Douglas County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026

A contested August 4 Democratic ballot; with no Republican filed, the winner is positioned to take the seat, per the Douglas County Clerk's certified list and the Lawrence Times. Appears only on District 1 ballots.

• Patrick Kelly · DemocraticIncumbent▾

  A retired public school educator who teaches for the Kansas Leadership Center and has served as a commissioner for eight years, per the Lawrence Times candidate questionnaire. He points to reduced county mill levies in each of the last four years, per his campaign site.

  Priorities: Affordable housing and everyday costs through responsible budgeting, per the Lawrence Times questionnaire · Protecting natural and cultural resources with community-driven growth expectations, per the questionnaire · Partnerships for behavioral health and aging services, per the questionnaire

  Campaign site →
• Milton Scott · Democratic▾

  An adult service officer and community service work coordinator at Douglas County Criminal Justice Services who spent more than 20 years with the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority, per the Lawrence Times questionnaire.

  Priorities: Reduce property taxes and enforce the county's reserve caps, per the Lawrence Times questionnaire · Performance audits and spending transparency, per the questionnaire · Stronger county, city, and school board collaboration, per the questionnaire

  Campaign site →

A contested August 4 Democratic ballot with no Republican filed, per the certified list and the Lawrence Times. Appears only on District 4 ballots.

• Gene Dorsey · DemocraticIncumbent▾

  A retired corporate controller with 35 years managing multimillion dollar budgets, currently serving on the commission, per his campaign site. He served on the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center governing board from 2018 to 2025, per his site.

  Priorities: Easing property taxes for residents over 65 on fixed incomes, per his campaign site · Directing mental-health sales tax funds to the Treatment and Recovery Center, per his site · Preserving open space while growing the commercial tax base, per his site

  Campaign site →
• Ethan Spurling · Democratic▾

  Works in public policy and government relations for a Lawrence-based education nonprofit, after four years on the Frontenac City Council and nearly four years in Gov. Laura Kelly's administration, per the Lawrence Times questionnaire.

  Priorities: Affordable housing through partnerships with cities and nonprofits, per the Lawrence Times questionnaire · Opposing large-scale data centers while supporting job-creating businesses, per the questionnaire · Scrutinizing tax abatements to ease the burden on homeowners, per the questionnaire

  Campaign site →

No August 4 contest: Erica Anderson was the only Democratic filer, so this race goes straight to a November 3 matchup with Libertarian Kirsten Kuhn, per the certified list and the Lawrence Times. Appears only on District 5 ballots.

• Erica Anderson · DemocraticIncumbent▾

  A quality lead at Kaiser Permanente with a background in health-in-all-policies work, serving on the county's Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, per the Lawrence Times questionnaire.

  Priorities: Outcomes-focused scoring for community partner funding, per the Lawrence Times questionnaire · Easing property taxes while helping residents age in place, per the questionnaire · Direct constituent engagement, per the questionnaire

  Campaign site →
• Kirsten Kuhn · Libertarian▾

  A thirteen-year county resident who serves on the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center board and runs her own nonprofit, per her campaign site.

  Priorities: Reduce county expenditures and property taxes, per her campaign site · Restore commissioners' authority over staffing recommendations, per her site · Focus county government on core services, per her site

  Campaign site →

• Lance Neelly · Republican▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.
• Mike Stieben · Republican▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.

• Suzanne Wikle · Democrat▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.

• Brooklynne Mosley · Democrat▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.

• Kristen Schultz · Democrat▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.
• Keith Davenport · Democrat▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.
• William Sutton · Republican▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.

• Ronald B. Ellis · Republican▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.
• Paula Newell Ellis · Republican▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.