Category: Politics

As I have noted earlier, I am within walking distance of my polling place. In fact, I have occasionally walked my Minpin and my uncle’s Black Lab by the place. I don’t think it would be appropriate to bring a non-service dog to the polls, so at a quarter to seven, I made the trek alone.

As always, I am disclosing by ballot selections of my own free will. No consideration has been offered or considered for this disclosure.

US Senate: As previously noted, incumbent Jerry Moran‘s office was the most responsive regarding passenger rail.

US Representative, KS-01: Lawrence was gerrymandered from the 2nd District to the first, meaning that our candidates were changed. I went for incumbent Republican Tracey Mann. It will be interesting to see how left-leaning Lawrence will influence the otherwise heavily right-leaning district.

Governor: Four years ago, I voted for Laura Kelly because she was facing the infamous Kris Kobach. (more on him below) This time, I went back to the GOP candidate, Derek Schmidt. The political advertisements had focused on the economy: Kelly supporters accuse Schmidt of planning to re-implement economic measures of the Brownback Administration that they considered devastating, while Schmidt’s campaign accuses Kelly of wrecking the economy with her current economic action.

Secretary of State: Generally, Scott Schwab has kept his nose clean.

Attorney General: Incumbent Derek Schmidt gave up the AG position to run for governor. Running on the republican platform is Kris Kobach. If I didn’t already hate him, one of his antics at Secretary of State got him a serious “benchslap” from a US District Court judge. I’m surprised that the disciplinary office didn’t take any further action. I don’t think he should be qualified to be an attorney, let alone AG. I voted for Democrat Chris Mann.

State Treasurer: Four years ago, Jake LaTurner successfully ran for this position. Two years ago, he successfully ran for Congress in District 2. Governor Kelly appointed her then-Lieutenant Governor, Lynn Rogers, to the vacancy created by LaTurner’s move to Washington. Rogers is now seeking a full term in the Treasurer’s office. However, I went with the GOP candidate, Steven Johnson.

Insurance Commissioner: I voted to retain incumbent Republican Vicki Schmidt.

State Representative: Incumbent Dennis “Boog” Highberger ran unopposed. This seat has been a solid seat for the Democrats for as long as I have been a voter.

Judicial Retention: There was a campaign on the right to oust much of the Supreme Court. Six out of the seven Supreme Court seats were up for retention this election cycle. I voted to retain them all, along with the Court of Appeals and District Court positions.

Ballot Questions: There were two constitutional amendments and one Douglas County ballot question. The first amendment was one that would give the legislature an opportunity to veto any actions taken by an executive agency. This came about because Republican legislators did not agree with Governor Kelly’s actions in handling the early waves of COVID. The second was to mandate the elected office of Sheriff in the counties that currently have one (Riley County, which contains most of the city of Manhattan, is the only one county in Kansas that doesn’t) I voted against both of these questions. The Douglas County question was straightforward: “Shall the Governing Body of Douglas County, Kansas, increase its number of commissioner districts from three to five?” The only downside I see is if no one wants to run for the two newly created seats. I voted for the measure.

Today is the primary elections in Kansas. Since the 2020 election, I have moved (twice) from Lake Dabinawa and have wound up in East Lawrence. My new polling place is about a five-minute walk from the house. I got there around 6:45 and was first in line, and first to submit a ballot, when the polls opened at 7:00.

I share who I voted for of my own free will. No incentive or consideration has been made to share my voting selections.

I made it out to the polling place for the 2020 general election at about 11:30. I was ballot number 181.

President: I cannot stand Donald Trump. In 2016, I couldn’t vote for Hillary Clinton, either, and went third-party. (knowing full well that Trump was likely to take Kansas, which he did) I had no qualms about voting for Joe Biden this year. Trump is still likely to take Kansas.

US Senate: Clarance Oveur… I mean, Pat Roberts… is retiring. I went with Republican Roger Marshall over Democrat Barbara Bollier. Had Kris Kobach won the primary, Bollier would have gotten my nod. Although Bollier had the fundraising advantage leading into the General, Marshall will likely carry his home territory in the 1st Congressional district. (The ‘Big First’ has also moved Bob Dole, Roberts, and our other current Senator, Jerry Moran) The Balance will likely be in Shawnee and Sedgwick Counties.

US House, District 2: I voted for Jake LaTurner. Although I think Michelle De La Isla will fare well in Shawnee and Douglas Counties, I doubt that her credentials as the current Mayor of Topeka will fare well in the rural districts.

Kansas House, District 47: I expect the incumbent, Republican Ron Ellis, to easily carry the house district.

Kansas Senate, District 2: Even though she is a Democrat, I told Marci Francisco that I would not vote against her unless I was her opponent. I did not run for the Republican nomination for this seat, and neither did anyone else.

Everything else: The State Board of Education seat, currently held by Democrat Ann Mah, was unopposed, as were all of the county and township races. Five Court of Appeals seats, along with one Supreme Court seat and one District Magistrate seat, were up for uncontested retention.

Because my family had to quarantine for two weeks leading to the Primary, my mother and I both applied for and received advanced ballots.

After filling out and signing out ballots, I dropped them off together at the drop box at the Downtown Lawrence post office on August 1.

The ballots should have gone from Lawrence to the Shawnee Mission sorting facility, then to Oskaloosa for delivery to the Jefferson County Clerk.

For this year’s primary election, I did not go to the polling place on Tuesday. Because of a COVID-related quarantine, I elected to receive a mail-in advance ballot. I mailed the ballot in on August 1st.

There were only two contested races on my primary ballot. Both of the contested races were won by my preferred candidate.

The titular mirror stands over the corner of 21st Street and Wellman Road, the closest point from the paved road to my new election site: Sarcoxie Township station #2.

Kansas Governor: I promised back in August that if Kris Kobach won the primary, I would vote for the Democrat. Not only did I vote for Democrat Laura Kelly, I put up a sign for her in front of the Kennedy Compound.