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Kansas state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 16
- Early voting: Oct. 17 - Nov. 5
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Photo ID required
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
| 2018 Kansas State Legislature elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | November 6, 2018 |
| Primary | August 7, 2018 |
| 2018 elections | |
|---|---|
| Choose a chamber below: | |
The Democratic primary elections for seats in the Kansas House of Representatives were on August 7, 2018. For information about the Republican primary elections in Kansas, click here.
The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was June 1, 2018. In the state House, all 125 seats were up for election.
Incumbents who did not advance to the general election
Retiring incumbents
All state House incumbents filed for re-election.
Incumbents defeated
No state House incumbents were defeated in their primaries.
Competitiveness
There 11 Democratic primaries in 2018 compared to five in 2014, the last election where only the state House was up.
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Total candidates | Democratic primaries contested | Republican primaries contested | Total contested | Incumbents contested in primaries | Total incumbents contested in primaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 125 | 14 | 232 | 11 | 30 | 16.4% | 26 | 23.4% |
| 2016 | 165 | 34 | 354 | 14 | 55 | 20.9% | 39 | 29.8% |
| 2014 | 125 | 13 | 238 | 5 | 29 | 13.6% | 21 | 18.8% |
Partisan control
The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Kansas House of Representatives and the Kansas State Senate as of August 2018:
Kansas House of Representatives
| Party | As of August 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 40 | |
| Republican Party | 85 | |
| Total | 125 | |
Kansas State Senate
| Party | As of August 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 9 | |
| Republican Party | 31 | |
| Total | 40 | |
Battleground races
Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Kansas state legislative Republican primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Republican caucus or had an impact on general election races.
To determine the Kansas state legislative Republican primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:
- Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
- One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
- The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.
House District 30
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| No |
What made this a race to watch?
| A split emerged between the two Democrats vying to take on Republican incumbent Randy Powell in a district that voted for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by 3.3 points in 2016. Matthew Calcara said that his primary opponent, Brandon Woodard “represents the establishment of the Democratic Party, while our campaign harnesses the energy of progressive principles.” Woodard said he ran on a platform of expanding Medicaid in the state and eliminating the sales tax on food. Both men are openly gay.[1] Woodard won the primary. |
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 October 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.[2][3]
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).[4] Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.[5]
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, have "received final discharge from imprisonment, parole, or conditional release if convicted of a felony," and have abandoned their previous residence or name. 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.[6]
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
- See also: Automatic voter 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
- See also: Same-day voter 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. According to the Kansas Secretary of State's office, "Kansas does not have a length of residence requirement. However, you have to be registered 21 days prior to an election and be a resident of Kansas at the time of registration."[5]
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."[7]
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.[8][9][10][11]
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.[12] 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. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. 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 Voter View site, 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.[13]
The following list of accepted forms of identification was current as of October 2025. Click here for the most current information from the Kansas Secretary of State.
| “ | State law requires voters to show photographic identification when casting a vote in person. If the photo ID has an expiration date on it, the ID must not have expired at the time of voting. An acceptable photo ID does not have to have an expiration date on the document in order to be valid. Acceptable forms of photo ID include:
Exemptions exist for individuals 65 years of age or older who may use expired photo IDs or individuals whose religious beliefs prohibit photographic identification. Voters with religious objections may sign an affidavit before the election or at the poll on election day to be exempt. State photo ID requirements do not apply to military and overseas citizens who vote under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA); for mail ballot elections; or voters who qualify, apply and are accepted to the permanent advance voting list, as long as they remain on the permanent advance voting list.[14] |
” |
To view Kansas state law pertaining to voter identification, click here.
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.[15] 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.[13]
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."[16]
See also
- Kansas state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
- Kansas House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Kansas State Legislature
- Kansas elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ Kansas City Star, "Democrats set for primary to send first openly gay member to the Kansas Legislature," February 12, 2018
- ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "Kan. Stat. Ann. § 25–3301," accessed October 15, 2025
- ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "Kan. Stat. Ann. § 25–3304," accessed October 15, 2025
- ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "25-106. Hours of voting; change of hours, how made; rules and regulations," accessed October 15, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 State of Kansas Secretary of State, “Frequently Asked Questions” accessed October 15, 2025 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "FAQ" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "Kansas Voter Registration Instructions," accessed October 15, 2025
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "Kansas Voter Registration Application," accessed October 15, 2025
- ↑ 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."
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Kansas Secretary of State, "Elections - FAQ," accessed October 15, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Kansas Department of Health and Environment, "Birth Certificate for Voter ID," accessed October 15, 2025
- ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, “K.S.A. 25-1122” accessed October 15, 2025
