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Kansas state executive official elections, 2020
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| Kansas state executive official elections |
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| Election details |
| Filing deadline: June 1, 2020 |
| Primary: August 4, 2020 General: November 3, 2020 |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Kansas |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2020 Impact of term limits in 2020 State government trifectas and triplexes |
| Other state executive elections |
Five state executive offices were up for election in Kansas in 2020:
State Board of Education (5 seats)
Candidates and election results
State Board of Education
District 2
General election
General election for Kansas State Board of Education District 2
Melanie Haas defeated Benjamin Hodge in the general election for Kansas State Board of Education District 2 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Melanie Haas (D) | 55.6 | 99,786 |
 | Benjamin Hodge (R) | 44.4 | 79,696 | |
| Total votes: 179,482 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 2
Melanie Haas advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 2 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Melanie Haas | 100.0 | 33,167 |
| Total votes: 33,167 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 2
Benjamin Hodge defeated David Krug in the Republican primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 2 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Benjamin Hodge | 51.4 | 21,792 |
| David Krug | 48.6 | 20,614 | ||
| Total votes: 42,406 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
District 4
General election
General election for Kansas State Board of Education District 4
Incumbent Ann Mah won election in the general election for Kansas State Board of Education District 4 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Ann Mah (D) | 97.8 | 107,379 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.2 | 2,408 | ||
| Total votes: 109,787 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 4
Incumbent Ann Mah advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 4 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ann Mah | 100.0 | 27,731 |
| Total votes: 27,731 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 4
No candidate advanced from the primary.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| Josh Harris (Write-in) | 100.0 | 2,579 | ||
Vote totals may be incomplete for this race. | ||||
| Total votes: 2,579 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
District 6
General election
General election for Kansas State Board of Education District 6
Incumbent Deena Horst won election in the general election for Kansas State Board of Education District 6 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Deena Horst (R) | 100.0 | 108,085 |
| Total votes: 108,085 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 6
No candidate advanced from the primary.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| David Colburn (Write-in) | 100.0 | 1,376 | ||
Vote totals may be incomplete for this race. | ||||
| Total votes: 1,376 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 6
Incumbent Deena Horst advanced from the Republican primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 6 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Deena Horst | 100.0 | 42,828 |
| Total votes: 42,828 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
District 8
General election
General election for Kansas State Board of Education District 8
Betty Arnold defeated incumbent Kathy Busch in the general election for Kansas State Board of Education District 8 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Betty Arnold (D) | 51.4 | 49,467 |
 | Kathy Busch (R) | 48.6 | 46,821 | |
| Total votes: 96,288 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 8
Betty Arnold advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 8 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Betty Arnold | 100.0 | 15,375 |
| Total votes: 15,375 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 8
Incumbent Kathy Busch defeated Trish Hileman in the Republican primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 8 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kathy Busch | 61.5 | 11,242 |
 | Trish Hileman | 38.5 | 7,043 | |
| Total votes: 18,285 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
District 10
General election
General election for Kansas State Board of Education District 10
Incumbent Jim McNiece won election in the general election for Kansas State Board of Education District 10 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jim McNiece (R) | 100.0 | 108,801 |
| Total votes: 108,801 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 10
Incumbent Jim McNiece advanced from the Republican primary for Kansas State Board of Education District 10 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jim McNiece | 100.0 | 37,261 |
| Total votes: 37,261 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Context of the 2020 elections
Party control in Kansas
Kansas Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas • Sixteen years of Republican trifectas
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Voter information
How the primary works
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. In Kansas, parties decide who may vote in their primaries. As of September 2025, the Democratic Party held an open primary and the Republican Party held a closed primary. Regardless of the party's rules, an unaffiliated voter can declare their affiliation with a party on the day of the primary and vote in that party's primary. Previously affiliated voters who want to change their affiliation to vote in a different party's primary must do so before the candidate filing deadline, which is June 1 or the next business day.[1][2]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
Unless otherwise set by the county, polls in Kansas open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. Central time (6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Mountain time). Counties are given the discretion to open polls as early as 6 a.m. and close polls as late as 8 p.m. Central time (5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mountain time). Polls must be open for a minimum of 12 consecutive hours and may not close before 7 p.m. Central time (6 p.m. Mountain time).[3] An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[4]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
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.[5]
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
Kansas does not practice automatic voter registration.
Online registration
- 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
Kansas does not allow same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
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
Kansas does not require voters to provide proof of citizenship at the time of voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, an applicant who provides false information "may be convicted and sentenced to up to 17 months in prison."[6]
A Kansas state law that went into effect in 2013 required voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. However, the provision was challenged in court and on June 18, 2018, Judge Julie Robinson, of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, struck down the proof of citizenship requirement 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.[7][8][9][10]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[11] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The site Voter View, run by the Kansas Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Kansas requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[12]
Voters can present the following forms of identification:
- Driver's license or nondriver's identification card issued by Kansas or by another state or district of the United States
- Concealed carry of handgun license issued by Kansas or a concealed carry of handgun or weapon license issued by another state or district of the United States
- United States passport
- Employee badge or identification document issued by a municipal, county, state, or federal government office
- Military identification document issued by the United States
- Student identification card issued by an accredited postsecondary institution of education in the state of Kansas
- Public assistance identification card issued by a municipal, county, state, or federal government office
- Identification card issued by an Indian tribe
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.[12]
The following voters are exempt from providing photo ID:[12]
- Military and overseas citizens who vote under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA)
- Voters who vote in mail ballot elections, which are limited to local jurisdictions holding special question-submitted elections
- Voters who are accepted to the permanent advance voting list
- Any voter who objects to having his or her photo taken because of his or her religious beliefs. The voter can complete and sign the Declaration of Religious Objection form.
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.[12]
Early voting
Kansas permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
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."[13]
Past elections
2018
The following elections took place in 2018:
- Kansas Attorney General election, 2018
- Kansas Secretary of State election, 2018
- Kansas Treasurer election, 2018
- Kansas Insurance Commissioner election, 2018
- Kansas gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018
- Kansas state executive official elections, 2018
- Kansas gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 7 Republican primary)
- Kansas Attorney General election, 2018 (August 7 Republican primary)
- Kansas Secretary of State election, 2018 (August 7 Republican primary)
- Kansas gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 7 Democratic primary)
- Kansas Attorney General election, 2018 (August 7 Democratic primary)
- Kansas Secretary of State election, 2018 (August 7 Democratic primary)
- Kansas State Board of Education election, 2018
See also
| Kansas | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "Kan. Stat. Ann. § 25–3301," accessed September 12, 2025
- ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "Kan. Stat. Ann. § 25–3304," accessed September 12, 2025
- ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "25-106. Hours of voting; change of hours, how made; rules and regulations," accessed November 4, 2024
- ↑ State of Kansas Secretary of State, “Frequently Asked Questions” accessed July 25, 2024
- ↑ Kansas Office of the Secretary of State, "Kansas Voter Registration Instructions," accessed July 25, 2024
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "Kansas Voter Registration Application," accessed November 1, 2024
- ↑ 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
- ↑ The Topeka Capital-Journal, "Kobach's office tells counties to stop asking for proof of citizenship," June 20, 2018
- ↑ AP News, "Kansas hopes to resurrect proof-of-citizenship voting law," March 18, 2019
- ↑ United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, "Fish v. Schwab: Opinion and Order," April 29, 2020
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Kansas Secretary of State, "Elections - FAQ," accessed July 25, 2024
- ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, “K.S.A. 25-1122” accessed July 25, 2024
