In the news section, we have been running stories under the heading, "Is it 2020 yet?" regarding the ambitions of legislators and politicians for the 2020 US Congressional races. With the 2019 Kansas Legislative Session behind us (mostly, Sine Die, the final day, is still ahead on May 29), isn't 2020 what is next? Despite what the news, Facebook, or the donation emails flooding in would say, no, 2020 is not next. In Kansas, we vote every year, in August and November. In just two and-one-half months, on August 6, 2019, Kansans will go to the polls for a Primary Election.
This year, we will vote in local elections, for municipal, school board, and county-level positions. These are the elected officials who most closely affect the lives of every Kansan. These are the positions that determine how garbage is collected, how streets are paved, how schools are run, how shops are built, and how people live in their neighborhoods. In many cases, these are the people who administer the decisions made in Topeka. They are critical to our daily life experience.
Local positions can be hugely impactful. In this past year, several municipalities passed non-discrimination ordinances, protecting LGBTQ+ Kansans when the State was unable to even have such a thing heard in the Legislature.
Local elections are largely non-partisan. This gives policy a chance to hold more importance than party affiliation, a position MainStream strongly advocates.
If those are not reasons enough to pay attention to the 2019 elections, these officials elected to local positions often go on to serve in higher office. Two years ago, we ran a piece called They once were local officials, outlining the political origins of some of the Legislature's members. We encourage you to look it over, but here are just a few of the voices we heard this past session, and where their elected careers began.
- Rep. Cindy Neighbor - Shawnee Mission School Board
- Sen. Molly Baumgardner - Trustee, Johnson County Community College
- Sen. John Doll - Mayor, Garden City
- Sen. Pat Pettey - UG Wyandotte/KCK Commission
- Rep. Ron Ryckman, Jr. - Olathe City Council
- Sen. John Skubal - Overland Park City Council
- Rep. Kristey Williams - Mayor, Augusta
Here are the important dates to know, heading in to this election, courtesy of the Office of the Kansas Secretary of State. (link)
- June 3 (noon) - Last day to file to run for local election
- July 16 - Last day to register to vote in the Primary (Register to vote now at ksvotes.org!)
- July 17 - First day for advance voting
- August 6 - Primary Election Day!
MainStream will be working to encourage voters to register and vote this election, and we hope you will join us.
Do more than vote.
