Stacey Knoell

Stacey Knoell (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Kansas State Senate to represent District 23. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Knoell completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Stacey Knoell was born in Omaha, Nebraska. She earned a high school diploma from the Sumner Academy of Arts and Science and a bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in 1994. Her career experience includes working as an executive director and yoga instructor. Before that, she was a math teacher from 2006 to 2010 and a sign language interpreter from 2002 to 2006. As of 2024, Knoell was affiliated with Kansas Interfaith Action and the Kansas Birth Equity Network.^[1]^[2]

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Kansas State Senate District 23

Adam Thomas defeated Stacey Knoell in the general election for Kansas State Senate District 23 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Adam Thomas (R)	52.4	18,362
	Stacey Knoell (D)	47.6	16,686

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 35,048
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Kansas State Senate District 23

Stacey Knoell advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas State Senate District 23 on August 6, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stacey Knoell	100.0	2,847

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,847
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Kansas State Senate District 23

Adam Thomas advanced from the Republican primary for Kansas State Senate District 23 on August 6, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Adam Thomas	100.0	3,884

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,884
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Knoell in this election.

2020

General election

General election for Kansas State Senate District 9

Beverly Gossage defeated Stacey Knoell in the general election for Kansas State Senate District 9 on November 3, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Beverly Gossage (R)	52.2	22,450
	Stacey Knoell (D)	47.8	20,550

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 43,000
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Julia Lynn (R)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Kansas State Senate District 9

Stacey Knoell advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas State Senate District 9 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stacey Knoell	100.0	6,223

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,223
= 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 Senate District 9

Incumbent Julia Lynn advanced from the Republican primary for Kansas State Senate District 9 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Julia Lynn	100.0	9,875

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 9,875
= 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.
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Endorsements

To view Knoell's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2024

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released July 5, 2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Stacey Knoell completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Knoell's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I work as the Executive Director of Gov. Laura Kelly’s Kansas African American Affairs Commission. That means I spend my days in Topeka, and my job is to bridge the gap between the community and their government.

Previously, I was the Kansas Third District co-leader of the Kansas Interfaith Action organization.

I have a bachelor’s degree in Art History from the University of Iowa and a degree in Deaf Communications and Interpreter Training from St. Louis Community College. I received my teaching certificate through Kansas University’s Transition to Teaching Program, which specifically recruited math and science teachers for the Kansas City, Kansas School District. I then worked in public schools as a sign language interpreter at Blue Springs South High School and a math teacher at Fairfax Alternative High School and Central Middle School in Kansas City, Kansas.

My husband and I live in Olathe with our two daughters and Twix, the dog.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

There is a clear disconnect between the will of our voters and the work of our State Legislature. You might even call it a blatant undermining of voters' explicitly expressed needs. Voters want Medicaid expansion and bodily autonomy, but those elected to represent our district continuously vote the opposite. It's evident that to reform this system, we must reform the individuals within it.
To bring bi-partisanship back to Topeka - to have a seat at the table for everyone - Kansans must vote to break the Republican supermajority. Until then, the values Kansans hold dear will not be represented in Topeka.
On August 2nd, 2022, Kansans spoke loud and clear in support of women's reproductive freedom. In a world where these rights are often challenged. My commitment to affirming the dignity, autonomy, and personal integrity of every woman across our state remains absolute. I will fight tirelessly to preserve women's autonomy, ensuring that their rights are protected, their choices respected, and their voices heard.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

1) Voting Rights and Electoral Reform

2) Healthcare Access and Affordability

3) Social Equity and Inclusion

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I believe elected officials need to have a willingness to engage in discussion on topics and have the ability to find common ground and compromise.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I understand that few issues are completely black and white. I understand that most issues involve nuance and that discussion and compromise are not bad words.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibility is to legislate with compassion and to speak for the people who cannot speak for themselves.

What legacy would you like to leave?

My life looks the way it does because countless men and women fought, bled, and died for the rights I enjoy today. I do not take any of that for granted, especially when it is clear some would like to take back those rights. I often say that I'm trying to be a good ancestor. I want my daughters' lives, and the families they may have in the future, to enjoy the same rights I have now and live in an even more equitable and civil society. In all of this, I want to be a part of moving the community forward, not taking us backward to a more restrictive and oppressive past.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I was in 8th grade when the Challenger shuttle disaster happened. I recall it took a while before we understood that we had just watched the shuttle explode.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was as a lifeguard at a public pool in Kansas City, Kansas. Lifeguarding and teaching swim lessons were my go-to summer jobs all through high school.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. It is fiercely beautiful. It was the first book I stopped reading a few pages before the last because I didn't want the story to end. (I did finish it.)

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

The ideal relationship is as two branches of a three-branch government. Ideally, they work as a check and balance to each other, but with the ultimate goal of helping the people of the state.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

The shift in population from a rural to urban community as well as an increasingly diverse population, while some segments of the population resist both of those coming realities. There will be a tension between those who do not want the state to change and those who are changing the state.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe some exposure to the state level political environment is helpful, yes.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Relationships with other legislators, including ones of differing political parties, is key so legislators see one another as people, not just as “the other”.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Governor Laura Kelly and Sen. Dinah Sykes

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

No

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Many people have expressed their fear that the country is sliding away from Democracy and a stance that we should love people for who they are. It is impacting to hear how many love this country and long for it to live up to its ideals when that is not what they see around them. I am all the more eager to represent them in the legislature because they are losing hope that the government is something that can be helpful or good.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Only if the legislative oversight group is evenly balanced in political affiliation. When the oversight committee is severely lopsided in affiliation, the results are also lopsided.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

The CROWN Act, which seeks to add language to the existing anti-discrimination law to include hairstyles related to one’s ancestry or heritage.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate, Greater Kansas City Women's Political Caucus

What committees interest you?

Commerce, Confirmation Oversight, Local Government, Transparency and Ethics

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I believe no government is above the need for transparency and accountability.

Would a state ballot initiative process be good or bad for your state?

At the current time a state ballot initiative process would be good for Kansas, as it would allow Kansans to speak from the ballot box so that their elected officials could hear the will of the people.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

Stacey Knoell completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Knoell's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My family has roots in Kansas that go back to Emancipation when my Great-Grandfather, Isaac Franklin Bradley, Sr. became the first African American to graduate from Kansas University's School of Law. Since then my family has been involved in their community as lawyers, judges, small business owners, and teachers. I was raised on the axiom that, "We didn't get this far just to get this far."

I am running now as a wife, mother, former middle school math teacher, and socially engaged citizen seeking to bring my new perspective and voice to the Kansas Senate. It is time for a fresh set of eyes to address the future of our state. "The way things have always been done," will not work moving forward. History will eventually judge us for this moment in the American experiment. I am determined to be on the right side.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

My top priorities have always been Medicaid Expansion and protecting women's reproductive rights. However, Coronavirus focused the need for adequate healthcare for all Americans even as it decimated the economy and the state budget. Now, moving into the next session, I would like to be a voice in the room and a vote that keeps an eye on protecting the most vulnerable populations from losing their funding and support as budget discussions move forward.
The second elephant in the room is the current social unrest that surrounds the treatment of African Americans at the hands of white law enforcement. Many people are noticing the systemic nature of racism in this country. While protest and activism are essential, it is clear that to make a change in the system, we must change who is in office.
Now is the time for new representation for Senate 9. Now is the time for a fresh set of eyes, a fresh heart, and a fresh perspective to take our district into the next decade. Integrity, responsiveness, and transparency are needed as we move forward.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about protecting the Kansas Supreme Court decision in Hodes & Nauser v. Schmidt that guaranteed women personal autonomy in making decisions about their own healthcare and family planning. I strongly believe women are smart enough to make those decisions for themselves without the interference of a legislative body.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

I believe the core responsibilities of anyone elected to this office are to listen to the constituency, act ethically, and not violate one's conscience. I am elected to serve the people of District 9, so it is my responsibility to hear what they have to say, even if it is not what I want to hear. As an elected official, it is my job to make sure I act in an ethical manner and not betray the confidence of the public. As a person, it is my responsibility to act in a way that does not violate my conscience before God.

What legacy would you like to leave?

My great-grandfather, Isaac Franklin Bradley, Sr., was born a slave in Missouri and, after emancipation, made his way to Lawrence, Kansas where he became the first African American man to graduate from Kansas University's School of Law. He went on to become a lawyer and judge in Kansas City, Kansas. His son, Isaac Franklin Bradley, Jr., also was a lawyer and judge in KCK. My paternal grandfather, James Robinson, Sr., served in World War II as a Buffalo Soldier then returned to KCK to start a successful trucking company. I come from a legacy of community involvement and excellence. My legacy is to show my daughters that it is noble to serve, keeping an eye on how to help those who cannot help themselves. And to teach them that just because something is hard to do is no reason to not do it. My running for office is me taking my place in the flow of history and continuing to make sure, as my mother put it, "We didn't get this far, just to get this far."

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I was in eighth grade when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff. I was in Social Studies class at the time so the teacher had brought in a TV so we could watch this current event. I remember the confusion of the images: Was that just the fuel payload disengaging, or did it blow up? One part seems to still be flying, what is that? I recall the sadness that came with the understanding that the shuttle was destroyed, and all the astronauts were lost.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

I am a choral music, church worship team, musical theater loving SINGER, so there is always a song in my head. I tell my husband, "I don't pick the music. The music picks me." But my last earworm was probably, "The Story of Tonight (Reprise)" from Hamilton.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe it is important that the people who seek to serve their state in this way have the desire and focus to serve the people of their districts. Experience can become a cover word for "entrenched" and "beholden". There are many people who have been in politics for a long time who have lost their connection to their constituents' interests and are more focused on retaining their own power than serving their community.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

Kansas had only recently recovered from the disastrous Sam Brownback tax experiment that slashed income tax revenue and decimated the budget. Those tax cuts were repealed by a legislature of his own party and the budget had just righted itself when Coronavirus hit. Kansas will once again face the road of economic hardship caused by a budget shortfall. We have recovered before; we will recover again. Secondarily, Kansas faces a challenge of expanding Medicaid, supporting the schools, infrastructure, and maintaining a welcoming society that will attract and keep people in the state.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

I not only believe it is beneficial to build relationships with other legislators, I believe it is crucial to moving forward with any legislative work. We are in a highly contentious environment politically. However, I know from my life that when I take the time to sit down with someone, face to face, even if they are from a different political view than me, we can find common ground as humans. With good personal relationships, there can be trust and with trust, there can be conversations that bring about cooperation.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Stacey Knoell campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	Kansas State Senate District 23	Lost general	$174,990	$0
2020	Kansas State Senate District 9	Lost general	$136,972	N/A**
Grand total			$311,962	N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

External links

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Candidate

Kansas State Senate District 23

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 17, 2020
↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 8, 2024

[show]

Current members of the Kansas State Senate

Leadership

Senate President:Ty Masterson

Majority Leader:Chase Blasi

Minority Leader:Dinah Sykes

Senators

District 1

Craig Bowser (R)

District 2

Marci Francisco (D)

District 3

Rick Kloos (R)

District 4

David Haley (D)

District 5

Jeff Klemp (R)

District 6

Pat Pettey (D)

District 7

Ethan Corson (D)

District 8

Cindy Holscher (D)

District 9

Beverly Gossage (R)

District 10

Mike Thompson (R)

District 11

Kellie Warren (R)

District 12

Caryn Tyson (R)

District 13

Tim Shallenburger (R)

District 14

Michael Fagg (R)

District 15

Virgil Peck (R)

District 16

Ty Masterson (R)

District 17

Mike Argabright (R)

District 18

Kenny Titus (R)

District 19

Patrick Schmidt (D)

District 20

Brenda Dietrich (R)

District 21

Dinah Sykes (D)

District 22

Brad Starnes (R)

District 23

Adam Thomas (R)

District 24

Scott Hill (R)

District 25

Mary Ware (D)

District 26

Chase Blasi (R)

District 27

Joe Claeys (R)

District 28

Mike Petersen (R)

District 29

Oletha Faust-Goudeau (D)

District 30

Renee Erickson (R)

District 31

Stephen Owens (R)

District 32

Larry Alley (R)

District 33

Tory Blew (R)

District 34

Michael Murphy (R)

District 35

TJ Rose (R)

District 36

Elaine Bowers (R)

District 37

Douglas Shane (R)

District 38

Ronald Ryckman (R)

District 39

Bill Clifford (R)

District 40

Rick Billinger (R)

Republican Party (31)

Democratic Party (9)

[bio-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 17, 2020

[2] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 8, 2024

[1]

[2]

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Stacey Knoell

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Kansas State Senate District 23

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Kansas State Senate District 23

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Kansas State Senate District 23

Endorsements

2020

General election

General election for Kansas State Senate District 9

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Kansas State Senate District 9

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Kansas State Senate District 9

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2024

Video for Ballotpedia

Ballotpedia survey responses

2020

Campaign finance summary

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

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2024 Election analysis

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