2022 UDK Voter Guide

GUIDE KANSAS

NEWS MANAGEMENT

Editor-in-chief Tristan Allen

Managing editor Sarah Carson Audience engagementeditor Karen Morales

ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT

Business manager Chloe Fuleihan Sales manager Connor Doane

SECTION MANAGEMENT

News editor Matthew Petillo Associate news editor Daniel Steck Sports editor Madelynn Hartley Associate sports editor Jordan Ziegler Arts & culture editor Elizabeth Walters Opinion editor Jenna Barackman Graphics editor Lane Rozin Phifer Multimedia editor John Biehler Associate multimedia editor Chloe Anderson Design editor Camryn Robbinson Copy chief Jubilee Chandra

Letter from the editor

Tristan Allen | @TristanMAllen

The time has come for you to cast your vote and have your voice heard at all levels of government.

Voting is a fundamental right protected by the U.S. Constitution. Still, it can sometimes feel like a big responsibility you don’t feel empowered to handle with so many people and issues on the ballot.

That’s why we created this voter guide: to help inform you, the voter, about who is on the ballot and where they stand on certain issues.

We’re not endorsing anybody — with advance and mail-in voting more prevalent because of the COVID-19 pandemic, you might have already cast your vote, or you might have already decided who you’re going to vote for down the ballot, or you

might not have a clue about any of it.

Ads in the media may represent one candidate as the next great leader or as the harbinger of doom, focusing solely on the good or bad of those seeking to represent you in govern ment and getting a salary your tax dollars pay.

But what about issues further down the ballot that might not make it onto the radio on your way to work or into the ads during football games over the weekend? They don’t get as much attention, but you’re voting on them.

Did you know you’re voting to keep or get rid of certain judges in Kansas, including judges on the state Supreme Court that ruled the state constitution protected the right to an

abortion? Or what about the two state constitutional amendments on the ballot this time — completely dif ferent from the one Kansas voted on back in August re garding access to abortion?

Regardless of where you stand on the issues, our democracy works best when everyone casts their vote and makes their voices heard. Our government can only represent us as well as we represent ourselves at the polls. To be fully repre sented, we should make an effort to go to the polls, fill out and cast a ballot, and help those around us do the same.

If you aren’t sure if you’re registered to vote in Kan sas, the Secretary of State’s website has resources to help you check that, find out where you can vote,

and see a sample ballot of what you will be voting on. If you don’t feel confident about what you’re voting on, that’s where the Univer sity Daily Kansan comes in. The Kansan believes that knowledge is power, and we hope to help you confident ly cast your vote this No vember by giving you infor mation on the people and issues you’ll be voting for in a nonpartisan manner. We reached out to every candidate we covered to ask them their stances on the issues, and we present them to you as they came. When we couldn’t hear back from someone, we sourced their answers as best we could.

By reading this voter’s guide, we hope to make you feel empowered in your right to vote on Nov. 8.

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The Douglas County Commission consists of three members. This voting cycle, the 1st district seat is up for election, currently held by Democrat Patrick Kelly. He is running for re-election against Repub lican Justin Spiehs and Libertarian Scott Jacob.

The Douglas County Com mission legislates county policy mainly concerning taxes, budget and local development. Members are elected for four-year terms.

Kelly has lived in Lawrence since 1989, having earned a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s in educational leadership at

Douglas County Commission

the University of Kansas. He went on to become a teacher and administrator for the Lawrence Public School District. Previously, he has served as a member of the Lawrence-Doug las County Metropolitan Planning Commission and the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission.

Kelly has been a County Commissioner since 2018 for Douglas County’s 1st district. He’s been involved more recently with the opening of the Treatment and Recovery Center of Douglas County, a project which has caught flack for bringing in a for-profit

Patrick Kelly Democrat

Introduce yourself

I have lived in Kansas since I came to University of Kansas a little over 30 years ago. After gradu ating, I taught music in Topeka and was excited to later come back to Law rence to work at West Middle School, Free State High School, and Hillcrest Elementary School. I have been an educator in Law rence for over 20 years, and prior to my current position I worked with a number of community members and educators to design, open, and lead the Lawrence College & Ca reer Center. Community service has been a big part of my life. For six years I served on the Lawrence Douglas County Planning Commission and before that I was on the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission. I am very active in building leadership capacity across our community through Leadership Lawrence and Leadership Douglas Coun ty, and I am also part of the teaching staff at the Kansas Leadership Center. When I do have spare time, I enjoy performing in local community theatre pro ductions, playing basketball with friends, and domi nating my fantasy football league.

Do you have a plan to help reduce housing costs?

Affordable housing is a complex problem and will require partnership be tween land owners, private developers, and govern ment. Douglas County wants to avoid suburban sprawl and protect valuable undeveloped land. At the same time, the a limited amount of housing stock in Lawrence is causing prop erty values, and therefore rent, to increase rapidly. These two competing val ues -- limiting growth to preserves natural resources

and the need for affordable housing -- create tension within our community. I support the revision of the land development code that should lower housing costs and create addition al opportunities for infill development. The Doug las County Commission also prioritized supportive housing in allocating our American Rescue Plan funds. This additional housing should increase housing stock, while providing much needed services and lead to a more balanced housing market.

Will you use your office to help expand public tran sit and fight the housing crisis?

I’m excited that the City of Lawrence will be moving to a free fare structure for Lawrence Transit begin ning in 2023. When I first took office in 2018, our Human Services Coalition made it clear that transpor tation was a key issue in addressing the needs of our community. I’m pleased that that group, which is lead by Douglas County, was able to make progress on transit issues. Because Douglas County’s munici palities (Lawrence, Eudora, Baldwin and Lecompton) are so far apart, a regional transportation system, like the one in Johnson Coun ty, isn’t currently viable. However, we work closely with our Human Service partners to make sure those who need transportation can get access.

What healthcare policies will you support if elected?

The best way to address healthcare cost in Kansas is to expand Medicaid. Every state that borders Kansas has taken advantage of these federal dollars; it’s time for the Kansas legis lature to do the same. If we don’t, we can expect not

company to manage the center after the Doug las County Commission claimed that Bert Nash and LMH Health, the two non-profit organizations originally contracted to run the center, had missed several filing deadlines. Spiehs is a U.S. Navy veter an who moved to Lawrence in 2009 from Grand Island, NE, after being honorably discharged. After earning a doctorate in human de velopment at Kansas State University, he taught in the Family and Human Ser vices Department at Wash burn University. He has been active in Lawrence as

an anti-mask and anti-vac cine advocate.

Spiehs has been cited numerous times for his right-wing activism. He first came to prominence protesting outside the USD 497 school district ad ministrative headquarters.

After yelling at a Kansas Reflector editor in the Kan sas Capitol building during a state legislature commit tee meeting, he was arrest ed in a separate incident involving a vaccine clinic.

According to the Lawrence Times, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of child endanger ment and endangerment.

Jacob has been primarily based in Lawrence since 1983. He has worked as a maintenance worker for the city for over 30 years and as an Uber driver for three years. He graduat ed from Lawrence High School in 1989.

Jacob does not have much history in Douglas County politics, with no previous history of run ning for office or holding public office.

only higher medical bills for Kansans, but also the loss of medical pro fessionals to surrounding states.

The Doug las County Commis sion, in partnership with the City of Lawrence, provides support to Lawrence Douglas County Pub lic Health.

I support the initiatives in our public health plan, but healthcare policies are pri marily a function of state and federal governments. Douglas County does allo cate funding to Heartland Community Health which provides healthcare for the uninsured.

Do you believe in a right to abortion? Why or why not?

Yes, I believe in the right to abortion. We should elect state legislators and retain state judges who will preserve that right in Kansas. I believe that it is a personal healthcare issue, and the decision should be between women and their doctors. I do not support a nationwide ban of abor tion.

Where do you stand on LGBT rights?

I am proud to live in a community that celebrates our LGBT community. Our schools have been recognized for their sup port of LGBT rights, and I’m grateful of the work we have done. I have been fortunate to participate in Transformations and am pleased that our Douglas County Commission annu ally provides a proclama

tion to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Everyone in Douglas County should feel proud to celebrate who they are, and they should be proud of whom they love. Each of us should stand against the absurdity of hate and intolerance.

What specific policy do you support that would miti gate the effects of climate change, and what will you do to ensure this policy is enacted?

Douglas County has been a leader in address ing climate change. I know your question asked for one specific policy, but I real ly hope your readers will check out Douglas Coun ty’s Climate Action Plan (Google it!) If I had to pick one specific policy, I would point to our new industrial solar regulations. They have already been recognized as a model for other commu nities. In order to address climate change we must look to renewable sources of power. Industrial solar has great potential, but it also can impact our land resources. Our new regu lations seek to provide a needed balance while also encouraging other sustain able practices such as agri voltaics (animals grazing

under solar panels).

Jacob: Small things like ending automatic sprin klers on county property, or accountability on how much plastic is really being recycled in the bins. Sort ing is an expensive under taking and who knows if it’s getting done.

Why should we trust you to represent and vote for us?

Local government has mostly avoided the partisan division and financial coer cion that plagues national and state politics. I appreci ate hearing from those who live in our community and understanding what they value. While we all want quick and easy solutions to the challenges we face, I take comfort that given time, we can work togeth er to first understand and then make choices that will help strengthen Douglas County. I am committed to providing honest, princi pled and inclusive leader ship. I have served the past four years with tremendous gratitude for the trust this community has put it me and ask you to vote for Patrick Kelly for Douglas County Commission.

--Jeannine Lopez and Mat thew Petillo

Justin Spiehs

Republican

Introduce yourself

I’m a U.S. Submarine Service Veteran. I have a PhD in Human Devel opment from KSTATE, a Masters degree in Mar riage and Family Therapy from KSTATE, a Bachelors degree in Human Services with dual emphasis in Addiction Counseling and Mental Health from Wash burn University and an As sociates degree in Alcohol and Other Drug Studies from San Diego City Col lege. I taught in the Fam ily and Human Services Department at Washburn as a tenure-track Assistant Professor. I was licensed in Kansas as a Marriage and Family Therapist and a Master Addiction Coun selor. I worked locally as a therapist for adults and children who had been sexually abused and as an addictions counselor at a residential treatment center in Topeka. I served on the Board of Directors at The STA CARE Center in Lawrence and I was a board member on the BSRB Addiction Counsel ing Advisory Committee.

I’m running against current Democrat Com missioner Patrick Kelly who is USD497 school district’s Chief Academic

Officer. In this position, he developed and imple mented the inappropriate Gender Identity and Hu man Sexuality curriculum for all K-12 students in the district, meaning adults talk with kids about sexual topics beginning at age 5. This is grooming and we all should be asking him why he feels it necessary to discuss sexual issues with children and why that thought would ever even cross his mind.

Do you have a plan to help reduce housing costs?

The reason your rent has gone up so much is because Democrat poli ticians across Lawrence have increased property taxes again this year. Some of you reading this may be thinking that increased property taxes do not impact you because you rent the place you live at but you’d be wrong because your landlord now has to raise your rent in order for him or her to afford to pay for the increased property taxes your place is built on.

It’s not the evil greedy Cap italist landlords that are to blame for your rent going up. Your rent is going up because incompetent local Democrat politicians like

Steve Jacob Libertarian

Introduce yourself

Steve Jacob, Libertarian for County Commission.

Lived in Lawrence since 1983 (except one year in Perry Kansas) raised two great kids here. I love seeing the new found freedoms of students, I have drove many of you to and from, let’s go with the library, via Uber. I just love your spirit, joy, and hope I see from the younger generation.

Do you have a plan to help reduce housing costs?

We need more housing in general. More compe tition means more com petitive prices. I will do everything I can, includ ing changing zoning, to accomplish that.

Will you use your office to help expand public transit and fight the hous ing crisis?

Public transit in Law rence is very inefficient, but that is more of a city issue. (I think KU does a better job). As men tioned above, I will fight for more housing, and lower spending for the county so your landlords

will pay less taxes, be cause when taxes go up, they will pass that cost on to the consumer every time.

What healthcare policies will you support if elect ed?

I am in support of more funding for home less services, we are only as strong as out weakest citizens.

Do you believe in a right to abortion? Why or why not?

I cannot think of any thing more cruel then forcing a mother to carry a child full term against their will. Not only is choice a health care issue, but it’s also a mental health issue.

Where do you stand on LGBT rights?

The Libertarian Party has been for LGBT rights since its founding in 1971. It’s wonderful see ing in my lifetime every one publicly living their best lives. Equality and inclusion are wonderful. As far as people offended by transgender athletes, drag queens in libraries, and worried about bath

Patrick Kelly keep unnec essarily raising property taxes.

My plan to reduce hous ing costs is simple: I’m not going to raise property tax es while I’m county com missioner and therefore housing will become more affordable. Along with not raising property taxes I’m also offering assistance to put money in your pocket by way of tax relief. My tax plan consists of the follow ing:

1. I will reduce property taxes by using money the county already has in its $42 million savings fund and $12.6 million that has accumulated over the years from the county’s one-cent sales tax revenue. That’s $55 million Democrat commissioner Patrick Kelly could have used to reduce county property taxes but didn’t. He has contribut ed to the 70% increase in Douglas County’s property taxes over the past 20 years while the Kansas average is 8%. Meaning you’re pay ing more in monthly rent because of Patrick Kelly.

2. I will propose imme diately refunding taxpayers using money from the $55 million I mentioned above.

3. I will propose a hy brid-TABOR (Taxpayers

Bill of Rights) policy that 1. Caps how much mon ey the county can col lect in property taxes, 2. Refunds tax payers with any sur plus tax revenue, 3. Caps how much the county can spend, and 4. Puts any tax increase requests on the ballot for the community to vote on.

4. I will propose put ting both the one-cent jail expansion sales tax and the quarter-cent mental health sales tax back on the ballot so that the commu nity can vote and decide if they would like to do the following with one or both of these taxes: 1. Eliminate them, 2. Suspend them for a period of time, 3. Reduce them by a certain percent age or 4. Cap how much money can be collected with any surplus money refunded back to the tax payer.

With my tax plan you won’t need to rely on the local government to re

duce housing costs because you’ll just have more mon ey to live on. It’s not rocket science. The fact that Dem ocrat Patrick Kelly does not understand this and once again raised proper ty taxes should be reason enough for the community to vote him out on Novem ber 8th. If you don’t vote him out then all I can say is enjoy your rent increases the next four years because that’s exactly what’s going to happen with Patrick Kelly in office.

Will you use your office to help expand public tran sit and fight the housing crisis?

I’m excited that the City of Lawrence will be mov ing to a free fare structure for Lawrence Transit be ginning in 2023.

rooms, worrying (and campaigning) about those things smacks of white priv ilege.

What specific policy do you support that would mitigate the effects of climate change, and what will you do to ensure this policy is enacted?

Small things like end ing automatic sprinklers on county property, or accountability on how much plastic is really being recycled in the bins. Sorting is an expensive undertaking and who knows if it’s getting done.

With so much misrep resentation in state and national levels of gov ernment, why should we trust you to represent and vote for us?

The best way is hon esty, that’s the Libertar ian way. It took a local reporter using the open records act to find out the County Commission was going to an outside for-profit organization over local non-prof it Bert Nash, which we all assumed would run

it, to run a Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center. Once it was reported, the elected officials defended the secrecy. So don’t take a politician’s word they are trustworthy, let them show you. And let the press keep them in check.

Governor

Democratic incumbent Laura Kelly, Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt and Indepen dent Dennis Pyle will run against one another in the Kansas governor’s race.

Back in 2018, Kelly was elected governor, beating her Republican opponent Kris Kobach by five points. From 2005 to 2019, she served on the Kansas Sen ate representing the 18th district, covering Silver Lake, Rossville, St. Marys and Wamego. Her cam paign website says she “has prioritized fully funding public schools, expand ing affordable healthcare, reforming the child welfare system and growing the Kansas economy.”

Schmidt was elected Kan sas Attorney General back

in 2010 and then re-elected in 2014 and 2018. Before becoming the attorney general, he served in the Kansas State Senate from 2001 to 2011. His campaign website says he is a “strong supporter of personal responsibility, individual freedoms and the Consti tution.” Schmidt has been endorsed by both former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence.

Independent candidate Pyle served in the Kansas House of Representatives from 2001 to 2002 then was elected to the Kansas State Senate to serve from 2005 to the present. On his campaign website, it says “Kansans have witnessed Dennis’ commitment to fight for Christian values,

Laura Kelly Democrat

Introduce yourself

I began my professional career working in New York with children with severe mental illness and, later in Denver, with children with severe respiratory disease. In 1986, when Kansas became home, I became the first Executive Director of the Kansas Recreation and Park Association. For 18 years, I traveled to com munities, large and small, working to enhance Kan sans’ quality of life. In 2004, I was elected to the Kansas Senate, serving for 14 years.

As the Ranking Member of both the Ways and Means Committee and the Public Health and Welfare Com mittee, I worked across the aisle to deliver for Kansans. In 2018, I ran for Governor to use the knowledge, skill set and relationships I had developed during my time in the Senate to turn Kansas around and put our state back on the path to pros perity. My husband, Ted Daughety, MD and I raised our daughters, Molly and Kathleen, in Topeka. Both are proud graduates of To peka High School and the University of Kansas.

Do you have a plan to help reduce housing costs?

Our economic develop ment success over the past 3.5 years has highlighted the drastic need for more moderate-income housing, more childcare options for families, and for internet connectivity and afford ability all across the state. During my first term, we completed a statewide housing assessment (first one in 30 years), worked with the legislature to create incentives for developers

to build, redesigned some incentives to allow more flexibility in growing the housing stock, and signifi cantly increased the budget of the Kansas Housing Resources Council to spur more housing projects. We will continue these suc cessful investments in my second term.

Will you use your office to help expand public transit and fight the housing crisis?

When I first took office, our infrastructure was in shambles. Our roads, bridges, and highways were crumbling because the previous administra tion funneled money away from our infrastructure to fund a reckless ‘tax exper iment.’ Now, we’ve turned the ship, and rebuilt our roads, bridges, and high ways to make them safe. As a part of our infrastructure program, we made invest ments in our public transit system so that all Kansans can travel to work, school, and other activities. These investments include local cost sharing initiatives that allow local governments to fund public transportation improvements in ways that serve their communities best. We dedicated millions to improving public trans portation across the state. These improvements will make Kansas public trans portation more accessible and improve the quality of life across the state.

What is your plan to help reduce healthcare costs?

The first step we can take is to finally expand Med icaid. Expansion would expand access to affordable healthcare for over 150,000

strong schools and an end to corruption in govern ment.”

While 2022 brought many controversial topics to the table, these candidates stayed true to their beliefs throughout the election cycle.

On the topic of abortion, these three candidates all stay true to their political parties.

In a tweet following the outcome of the Aug. 2 primary election, where an amendment concerning abortion access was on the ballot, Kelly said, “Kansans stood up for fundamental rights today. We rejected divisive legislation that jeopardized our econom ic future & put women’s health care access at risk.” Kelly supported the move

to keep abortion legal and safe in the state of Kansas.

Both Schmidt and Pyle stand as pro-life on the abortion topic. During the abortion vote, Schmidt said in a statement that he “will join with other pro-life Kansans in casting my vote for Value Them Both.”

Another topic brought up during the election season was the second amend ment, the right to bear arms. Kelly’s website says “Laura will work to imple ment common sense gun safeguards – like requiring background checks on all gun sales, banning bump stocks and limiting access to the types of assault weap ons that were designed for war.”

Both Schmidt and Pyle are pro-second amendment. On

both of their websites, they both state their support for the right to bear arms.

On a campaign website, it says Schmidt “vigorously opposes gun, magazine and ammunition bans.”

All three candidates stand strong in investing in K-12 education and creat ing more opportunities for all Kansans.

--Abby Moore

hard-working Kansans and boost our econo my, creating near ly 23,000 jobs. Kansas has lost out on nearly $6 billion due to our failure to expand Medicaid. We are losing health care providers to our neighboring states, all of which have expanded Medicaid. I’ve proposed a plan to expand Medicaid every year since taking office. I’ll propose my fifth plan to the Leg islature in January 2023. We cannot wait any longer. We must stop the political games and get this done.

Where do you stand on abortion?

I stand with the ma jority of Kansans who do not want the government involved in their private healthcare decisions. It’s clear that this issue isn’t a partisan issue. Kansans of all political stripes agree that maintaining funda mental rights and leaving private healthcare decisions to women and their physi cians are Kansas values. I will not support any regres sive legislation that takes away rights from Kansans or threatens our ability to attract new business to Kansas.

Do you believe that trans gender athletes should compete with their gender of choice?

Kansas kids deserve fairness on the playing field and a safe place to go to school. These judgements should be made by the ex perts, medical profession

als, and the KSHSAA – not politicians.

What specific policy do you support that would miti gate the effects of climate change, and what will you do to ensure this policy is enacted?

Of all the challenges and opportunities states face in our rapidly changing econ omy, few have an impact as far-reaching in our every day lives – and in our future – as energy policy. I’ve always subscribed to an “all of the above” approach to energy policy, and Kansas is uniquely positioned to lead the way in the devel opment and expansion of clean and renewable energy in particular – from wind to solar to biofuels. My administration approached the infrastructure plan with our future energy needs at the forefront. We dedicat ed millions in funding to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along the state’s most traveled high ways. We are also incentiv izing Kansas companies to develop and export renew able energy technologies.

We continue to recruit busi nesses that prioritize and focus on renewable energy to strengthen the econo my, like the new Panasonic plant in De Soto which will

expand battery production for electric vehicles – and Invenergy, which will bring high-paying, high-skilled jobs to Kansas and will expand access to clean, renewable energy around the country.

Why should we trust you to represent and vote for us?

Four years ago, I ran for Governor in order to get our state back on track, after the prior adminis tration left our state in a really tough place. Schools were underfunded, roads and bridges were crum bling, and our economy was in freefall. And now, despite all the challenges our country faced these last few years, here in Kansas, we are back on track. We balanced our budget every year. We fully funded our schools. We recruited some of the biggest employers in the country to come to Kansas and surpassed more than $14 billion in new business investment. We cut $1 billion in taxes – like the food tax and property taxes. I’m proud of that record. We’ve come a long way – and we simply can’t afford to turn backwards now.

Derek Schmidt Republican Dennis Pyle Independent

Neither candidate responded to the Kansan’s questions after multiple attempts to contact their campaigns.

Want to know what’s happening on campus?

Kansas House/Senate

Although there are no competitive races among Lawrence’s local senators and representatives this year, the Kansan still wants to educate readers as to who the elected officials are and what they stand for.

The representatives for the Kansas House, Christina Haswood (D), Barbara Ballard (D), Mike Amyx (D) and Dennis “Boog” Highberger (D) are all up for reelection this year but are each run ning unopposed.

Christina Haswood (D) is the District 10 Repre sentative and was first elected in 2020.

Haswood has sponsored 24 bills and resolutions during the 2021-22 legisla tive session, including the abolishment of the death penalty and the creation

of the crime of aggravated murder (HB 2300), and allowing an individual to have a gender designation of “X” on driver’s licens es (HB 2666). Haswood supports the expansion of Medicaid access, fighting for reproductive rights and the legalization of marijuana, according to her website.

Barbara Ballard (D) is the District 44 Represen tative and was first elected in 1993. She is the lon gest-serving member of the Kansas House.

Throughout the 2021-22 legislative session, Ballard has sponsored 17 bills and resolutions including the recognition of anti-semi tism in the United States (HCR 5030) and the cre ation of the Gun Violence Restraining Order Act (HB 2614). Ballard also works

Introduce yourself

My name is Christina Haswood, and I was born and raised here in Law rence, Kansas. I first ran for office when I was 26 and I’m now 28 running for re-election for the KS House District 10 seat. I’m Indigenous from the Na vajo Nation and bring that unique perspective that is

Introduce yourself

I am a current resident of East Lawrence, but I have lived in the Oread, Bark er, Pinkney, and Old West Lawrence neighborhoods as well as downtown and on Daisy Hill. I have elec trical engineering and law degrees from KU, and I was KU student body vice-pres ident in 1984. I have served

as the Associate Director at the Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas.

Mike Amyx (D) is the District 45 Representative and was first elected in 2019.

Throughout the 2021-22 legislative session, Amyx has sponsored 22 bills and resolutions including the authorization of medicinal marijuana (HCR 5026) and the requirement that purchases of property are subject to petition (HB 2034). Amyx prioritizes in frastructure, education and high speed internet for all, according to his website.

Dennis “Boog” High berger (D) is the District 46 Representative and was first elected in 2014.

Highberger sponsored 26 bills and resolutions throughout the 2021-22 legislative session, in

needed to Topeka. I grad uated from Haskell Indian Nations University with an A.S. in Community Health, Arizona State University with a B.S. in Public Health, and from the University of Kansas Medical Center in May 2020, with a Masters in Public Health

Do you have a plan to help reduce housing costs?

six years on the Lawrence City Commission, includ ing a year as mayor, and I have served eight years as state representative for the 46th District. I am one of the few practicing attorneys in the legislature, and when the legislature is not in session, I practice out of my home office on New York Street, where my cat Wen

cluding the constitutional amendment legalizing the recreational use of mari juana (HCR 5025) and the proposition to allow Kan sans to vote to add Medic aid expansion to the Kansas Constitution (HCR 5024).

The Kansas State Senators for Lawrence, Marci Fran cisco (D) and Tom Holland (D) are each up for reelec tion in 2024.

Marci Francisco (D) is the District 2 Kansas State Senator and was first elect ed in 2004.

Throughout the 2021-22 legislative session, Fran cisco sponsored 12 senate bills, including the enact ment of the COVID-19 taxpayer and small business relief act (SB 202) and the requirement of relinquish ment of firearms pursuant to certain court orders

I still live in an apartment and share rent with my partner, which without splitting the rent, I’m not sure if I could afford con tinuing to live where I’m at. I have seen my rent increase year after year and the thought of buying a house is just overwhelming. I get it and I’m still living in this issue that many students

dell likes to interrupt client meetings to get a rub on the belly.

Do you have a plan to help reduce housing costs?

The rise in housing costs is one of the most serious issues facing our country right now, but for better or worse, the bulk of the solution is going to have to come from the local living,

related to domestic violence (SB 192).

Tom Holland (D) is the District 3 Kansas State Senator and was first elect ed in 2008.

According to Holland’s website, he values a strong public education system, sensible tax policy, job cre ation, wage protection, re productive rights and bodi ly autonomy. Holland has sponsored 22 senate bills and resolutions throughout the 2021-22 legislative ses sion, including the amend ment of the Kansas State Constitution to require that certain individuals be mandated reporters of child abuse (SCR 1624).

--Ryn Drummond

are facing. I’m exploring policies such as renters tax credit and tenants rights. There’s also indirect pol icies I supported such as eliminating the state food sales tax that can help folks save more money in their pockets.

through changes in zoning rules and development de cisions. I support removing barriers to affordable hous ing that the legislature has created, like the current law prohibiting local govern ments from requiring new developments to include affordable units.

Democrat

Christina Haswood

Democrat

Mike Amyx Democrat

Marci Francisco Democrat

Tom Holland

Democrat

Barbara Ballard

Democrat

Dennis Highberger

Statewide Races

Attorney General

Introduce yourself.

I’m Chris Mann. I’m running for Kansas At torney General to serve our state, reduce violent crime, and protect our families. I started my career as a police officer. I remember when I was young, watching my dad leave for work as a police officer, knowing that he

was going out to help the folks in our community. I knew that’s what I wanted to do. Unfortunately, one night, I was hit by a drunk driver during a routine traffic stop. As a result I was forced to leave my career in uniform. But my desire to serve the pub lic remained strong. So I went back to law school

and I became a prosecutor.

I handled everything from traffic tickets to murders.

I recall very distinctly sit ting with a family whose loved one was killed by a drunk driver. I remember talking with them, feeling the devastation that they felt losing their loved one.

I knew that more needed to be done. I also joined

Mothers Against Drunk Driving and I worked on legislation in Kansas and nationally to improve our laws and keep our streets safe. I continued to follow my faith by providing rep resentation to people who couldn’t afford a lawyer.

Introduce yourself.

I come from a long line of activists and commu nity leaders, including my mother, who was a civil-rights activist and pastor in Nebraska; my father is a Vietnam veter an turned police officer. Both of my parents in stilled in me a dedication to service and country. I graduated from Midland

Introduce yourself.

I grew up in Great Bend and graduated from Fort Hays State University. In 2002, I was elected to the Kansas House of Repre sentatives where I eventu ally became Chairman of the House Elections Com mittee, Vice Chairman of the House Insurance and Financial Institutions Committee, and as Speak er Pro Tem.

University with degrees in biology and pre-med and went on to be a radio broadcast manager in my professional life. As part of my community service, I worked in outreach and missions in both the Oma ha and Kansas City areas, including as the Director of Urban Outreach at the Church of the Resurrec tion in Leawood. I created

In November 2018, I was elected as Kansas Secre tary of State. During my first term, I have placed a priority on providing support and guidance to county election officials; improving the office busi ness filing system; im plementing cutting-edge IT security; and ensuring Kansas remains and lead ing state in the nation for

Secretary of State Treasurer

Introduce yourself.

I’m Lynn Rogers, and I moved to Wichita over 30 years ago with my wife, Kris, after graduat ing from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. I served a long career in Ag Banking working to fi nance farms and other Ag projects across the state of Kansas. I served on the Wichita School Board for

17 years, as a State Senator for 2 years, Lt. Gov. for 2 years, and State Treasurer for the last 2 years. Kris and I have raised 3 chil dren and have 3 grand children. What would you do if elected to help educate the masses about financial literacy?

I have tasked my team with the creation of a

and led programs such as a USDA-funded food pro gram that fed schoolchil dren during the summer, a pregnancy-prevention program for teen mothers, and a violence-prevention program for Kansas City youth. I am married to my husband, Kyle, and a proud parent. I am now running for Secretary of State to apply my personal

election integrity. In 2022, I was selected to serve as President-elect of the National Association of Secretaries of State.

My wife, Michele (a graduate of KU Pharmacy School), and I reside in Overland Park with our children.

What will you do to maintain trust in the elec tion and voter process in

and professional experi ence to leading Kansas into the 21st Century with a culture based on integri ty, accountability, and love for one’s neighbor.

section of our website that discusses personal financial literacy as well as starting work on a blog where we plan to focus on the topic of personal finance. We would con tinue to amplify our social media platforms to share content on financial liter acy and hold workshops on financial literacy as we currently do. I intend

Kansas? In the legislature, I pursued policies that increased voter confi dence without making it more challenging to cast your ballot. Measures like voter ID and post-election audits ensure we provide Kansas voters with trusted results without sacrificing voter engagement.

to make the Treasurer’s office a better resource for young Kansans to learn about financial literacy in an accessible way. I also carry around books on financial literacy called the “Money Bunny” series to schools where I read to children about financial literacy.

Democrat

Kris Kobach Republican

Chris Mann Democrat

Jeanna Repass

Scott Schwab Republican

Democrat

Lynn Rogers

Steven Johnson Republican

This candidate did not respond to the Kansan’s questions after multiple attempts to contact their campaign.

This candidate did not respond to the Kansan’s questions after multiple attempts to contact their campaign.

U.S. senate

Candidates for Kansas’s U.S. Senate seat, currently held by senator Jerry Mo ran, have been campaigning since the beginning of the year and hold a wide range of stances on issues.

The Republican candi date, Moran, has been in public office since 1987, first serving as a state sen ator, and working his way up through the U.S. House of Representatives before becoming a U.S. senator in 2010. If he wins, this would be Moran’s third term in this office.

Moran sponsored 126 bills during the 2021-22

legislative session, three of which passed - a bill to provide funds for Advanced Air Mobility research, a bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion and a bill that promotes tuition fairness for veterans.

On his website, Moran says that he’s anti-aboriton and endorsed by Kansans for Life, the prominent anti-abortion campaign during August’s amend ment referendum. Moran also says on his website that he has fought against the “defund the police” move

ment and is advocating to “enforce our immigration laws” in Congress.

Moran raised $3,317,479.40 during this election cycle, according to the Federal Election Com mission.

The Democratic candi date, Rev. Mark Holland, won a crowded primary in August with 41% of the vote. Holland is based in Kansas City, and was senior pastor at Trinity Communi ty Church until 2018.

Before running for U.S. Senate, Holland was a commissioner on the Uni fied Government Board of

Commissioners of Wyan dotte County/Kansas City, KS. He was also Kansas City, KS mayor from 20132018.

During his time as KCK mayor, Holland helped to bring a national soccer training center to Kan sas City, in conjunction with then-Governor Sam Brownback. He also helped bring an $300 million Amazon shipping facility to Kansas City, which helped to create more an 1,000 jobs.

On his website, Holland says that he believes in the “right of every woman to

have autonomy over her body”. Holland also says that he believes that Amer ica news to stop criminal izing social issues, such as “mental health, abortion, addiction, and gender iden tity.” Holland also believes that everyone in America deserves affordable health care, saying on his website that “healthcare is a human right, not a privilege”.

--Matthew Patillo

Mark Holland Democrat

Jerry Moran Republican

candidate responded to the Kansan’s questions after multiple attempts to contact their campaigns.

U.S. House

Kansas will vote on four candidates to be U.S. House representatives for Kansas’ 1st and 3rd districts: Tracey Mann (R), Jimmy Beard (D), Sharice Davids (D) and Amanda Adkins (R).

In Kansas’ 1st Congres sional District, Rep. Tracey Mann is running to stand for Kansas conservative values and advocating for local farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers.

Mann, along with many Republican legislators, voted against the state-cer tified election results from Arizona and Pennsylvania following the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Opposing Mann, Jim my Beard is fighting to strengthen public educa tion, reform the criminal justice system, legalize marijuana, make healthcare

affordable and accessible, reform taxes, and support equality for all.

Rep. Sharice Davids from Kansas’ 3rd District is fight ing for the issues of acces sible education, growing a clean-energy economy, low ering costs and improving the quality of healthcare, highlighting the business community, making the government work for Kan sans, economic develop

ment for infrastructure, and supporting veterans.

Serving since January 2019, Davids has worked to lower the cost of living, bring jobs to the commu nity and ensure that the government is working for the people of Kansas.

Opposing Davids, Aman da Adkins is running to put an end to the overspending of the government’s bud get, “defending against the

District One

threat from China,” mak ing healthcare affordable, border security, bringing more support to both active soldiers and veterans, main taining the infrastructure system, reinforcing pre-ex isting gun laws and not adding them, and “recog nizing the value of life.”

--Abigal DeBaun

James Beard Democrat Tracey Mann Republican

Neither candidate responded to the Kansan’s questions after multiple attempts to contact their campaigns.

District Three

Introduce yourself!

I’m Sharice Davids, I have the honor of repre senting the 3rd District of Kansas in Congress, and I am running for my third term. I have what some people call a “nontradition al” path to Congress. I was raised by a single mom who served in the Army for 20 years. I was the first person in my family to go to col lege, and I worked my way from community college to Cornell Law School. After working in economic devel opment on a Tribal reser vation in South Dakota and then as a White House fel low in the U.S. Department of Transportation, I decid ed to run for office—and

became one of the first two Native American women in Congress. I wanted every one to have the opportu nities I got and to bring a voice to the table for those who didn’t have one. In Congress, I’ve sought to get things done for the people of Kansas. I put the people first—not party leaders and not big donors.

Do you have a plan to help reduce housing costs, and what is it, if so?

I worked my way through college, from JCCC to Cor nell Law, juggling multiple jobs to get through school. I understand the anxiety of not being able to pay your rent or utilities on time.

Supply chain issues coming out of the pandemic have been one major reason for the recent spike in hous ing costs. I’ve worked with Republicans and Demo crats to unstick our supply chain and prioritize man ufacturers here at home so we aren’t reliant on goods from other countries. Ad ditionally, we need policies that encourage building all kinds of housing based on our communities’ needs. That will lower prices and provide more choices for everyone. To do that, I’m supporting bipartisan leg islation like the Affordable Housing Credit Improve ment Act, which builds on one of our most successful

Sharice Davids Democrat

housing programs and could help finance nearly 2 million new affordable housing units over the next decade.

Amanda Adkins Republican

candidate did not respond to the Kansan’s questions af ter

attempts

contact their campaign.

Sheriff’s Amendment

What is amendment 2?

Voting Yes

What do sheriffs do?

Sheriffs oversee law enforcement on a county level. They manage deputies who execute day-to-day responsibilities, such as patrolling and emergency response. They are distinct from police chiefs as their responsibilities are county-wide rather than city-wide.

What is a consolidated law enforcement agency?

A Map of Kansas

Voting No

Riley County

Douglas County

Manhattan Lawrence

House concurrent resolution 5014

What is the House Concurrent Resolution 5014?

What is the House Concurrent Resolution 5014?

Through House Concurrent Resolution 5014, or the Rules and Regula-tions Amendment, the Kansas Legislature is asking voters, “How much power do you think we should have?”

Through House Concurrent Resolution 5014, or the Rules and Regula-tions Amendment, the Kansas Legislature is asking voters, “how much power do you think we should have?”

The Rules and Regulations Amendment would give the Legislature the authority to veto rules and regulations instituted by executive agencies. This means that if Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is re-elect ed, the Legislature will have the power to revoke rules and regulations instituted by her administration through a simple majority vote.

The Rules and Regulations Amendment would give the Legislature the authority to veto rules and regulations instituted by executive agencies. This means that if Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is reelected, the Legislature will have the power to revoke rules and regulations instituted by her administration through a simple majority vote.

What will happen if passed?

What will happen if passed?

If passed, the proposed Rules and Regulations Amendment will cause a power shift between the executive and legislative branches of government in Kansas.

If passed, the proposed Rules and Regulations Amendment will cause a power shift between the executive and legislative branches of government in Kansas.

What does the Kansas constitution allow?

What does the Kansas constitution allow?

The Kansas constitution allows for the Legislature to block rules and regulations issued by the executive branch by passing laws that make these regulations illegal, which requires a majority vote from the Kansas Senate and House of Representatives along with the governor’s signature or a veto-proof majority. However, if the Rules and Regulations amendment is passed, the Legislature will have the power to directly revoke rules and regulations issued by the executive branch without the governor’s approval.

The Kansas constitution allows for the Legislature to block rules and regulations issued by the executive br make these regulations illegal, which requires a majority vote from the Kansas Senate and House of Representatives along with the governor’s signature or a veto-proof majority. However, if the Rules and Regulations amendment is passed, the Legislature will have the power to directly revoke rules and regulations issued by the executive branch without the governor’s approval.

Voting Yes

Voting Yes

Voting No

Voting No

Voting for this amendment will allow the Legislature to veto rules and regulations issued by Kansas executive agencies through a simple majority vote in the Senate and House of Representatives.

Voting for this amendment will allow the Legislature to veto rules and regulations issued by Kansas executive agencies through a simple majority vote in the Senate and House of Representatives.

Voting against this amendment will maintain the current power balance between the executive and legislative branches in which the Legislature must receive the governor’s approval to pass laws that block rules and regulations issued by Kansas executive agencies.

Voting against this amendment will maintain the current power balance between the executive and legislative branches in which the Legislature must receive the governor’s approval to pass laws that block rules and regulations issued by Kansas executive agencies.

judges retention

Why are we voting for judges in Kansas?

Who is on the ballot this year and why are people making such a big fuss out of it?

The major issue concerning this is the abortion decision that the court issued back in 2019, which prompted a historic vote on whether or not a right to abortion should be amended out of the state constitution.

All justices on the court except for Justice Stegall voted that there was a right to abortion in the Kansas state constitution. Stegall dissented, saying that the trial court needed to test a different legal standard before it was appropriate for the Kansas Supreme Court to look at the appeal.

What are people saying about this?

The Johnson County Bar Association polled their members, all professional lawyers, and an overwhelming number of those polled said that the judges should all be retained. The lowest amount to retain was for Justice Biles, with 83% in favor of retention.

On the other side, the Kansans for Life PAC endorsed a “No” vote on all justices except Stegall, who they endorsed retention for.

Voting NoVoting Yes

A “Yes” vote is an endorse ment that you think the judge is doing a good job and should be retained.

Justices Dan Biles, Marla Luckert, Melissa Standridge, Caleb Ste gall, Keynen Wall Jr. and Evelyn Wilson are up for retention this year on the Kansas Supreme Court.

Judges on Ballot Caleb Stegall

Dan Biles Evelyn Z. Wilson

Keynen (K.J.) Wall Jr

Marla Luckert

Melissa Standridge

Voting is just more than a ticking box

“The right to vote is pre cious, almost sacred,” civil rights activist and Georgia Rep. John Lewis said. “It is the most powerful non-vi olent tool or instrument in a democratic society. We must use it.”

In Kansas, we have known the power of vot ing for centuries. We have utilized this power to push important issues that give us our title of the Free State — and we have used voting to honor that title.

In 1859, Kansans voted overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying the Wyandotte Constitution, Kansas’ state constitution, which prohibited slavery in the Kansas Territory. The Wy andotte Constitution also granted women rights that

were available almost no where else in the country: the right to own property, to run and vote in school district elections and it granted women equal rights to their children.

Later, in 1854, with the passing of the Kansas-Ne braska Act, Kansans were given the choice of whether their state would permit or prohibit slavery through popular sover eignty, giving citizens direct authority over the government by voting.

In a landmark decision that affected nearly every aspect of the Civil War, Kansans voted to outlaw slavery and joined the Union, making us the for ever Free State.

Then, during the pres

idential election of 1936, Kansans reversed the decade-long trend of vot ing Republican and voted against former Kansas state governor Alf Landon, electing President Frank lin D. Roosevelt by an impressive margin for a traditionally red state.

During his presiden cy, Roosevelt passed the New Deal, which argu ably saved the U.S. from crumbling under the consequences of the Great Depression.

Kansas’ history as the Free State doesn’t end there, however.

On Aug. 2, Kansans overwhelmingly voted to shut down the Value Them Both amendment, which would have likely

made abortion illegal. The resounding pro-choice vote in a red state defied party expectations and proved that Kansans are not shackled to the politi cal polarity in modern-day politics.

It also proved that no matter your politi cal beliefs or your state’s political history, each vote matters. Each and every vote can change lives and policies and help achieve our ideological goals.

Voting — not just in Kansas but nationwide — has altered the course of history. It has challenged unjust and unfair laws and given a voice to the peo ple. It is the most powerful tool at our disposal.

Kansans have a chance

to use their power again in the upcoming midterm elections on Nov. 8.

The U.S. was built on the foundations of de mocracy and formulated around giving a voice to the people. But, unfor tunately, many people in this country overlook that right.

Young people like me love to express their opinions, but I urge young voters to put their money where their mouths are and express their views by voting for a candidate they believe in.

Compared to presi dential elections, where around 60% of Americans vote, midterm election turnout typically only garners about a fifth of

voters.

However, I have com plete and total faith that Kansans will show up and use their voices just as they did in the primary election, where hundreds of thousands of Kansans demonstrated voting be yond presidential elec tions is essential.

Additionally, Kansas voter registration spiked after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. I know my fellow Kansans will con tinue to show up for each other and vote this No vember. We will not stop now.

Midterm elections, though undervalued, are immeasurably essential to a functioning democracy.

Midterms give voters the power to choose who will represent their district and significantly impact national policy for years to come.

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats are up for grabs this Novem ber. Kansas will elect one member to the U.S. Senate as well as four House rep resentatives. Kansas will also decide who its next governor will be.

Republicans must flip just five seats to retake the House majority and one Democratic seat to gain a Senate majority.

The outcome of the 2022 midterm elections will determine who holds the majority in both the Senate and the House. Even though the U.S. elected a Democratic pres ident, Joe Biden’s political affiliations will matter little if either the House or Senate has a Republican majority.

Plus, with discussions about a nationwide abor tion ban, electing Con

gressmen with beliefs congruent with your own is incredibly important.

No matter what side of the political spectrum you’re on, it’s clear that this election will be im pactful. With just a few election upsets, the cur rent political state of the U.S. could change over night.

For most of us, the right to vote has not always been given so freely. For generations, feminist and civil rights activists fought tooth and nail to gain that right for disenfranchised populations for genera tions to come.

Citizens of other coun tries are still fighting for this right, just as we did decades ago.

It is our duty to honor their decades of protest and sacrifice and use our voices to vote. We must use our votes to fight for

what values we hold near and dear.

I can’t and won’t tell you who to vote for. The choice is up to you — your vote is a reflection of your personal desires.

I can only emphasize how individually import ant each of your voices is in democratic discourse. Elections can be close — one vote could change everything.

We, as Kansan voters, are charged with deciding the future of our country and our democracy. We have proved that indi vidual votes can change the course of history for centuries, and we will do it again.

The future of Kansas and our nation lies in the hands of voters, and vot ers only.

This November, I urge you to use the power of voting to your advantage.

--Jenna Barackman for the University Daily Kansan Editorial Board

History will thank you for it.

The outside of the Douglas County Election Office, where early voting is currently occurring and where ballots will be counted on election night. Chloe Anderson/UDK