anti-Brownback
Ronald Thacker Pro-Brownback
District 49 Scott Schwab Pro-Brownback No
Fsehazion Desalegn Anti-Brownback
Megan Lynn Approveda Pro-Brownback
District 59 Blaine Finch Approveda Unclear faction Yes
Shari Weber Unclear faction
District 64 Susie Swanson Anti-Brownback No
Susan Carlson Approveda Unclear faction
Kathy Martin Pro-Brownback
District 74 Don Schroeder Anti-Brownback Yes
Stephen Owens Approveda Pro-Brownback
District 75 Mary Martha Good Anti-Brownback Yes
Will Carpenter Approveda Pro-Brownback
District 80 Anita Judd-Jenkins Anti-Brownback Yes
Bill Rhiley Approveda Pro-Brownback
District 87 Roger Elliott Anti-Brownback No
Renee Erickson Approveda Pro-Brownback
Jeff Kennedy Anti-Brownback
District 93 John Whitmer Pro-Brownback Yes
J.C. Moore Approveda Anti-Brownback
District 97 Leslie Osterman Pro-Brownback No
Nick Hoheisel Approveda Anti-Brownback
Michael Walker Unclear faction
District 100 Daniel Hawkins Approveda Pro-Brownback Yes
James Breitenbach Unclear faction
District 104 Steven R. Becker Anti-Brownback Yes
Paul Waggoner Approveda Pro-Brownback
District 107 Susan Concannon Approveda Anti-Brownback Yes
Sam Sacco Pro-Brownback
District 113 Greg Lewis Approveda Anti-Brownback Yes
Brett Fairchild Pro-Brownback
District 124 J. Stephen Alford Anti-Brownback No
Jeffrey Locke Unclear faction
Martin Long Approveda Anti-Brownback

Methodology[edit]

Determining incumbents' factions
Incumbents' factions were determined by their votes on legislation related to the Brownback tax cuts in Kansas' 2017 legislative session. This spreadsheet contains information on how members voted and shows our methodology for designating their faction.

Click on the boxes below to see the factions for members who were in the legislature when the 2017 tax cuts were repealed.[5]



Determining challengers' factions
Challengers' factions were determined by how they addressed tax and budget policy as well as education spending. Anti-Brownback Republicans said the tax cuts needed to be repealed to address inadequate spending on public education and a state supreme court order to increase education funding. Pro-Brownback Republicans said the government needed to spend existing school funding more effectively, especially on teacher salaries and classroom expenses, rather than attempting to increase revenue by repealing the tax cuts.[6]

We looked at challenger's campaign websites, their statements to media outlets, and their responses to a survey conducted by the organization Women for Kansas that asked about their position on the Brownback tax cuts. Additionally, supporters of Brownback's tax policies were identified based on endorsements by the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, which supported the Brownback tax cuts in 2012 and opposed their repeal in 2017, and endorsements by retiring incumbents.[7][8] We also used endorsements by the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the MainStream Coalition, which endorsed candidates opposed to the tax cuts.[9]

Read the sections below to see the statements and endorsements that we used to designate the candidates' factions.

District 5[edit]

Incumbent Kevin Jones , a pro-Brownback Republican, did not seek re-election. Republicans Mark Samsel and Renee Slinkard filed to replace him.

Mark Samsel: anti-Brownback.

Renee Slinkard: pro-Brownback,

District 6[edit]

Incumbent Jene Vickrey, a pro-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Clifford Blackmore filed to challenge her.

Clifford Blackmore: pro-Brownback.

District 8[edit]

Incumbent Patty Markley, an anti-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Chris Croft filed to challenge her.

Chris Croft: pro-Brownback.

District 11[edit]

Incumbent Jim Kelly, an anti-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican John Lowrance filed to challenge him.

John Lowrance: pro-Brownback.

District 12[edit]

Incumbent Doug Blex, a pro-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Brad Hall filed to challenge him.

Ballotpedia could not locate information on Brad Hall. If you have information, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.

District 13[edit]

Incumbent Larry Paul Hibbard, an anti-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Londa Tindle filed to challenge him.

Londa Tindle: pro-Brownback.

District 14[edit]

Incumbent Keith Esau, a pro-Brownback Republican, did not seek re-election. Republicans Charlotte Esau, Aaron Young and Tom Stanion filed to replace him.

Charlotte Esau: pro-Brownback.

Aaron Young: anti-Brownback.

Tom Stanion: anti-Brownback.

District 17[edit]

Incumbent Tom Cox, an anti-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Jim Eschrich filed to challenge him.

Jim Eschrich: pro-Brownback.

District 18[edit]

Incumbent Cindy Neighbor, a Democrat, filed for re-election. Republicans Cathy Gordon and Eric Jenkins filed to challenge her.

Ballotpedia could not locate information on Cathy Gordon. If you have information, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.

Eric Jenkins: pro-Brownback

District 27[edit]

Incumbent Sean Tarwater Sr., an incumbent without a clear faction, filed for re-election. Republicans Rochelle Bird and Karen Snyder filed to challenge him.

Rochelle Bird: pro-Brownback.

Karen Snyder: anti-Brownback

District 28[edit]

Incumbent Joy Koesten, an anti-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Kellie Warren filed to challenge her.

Kellie Warren: pro-Brownback

District 29[edit]

Incumbent Brett Parker, a Democrat, filed for re-election. Republicans Peggy Galvin and James Todd filed to challenge him.

Peggy Galvin: anti-Brownback

James Todd: anti-Brownback

District 30[edit]

Incumbent Randy Powell, a pro-Brownback Republican, did not seek re-election. Republicans Wendy Bingesser and Colleen Webster filed to replace him.

Wendy Bingesser: pro-Brownback

Colleen Webster: anti-Brownback

District 38[edit]

Incumbent Willie Dove, a pro-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Noel Hull filed to challenge him.

Ballotpedia could not locate information on Noel Hull. If you have information, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.

District 39[edit]

Incumbent Shelee Brim, an anti-Brownback Republican, did not seek re-election. Republicans Kristy Acree and Owen Donohoe filed to replace her.

Kristy Acree: anti-Brownback

Owen Donohoe: pro-Brownback

District 42[edit]

Incumbent Jim Karleskint, an anti-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Lance Neelly filed to replace him.

Lance Neelly: pro-Brownback

District 45[edit]

Incumbent Thomas Sloan, an anti-Brownback Republican, did not seek re-election. Republicans Cynthia Smith and Ronald Thacker filed to replace him.

Cynthia Smith: anti-Brownback

Ronald Thacker: pro-Brownback

District 49[edit]

Incumbent Scott Schwab, a pro-Brownback Republican, did not seek re-election. Republicans Fsehazion Desalegn and Megan Lynn filed to replace him.

Fsehazion Desalegn: anti-Brownback

Megan Lynn: pro-Brownback

District 59[edit]

Incumbent Blaine Finch, an incumbent without a clear faction, filed for re-election. Republican Shari Weber filed to replace him.

Ballotpedia could not locate information on Shari Weber. If you have information, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.

District 64[edit]

Incumbent Susie Swanson, an anti-Brownback Republican, did not seek re-election. Republicans Susan Carlson and Kathy Martin filed to replace her.

Susan Carlson: unclear faction

Kathy Martin: pro-Brownback

District 74[edit]

Incumbent Don Schroeder, an anti-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Stephen Owens filed to challenge him.

Stephen Owens: pro-Brownback

District 75[edit]

Incumbent Mary Martha Good, an anti-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Will Carpenter filed to challenge her.

Will Carpenter: pro-Brownback

District 80[edit]

Incumbent Anita Judd-Jenkins, an anti-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Bill Rhiley filed to challenge her.

Bill Rhiley: pro-Brownback

District 87[edit]

Incumbent Roger Elliott, an anti-Brownback Republican, did not seek re-election. Republicans Renee Erickson and Jeff Kennedy filed to replace him.

Renee Erickson: pro-Brownback

Jeff Kennedy: anti-Brownback

District 93[edit]

Incumbent John Whitmer, a pro-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican J.C. Moore filed to challenge him.

J.C. Moore: anti-Brownback

District 97[edit]

Incumbent Leslie Osterman, a pro-Brownback Republican, did not seek re-election. Republicans Nick Hoheisel and Michael Walker filed to replace him.

Nick Hoheisel: anti-Brownback

Ballotpedia could not locate information on Michael Walker. If you have information, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.

District 100[edit]

Incumbent Daniel Hawkins, a pro-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican James Breitenbach filed to challenge him.

Ballotpedia could not locate information on James Breitenbach. If you have information, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.

District 104[edit]

Incumbent Steven R. Becker, an anti-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Paul Waggoner filed to challenge him.

Paul Waggoner: pro-Brownback

District 107[edit]

Incumbent Susan Concannon, an anti-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Sam Sacco filed to challenge her.

Sam Sacco: pro-Brownback

District 113[edit]

Incumbent Greg Lewis, an anti-Brownback Republican, filed for re-election. Republican Brett Fairchild filed to challenge him.

Brett Fairchild: pro-Brownback

District 124[edit]

Incumbent J. Stephen Alford, an anti-Brownback Republican, did not seek re-election. Republicans Jeffrey Locke and Martin Long filed to replace him.

Jeffrey Locke: unclear faction

Martin Long: anti-Brownback:

Other retirements[edit]

These Republicans filed to replace retiring incumbents and did not receive challengers:

Election results[edit]

Kansas State Legislative Republican Primary Elections (August 7, 2018)

  • Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
  • Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
Office Candidates
Kansas House of Representatives District 5

Green check mark transparent.pngMark Samsel 
Renee Slinkard 
Kansas House of Representatives District 6

Green check mark transparent.pngJene Vickrey (i)
Clifford Blackmore 
Kansas House of Representatives District 8

Patty Markley (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngChris Croft 
Kansas House of Representatives District 11

Green check mark transparent.pngJim Kelly (i)
John Lowrance  Candidate Connection
Kansas House of Representatives District 12

Green check mark transparent.pngDoug Blex (i)
Brad Hall 
Kansas House of Representatives District 13

Green check mark transparent.pngLarry Paul Hibbard (i)
Londa Tindle 
Kansas House of Representatives District 14

Green check mark transparent.pngCharlotte Esau 
Tom Stanion 
Aaron Young 
Kansas House of Representatives District 17

Green check mark transparent.pngTom Cox (i)
Jim Eschrich 
Kansas House of Representatives District 18

Cathy Gordon 
Green check mark transparent.pngEric Jenkins 
Kansas House of Representatives District 27

Green check mark transparent.pngSean Tarwater Sr. (i)
Rochelle Bird 
Karen Snyder 
Kansas House of Representatives District 28

Joy Koesten (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngKellie Warren 
Kansas House of Representatives District 29

Peggy Galvin 
Green check mark transparent.pngJames Todd 
Kansas House of Representatives District 30

Green check mark transparent.pngWendy Bingesser  Candidate Connection
Colleen Webster 
Kansas House of Representatives District 38

Green check mark transparent.pngWillie Dove (i)
Noel Hull 
Kansas House of Representatives District 39

Kristy Acree 
Green check mark transparent.pngOwen Donohoe 
Kansas House of Representatives District 42

Green check mark transparent.pngJim Karleskint (i)
Lance Neelly 
Kansas House of Representatives District 45

Green check mark transparent.pngCynthia Smith 
Ronald Thacker 
Kansas House of Representatives District 49

Fsehazion Desalegn 
Green check mark transparent.pngMegan Lynn 
Kansas House of Representatives District 59

Green check mark transparent.pngBlaine Finch (i)
Shari Weber 
Kansas House of Representatives District 64

Green check mark transparent.pngSusan Carlson 
Kathy Martin 
Kansas House of Representatives District 74

Don Schroeder (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngStephen Owens 
Kansas House of Representatives District 75

Mary Martha Good (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngWill Carpenter 
Kansas House of Representatives District 80

Anita Judd-Jenkins (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngBill Rhiley 
Kansas House of Representatives District 87

Green check mark transparent.pngRenee Erickson 
Jeff Kennedy 
Kansas House of Representatives District 93

John Whitmer (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngJ.C. Moore 
Kansas House of Representatives District 97

Green check mark transparent.pngNick Hoheisel 
Michael Walker 
Kansas House of Representatives District 100

Green check mark transparent.pngDaniel Hawkins (i)
James Breitenbach 
Kansas House of Representatives District 104

Steven R. Becker (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngPaul Waggoner 
Kansas House of Representatives District 107

Green check mark transparent.pngSusan L. Concannon (i)
Sam Sacco 
Kansas House of Representatives District 113

Green check mark transparent.pngGreg Lewis (i)
Brett Fairchild 
Kansas House of Representatives District 124

Jeffrey Locke 
Green check mark transparent.pngMartin Long 


Campaign activity[edit]

Mailers by Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Americans for Prosperity[edit]

On July 27, The Hutchinson News reported that three anti-Brownback Republicans—Greg Lewis, Steven Becker, and Don Schroeder—claimed that Americans for Prosperity-Kansas and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce paid for mailers opposing them or supporting their opponents.[55]

Kansas Chamber of Commerce endorsements[edit]

On July 10, the Kansas Chamber of Commerce endorsed 22 pro-Brownback candidates running in contested primaries.[15]

MainStream Coalition endorsements[edit]

The MainStream Coalition endorsed eight anti-Brownback Republicans running in contested primaries.[20]

Noteworthy events[edit]

2017 legislative session dispute over tax cuts[edit]

On June 6, 2017, the Kansas legislature overrode Gov. Sam Brownback's (R) veto of legislation that repealed tax cuts Brownback had signed in 2012. Legislators' successful override came after several months of intra-party and inter-party conflict within the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature.

Anti-Brownback Republicans wanted to roll back the tax cuts to address an $887 million revenue shortfall in Kansas’ budget over two years and to respond to a state Supreme Court ruling in March 2017 that state funding for K-12 education had failed to meet constitutional requirements. Pro-Brownback Republicans argued that a rollback would amount to a tax hike and hurt the economy.

Democrats supported repealing the tax cuts but, in some cases, voted alongside pro-Brownback because they felt that additional tax revenue beyond a repeal of the tax cuts was needed or because of attached legislation related to school funding.

Eventually, the lines between these factions blurred enough to pass legislation on the tax cuts and to override Brownback’s veto.[56]

The 2012 tax cuts reduced the state’s income tax brackets from three to two. The original rates were 6.5 percent, 6.25 percent, and 3.5 percent, depending on an individual’s annual income. The 2012 legislation dropped those rates to 4.9 and 3 percent. It also established state income tax exemptions for more than 300,000 farmers and business owners throughout Kansas.[57]

The bill to repeal the cuts passed on June 5. The House voted 69-52 to remove the tax exemptions, bring back a third tax bracket, and raise income tax rates (5.7, 5.25, and 3.1). The Senate voted for the bill 26-14. The bill was expected to generate $1.2 billion in revenue over two years. Brownback immediately stated his intentions to veto the bill, saying, “Senate Bill 30 is a $1.2 billion tax hike, making it the largest in state history. This is bad for Kansas and bad for the many Kansans who would have more of their hard-earned money taken from them.” Following Brownback’s veto, the Legislature voted in favor of an override: 88-31 in the House and 27-13 in the Senate. Included among the yes votes for the override were eight House Republicans and six Senate Republicans who unseated Republican lawmakers aligned with Brownback in the 2016 primary elections.[6]

In February 2017, the Legislature passed a similar bill to rollback the tax cuts, but Brownback vetoed it. In response, the House voted 85-40 to override the veto. The Senate voted 24-16 to override Brownback, which was three votes shy of the 27 needed for the override to pass.

2016 primaries[edit]

In the primary elections held on August 2, 2016, six Republican incumbents were defeated in the state Senate primaries, while eight Republican incumbents were defeated in the state House primaries. The 14 incumbents who were ousted were pro-Brownback Republicans. They were displaced by Republicans running against the policies of Gov. Sam Brownback (R).

House incumbents defeated in 2016[edit]

Senate incumbents defeated in 2016[edit]

2012 primaries[edit]

In the 2012 elections, 19 Republican incumbents, mostly from the anti-Brownback wing of the party, were unseated.[58]

Media coverage[edit]

This section provides an overview of media reactions to the Kansas state legislative Republican primaries.[59] Selected articles are presented as a jumping-off point for deeper exploration of media coverage and as an overview of narratives that have emerged surrounding the elections.


Partisan control[edit]

The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Kansas House of Representatives and the Kansas State Senate as of August 2018:

Kansas House of Representatives[edit]

Party As of August 2018
     Democratic Party 40
     Republican Party 85
Total 125

Kansas State Senate[edit]

Party As of August 2018
     Democratic Party 9
     Republican Party 31
Total 40

Voter information[edit]

How the primary works[edit]

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Kansas utilizes a semi-closed primary process, in which previously unaffiliated voters can participate in the partisan primary of their choice (a voter who is already affiliated with a party can only vote in that party's primary).[60][61][62][63]

Poll times[edit]

In Kansas, most polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time, as Kansas mandates in its state laws that the polls must be open a minimum of 12 hours. Counties may open the polls earlier and close them later. If the polls close while a voter is in line, he or she will still be permitted to vote.[64]

Registration requirements[edit]

To vote in Kansas, one must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of Kansas. In order to register, an individual must be least 18 years old before the next election. Voters must register at least 21 days prior to Election Day. Registration can be done by completing and returning an application, either in person or by mail. Registration may also be completed online.[65]

On June 18, 2018, a federal judge struck down a Kansas law requiring citizens to present proof of citizenship when registering to vote. A federal appeals court subsequently affirmed that decision. For more information, see below.

Automatic registration[edit]

Kansas does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration[edit]

See also: Online voter registration

Kansas has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration[edit]

Kansas does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements[edit]

To register to vote in Kansas, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship[edit]

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

A provision of Kansas’ SAFE Act went into effect on January 1, 2013, requiring individuals to provide proof of citizenship with their voter registration applications. On June 18, 2018, Judge Julie Robinson, of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, struck down the proof of citizenship provision and ordered Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) to stop enforcing the rule. On June 20, 2018, Kobach’s office advised county clerks to comply with Robinson’s order. Kobach appealed the decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which heard oral arguments on March 18, 2019. On April 29, 2020, a Tenth Circuit panel affirmed the district court's ruling.[66][67][68][69]

Verifying your registration[edit]

The site Voter View, run by the Kansas Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements[edit]

Kansas requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[70]

Voters can present the following forms of identification:

A photo ID does not need to have an expiration date, but, if it does have an expiration date, it must not have expired at the time of voting. If the voter is over the age of 65, he or she can use an expired ID.[70]

The following voters are exempt from providing photo ID:[70]

Voters who do not have a photo ID can obtain one for free through the Division of Vehicles, Kansas Department of Revenue. The voter must provide proof of identity and proof of residence. The voter must also sign an affidavit. Voters can access the Certification Requesting Fee Waiver for Nondriver Identification Card form at all driver's license offices, county election offices, and on the secretary of state's website. If a voter does not have the proper documents to obtain a nondriver ID card, he or she can obtain a Kansas birth certificate from the Kansas Office of Vital Statistics for free. Voters can also apply for a free State Voter Identification Document. Voters should contact the election division of the secretary of state's office at election@sos.ks.gov or (800) 262-VOTE to apply.[70]

Background[edit]

The Kansas Secure and Fair Elections Act was signed into law on April 18, 2011, by Governor Sam Brownback (R). Beginning January 1, 2012, Kansas voters were required to present photo ID when voting in person. Beginning January 1, 2013, persons registering to vote for the first time were required to prove U.S. citizenship. Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) was sued over the law by Arthur Spry and Charles Hamner, two elderly Kansas residents whose ballots were not counted in the November 2012 general election because they could not provide photo identification. The lawsuit stated that neither had a driver's license or access to the birth records needed to secure a photo ID. The federal trial was set for May 11, 2015. On April 23, 2014, the federal lawsuit was dismissed. Both Spry and Hamner asked to have the case dismissed when the trial was scheduled after the 2014 elections.[71][72]

As of April 2021, 35 states enforced (or were scheduled to begin enforcing) voter identification requirements. A total of 21 states required voters to present photo identification at the polls; the remainder accepted other forms of identification. Valid forms of identification differ by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.[73][74]

Early voting[edit]

Kansas permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

As of April 2021, 38 states and the District of Columbia permitted early voting. Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on election day. States that do not permit early voting still permit some or all citizens to vote early by mail—often known as absentee voting. Some states allow no-excuse absentee voting, while others require an excuse. States that allow in-person absentee voting without an excuse are counted among early voting states. Click here for early voting laws by state.[75]

Absentee voting[edit]

All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Kansas. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee. An absentee ballot application must be received by the Tuesday prior to the election. Kansas refers to absentee voting as "advance voting."[76]

Pivot Counties[edit]

See also: Pivot Counties by state

There are no Pivot Counties in Kansas. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Kansas with 56.7 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 36.1 percent. In presidential elections between 1864 and 2016, Kansas voted Republican 84.21 percent of the time and Democratic 15.78 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Kansas voted Republican all five times.[77]

Presidential results by legislative district[edit]

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Kansas. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[78][79]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 29 out of 125 state House districts in Kansas with an average margin of victory of 21.8 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 34 out of 125 state House districts in Kansas with an average margin of victory of 20.9 points. Clinton won six districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 96 out of 125 state House districts in Kansas with an average margin of victory of 32.8 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 91 out of 125 state House districts in Kansas with an average margin of victory of 35.5 points. Trump won 11 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


See also[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ↑ New York Times, "Kansas election results," accessed August 7, 2018
  2. ↑ Washington Examiner, "Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback will resign Jan. 31 to become Trump's religious freedom ambassador," January 25, 2018
  3. ↑ Associated Press, "Candidate chides Kansas governor for not signing tax pledge," June 7, 2018
  4. ↑ Weber resigned in July and was replaced by Michael Capps.
  5. ↑ Emil Bergquist, who joined the legislature after the 2017 legislative session and replaced pro-Brownback Republican Greg Lakin, is considered a member without a clear faction.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Kansas City Star, "Legislature rolls back Brownback tax cuts after midnight; he immediately says he’ll veto," June 5, 2018
  7. ↑ USA Today, "Kansas tax cuts produced strong results," June 25, 2017
  8. ↑ Kansas City Star, "Education spending in Kansas: Both sides ‘are telling the truth,’" August 25, 2014
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, "KC BizPAC," accessed July 31, 2018
  10. ↑ The Ottawa Herald, "Changing culture top priority for House candidate," January 2, 2018
  11. ↑ Renee Slinkard for House, "Issues," accessed July 25, 2018
  12. ↑ Renee Slinkard for House, "Renee Slinkard Earns Key Endorsements," accessed July 25, 2018
  13. ↑ Facebook, "Blackmore for Kansas House District 6," February 20, 2018
  14. ↑ Chris Croft for House, "Issues," accessed July 25, 2018
  15. ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 Kansas Chamber of Commerce, "Chamber PAC Announces 1st Round of Pro-Business Primary Endorsements," July 10, 2018
  16. ↑ Facebook, "John Lowrance for Kansas House of Representatives," accessed July 25, 2018
  17. ↑ Londa Tindle for House, "Home," accessed July 25, 2018
  18. ↑ Charlotte Esau for House, "My Priorities," accessed July 25, 2018
  19. ↑ Aaron Young for House, "Issues," accessed July 25, 2018
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 MainStream Coalition, "MainPAC Endorsements," accessed August 2, 2018
  21. ↑ Shawnee Mission Post, "Citing moderate incumbent Tom Cox’s support for roll back of Brownback tax cuts, Republican Jim Eschrich files to run for District 17 House seat," November 24, 2017
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Eric Jenkins, "Home," accessed July 25, 2018
  23. ↑ Rochelle Bird for House, "Her Principles," accessed July 25, 2018
  24. ↑ Women for Kansas, "KS House District 27 Karen Snyder," accessed July 25, 2018
  25. ↑ Kellie Warren for House," "Issues," accessed July 25, 2018
  26. ↑ Peggy Galvin, "Home," accessed July 25, 2018
  27. ↑ Kansas City Star, "School finance is a key issue for Todd, Parker," October 25, 2016
  28. ↑ Wendy Bingesser for House, "Issues," accessed July 25, 2018
  29. ↑ Kansas City Star, "GOP lawmaker drops re-election bid in district where two openly gay Dems are running," June 1, 2018
  30. ↑ Women for Kansas, "KS House District 30 Coleen Webster," accessed July 25, 2018
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Kristy Acree for House, "SHAWNEE NATIVE ENDORSED BY RETIRING REPRESENTATIVE," May 18, 2018
  32. ↑ Owen Donohue for House, "Rep. Owen Donohoe files for State Representative," accessed July 25, 2018
  33. ↑ Owen Donohue for House, "Endorsements from Kansans for Life, KS Chamber and Family Policy Alliance," accessed July 25, 2018
  34. ↑ Facebook, "Lance Neelly For 42nd District Kansas State Representative," accessed July 25, 2018
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Lawrence Journal-World, "Local candidates for Kansas House share views at Lawrence forums," July 14, 2018
  36. ↑ Fsehazion Desalegn for House, "Goals," accessed July 25, 2018
  37. ↑ Megan Lynn for Kansas, "Issues," accessed July 25, 2018
  38. ↑ Susan Carlson for House, "On the Issues," accessed July 25, 2018
  39. ↑ Facebook, "Kathy Martin for Kansas State Representative 64th District," accessed July 25, 2018
  40. ↑ The Garden City Telegram, "Schroeder faces challenge if he seeks re-election," March 6, 2018
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 The Hutchinson News, "Kansas Chamber PAC backs conservative challengers," July 11, 2018
  42. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Will Carpenter, Karen Hasting face off for District 75 seat," July 10, 2018
  43. ↑ Bill Rhiley for Kansas, "Taxes and Spending," accessed July 25, 2018
  44. ↑ Renee Erickson for House, "Renee Erickson Files by Petition for Kansas House," accessed July 25, 2018
  45. ↑ Women for Kansas, "KS House District 87 Jeff Kennedy," accessed July 25, 2018
  46. ↑ Women for Kansas, "KS House District 93 J.C. Moore," accessed July 25, 2018
  47. ↑ Kansas City Star, "Man working for third political party in Kansas," June 14, 2013
  48. ↑ The Hutchinson News, "Paul Waggoner, R-Hutchinson," July 15, 2018
  49. ↑ Hutchinson News, "Waggoner points out differences with Becker," June 29, 2018
  50. ↑ North Central Kansas News, "107th District Candidate Sam Sacco Talks Issues & Concerns With Concordia Residents," May 30, 2018
  51. ↑ The Hutchinson News, "Brett Fairchild, R-St. John," July 15, 2018
  52. ↑ Women for Kansas, "KS House District 124 Jeffrey Grant Locke," accessed July 25, 2018
  53. ↑ Women for Kansas, "KS House District 124 Martin Long," accessed July 25, 2018
  54. ↑ Weber resigned on July 14 and Capps was appointed to fill his seat for the rest of 2018. Read more here.
  55. ↑ The Hutchinson News, "Mailers attack legislators who repealed Brownback tax policy," July 27, 2018
  56. ↑ Kansas City Star, "Legislature overrides Brownback’s veto of bill that rolls back his 2012 tax cuts," June 6, 2018
  57. ↑ U.S. News and World Report, "Kansas Lawmakers Revive Plan to Fix Budget With Big Tax Hike," May 10, 2017
  58. ↑ kwch.com, "Primary election results show changes coming to KS politics," accessed August 4, 2016
  59. ↑ In selecting articles for inclusion in this section, Ballotpedia has drawn from a variety of sources and viewpoints to identify articles that are representative of broader trends in media coverage.
  60. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 25, 2019
  61. ↑ FairVote, "Primaries," accessed October 25, 2019
  62. ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
  63. ↑ Scott Schwab Kansas Secretary of State, "Voting Rules for Primary Elections," accessed October 25, 2019
  64. ↑ Vote Kansas, “When and where do I vote?” accessed October 17, 2019
  65. ↑ Kansas Office of the Secretary of State, "Kansas Voter Registration Instructions," accessed October 7, 2019
  66. ↑ United States District Court for the District of Kansas, "Fish v. Kobach and Bednasek v. Kobach: Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law," June 18, 2018
  67. ↑ The Topeka Capital-Journal, "Kobach's office tells counties to stop asking for proof of citizenship," June 20, 2018
  68. ↑ AP News, "Kansas hopes to resurrect proof-of-citizenship voting law," accessed October 6, 2019
  69. ↑ United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, "Fish v. Schwab: Opinion and Order," April 29, 2020
  70. ↑ 70.0 70.1 70.2 70.3 Kansas Secretary of State, "Valid Forms of Photographic Identification," accessed October 7, 2019
  71. ↑ Topeka Capital Journal, "Trial set for 2015 in suit over voter ID law," April 9, 2014
  72. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "2 men end federal lawsuit over Kansas voter ID law," accessed April 24, 2014
  73. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Voter Identification Requirements|Voter ID Laws," June 5, 2017
  74. ↑ The Washington Post, "Do I need an ID to vote? A look at the laws in all 50 states," October 27, 2014
  75. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Laws Governing Early Voting," August 2, 2019
  76. ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, “Registration and Voting,” accessed October 19, 2019
  77. ↑ 270towin.com, "Kansas," accessed June 1, 2017
  78. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  79. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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