State and national elections also looming
In addition to the county elections, there are several state and national races this fall as well.
The following state offices are up for election:
• Governor/lieutenant governor
• Secretary of state
• Attorney general
• State treasurer
• Commissioner of insurance
• One state senator (District 13 which covers the extreme southeast corner of the state including Fort Scott, Pittsburg and Baxter Springs)
• All 125 state representatives
• State board of education (positions 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9)
• Seven Kansas Court of Appeals judges
• District court judges (46 retained, 27 elected)
• District magistrate judges (18 retained, three elected)
The following national offices are up for election:
• All four U.S. representatives, including Congressman Roger Marshall
According to Ballotpedia, for statewide and federal offices, the filing fee is equal to 1 percent of the office’s annual salary. For state senate candidates, the fee is $75. For state representative candidates, the fee is $50.
The declaration and accompanying filing fee for federal and state-level offices (including state legislative seats) must be submitted to the Kansas Secretary of State by noon on June 1.
In addition to the statutory filing fee, a candidate for federal and state offices must pay a $20 administrative fee to the Kansas Secretary of State, the Governmental Ethics Commission/Secretary of State (GEC/SOS) fee.
A state-level candidate must also pay a registration fee to the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission. For statewide executive offices, the fee is $480. For state legislative candidates, the fee is $35.
To file by petition for offices elected on a statewide basis, signatures must equal at least 1 percent of the state’s current voter registration total of the party whose nomination the candidate is seeking. For offices elected by district, signatures must equal at least 2 percent of the district’s current voter registration total of the party whose nomination the candidate is seeking.
Nomination petitions for federal and state-level offices (including state legislative seats) must be submitted to the Kansas Secretary of State by noon on June 1.
Petitioning candidates will avoid the filing fee, but still have to pay the GEC/SOS and registration fees.
The filing deadline for the 2018 election is noon Friday, June 1, Barton County Election Officer Donna Zimmerman announced Tuesday. Voters will cast ballots in Barton County Commission, city council, Ellinwood Hospital District Trustees, township clerk and precinct committee elections.
The county will conduct a primary Aug. 7 and the general election Nov. 6, Zimmerman said.
The following positions in Barton County will appear on the ballot:
• Barton County Commission – District 1 (incumbent – Kenny Schremmer)
• Barton County Commission – District 4 (incumbent – Alicia Straub)
• Barton County Commission – District 5 (incumbent – Jennifer Schartz)
• City of Great Bend – One council member from each ward with the incumbents including Vicki Berryman in Ward 1, Joel Jackson in Ward 2, Cory Zimmerman in Ward 3 and Brock McPherson in Ward 4.
• City of Hoisington – one council member from each ward
• City of Ellinwood – two council member positions at-large
• Ellinwood Hospital District - two Board of Trustees positions at-large
• All Townships – township clerk position
• Precinct committeemen/committeewomen –one per precinct
Any questions concerning the election or candidate qualifications may be directed to the County Clerk’s Office at 620-793-1835.
How do I file?
Any registered voter residing in the above named districts may file on or before the deadline. All candidates for these Barton County offices must file at the Barton County Clerk’s Office, 1400 Main, Great Bend, Room 202.
Filing fees include:
• County Commission filing fee - $261
• City and Hospital positions filing fee - $20
• Township Clerk filing fee - $1
• There is no filing fee for precinct committee people positions
However, Zimmerman said her office accepts filings by petition in lieu of the filing fee for local offices. All petitions are also due by noon June 1, except for Independent filers whose deadline is noon, Aug. 6.
The number of signatures required varies from position to position, she said. The number is based on a percentage of registered voters.
For county offices, it is 3 percent of the registered voters of the candidate’s party or 4 percent of all registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, if one is filing as an Independent. For township offices, it is 3 percent of the registered voters of the candidate’s party, or a minimum of 10 signatures or 5 percent of all registered, regardless of party affiliation, voters for Independent candidates.
Zimmerman said County Commission filings by petition would avoid the $211 filing fee, but would still be subject to the Governmental Ethics Commission/Secretary of State (GEC/SOS) $50 fee, a fee charged to all state and national race filers.
The GEC/SOS fee does not apply to township or precinct committee people offices.
Petition signature requirements include:
• For County Commissioner First District:
Republican filing - 64 valid signatures
Democratic filing - 19 valid signatures
Independent filing - 149 valid signatures
• For County Commissioner Fourth District:
Republican filing - 64 valid signatures
Democratic filing - 16 valid signatures
Independent filing - 42 valid signatures
• For County Commissioner Fifth District:
Republican filing - 68 valid signatures
Democratic filing - 17 valid signatures
Independent filing - 147 valid signatures
Zimmerman’s office calculates the number required for the other offices upon request due to the number of offices and the fact we have very few inquiries.
