With Barton County voters casting their ballots Tuesday for the local 2022 primary election, Election Officer Bev Schmeidler wanted to remind voters of the polling places. As an added reminder, Schmeidler noted that election signs and other campaign materials are not allowed within 250 feet of a polling station entrance.
Polls will be open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. and voters are reminded to bring their photo ID with them. In addition, advance voting is available until noon Monday at the County Clerk’s Office on the second floor of the Barton County Courthouse, 1400 Main in Great Bend.
The ballot includes state and national offices, county commissioners, county clerk, township clerks, and Republican and Democratic precinct men and women. It will also include the constitutional amendment known as “Value Them Both” which would limit abortions in the state.
For more information, call the Clerk’s Office at 620-793-1835.
Polling places include:
Great Bend City
• First Ward – Great Bend Rec Commission Activity Center 2715 18th, east main entrance.
• Second Ward – Prince of Peace St. Patrick’s Parish Center, 4100 Broadway.
• Third Ward – Grace Community Church, 210 McKinley, north entrance
• Fourth Ward – Great Bend Recreation Center Burnside Room, 1214 Stone.
Ballot drop boxes
• Central Kansas Community Corrections, 1208 Kansas Avenue, Great Bend. Enter alley behind Golden Belt Cinema 6 theater. Driver’s side drop-off.
No postage required.
• Hoisington City Building, 109 E. First St., Hoisington. Located in alley next to utility drop box. Driver’s side drop-off.
No postage required.
Hoisington City
• First, Second, Third and Fourth wards – Meeting Room, Hoisington Activity Center, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, main entrance.
Other cities
• Albert - Arts and Crafts Room, Hoisington Activity Center, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, northeast entrance.
• Galatia – Arts and Crafts Room, Hoisington Activity Center, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, northeast entrance.
• Olmitz – Arts and Crafts Room, Hoisington Activity Center, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, northeast entrance.
• Susank – Arts and Crafts Room, Hoisington Activity Center, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, northeast entrance.
• Claflin – Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin.
• Ellinwood – St. Joseph Parish Center, 110 West Second, Ellinwood.
• Pawnee Rock – Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance.
Townships
• Albion Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.
• Eureka Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.
• Fairview Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.
• Grant Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.
• North Homestead Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.
• South Homestead Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.
• Union Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.
• Walnut-Albert Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.
• Walnut-Olmitz Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.
• Wheatland Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.
• Beaver Township – Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin.
• Cheyenne Township – Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin.
• Cleveland Township – Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin.
• Independent Township – Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin.
• Logan Township – Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin.
• Comanche Township – St. Joseph Parish Center, 110 West Second, Ellinwood.
• Lakin Township A and B – St. Joseph Parish Center, 110 West Second, Ellinwood.
• Great Bend Township A – Barton County Sheriff’s Office shooting range, 396 NE 30 Rd.
• Buffalo Township – Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance
• Clarence Township – Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance
• Great Bend Township B – Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance
• Liberty Township – Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance
• Pawnee Rock Township – Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance
• South Bend Township – Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance
What are the ward and district boundaries?
Below are links to view the Great Bend and Hoisington city council wards, and Barton County Commission districts:
• Great Bend wards – www.greatbendks.net/DocumentCenter/View/731/2016-GB-Ward-Map?bidId=
• Hoisington wards – www.hoisingtonks.org/city-council
• Commission districts, county wide – www.bartoncounty.org/vimages/shared/vnews/stories/518a7f43dc881/New2018DistrictsJD.pdf
• Commission districts, City of Great Bend – www.bartoncounty.org/vimages/shared/vnews/stories/518a7f43dc881/New2018DistrictsGBa.pdf
Constitutional amendment on primary ballot
This year, a constitutional amendment known as “Value Them Both” will be on the ballot during the primary election on Aug. 22. The constitutional amendment will be on all ballots regardless of one’s party or affiliation, according to the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office.
Below is a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that will be voted on in the August primary election as listed on the KSSO website.
“The Value Them Both Amendment would affirm there is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion or to require the government funding of abortion, and would reserve to the people of Kansas, through their elected state legislators, the right to pass laws to regulate abortion, including, but not limited to, in circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, or when necessary to save the life of the mother.
“A vote for the Value Them Both Amendment would affirm there is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion or to require the government funding of abortion, and would reserve to the people of Kansas, through their elected state legislators, the right to pass laws to regulate abortion.
“A vote against the Value Them Both Amendment would make no changes to the constitution of the state of Kansas, and could restrict the people, through their elected state legislators, from regulating abortion by leaving in place the recently recognized right to abortion.”
August primary candidates listed
The slate of candidates for the Tuesday, Aug. 2, primary election is set. The filings included multiple candidates for each of the three County Commission seats up for grabs.
The general election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Below is the list of those who have filed in Barton County for the commission, county clerk and township clerks, according to the County Clerk’s Office.
Not included are those who filed for the Republican and Democratic precinct men and women.
These elections are always decided during the primary and are not in the general election.
Local candidates
County Commission
• First District
Jeffery Donecker, Republican
Matthew Gerritzen, Republican
Linda M. Moeder, Republican
Rick Nulton, Republican
Duane Reif, Republican
• Fourth District
Jon L. Prescott, Republican
Tricia Schlessiger, Republican
• Fifth District
Rick Davis, Republican
Donna Zimmerman, Republican
County clerk
Bev Schmeidler, Republican
Townwhip clerks
Albion Township, Ronald (Rocky) Meitner, Republican
Beaver Township, Scott Schlochtermeier, Republican
Buffalo Township, no filings
Cheyenne Township, no filings
Clarence Township, Dennis D. Comer, Republican
Cleveland Township, no filings
Comanche Township, Linda Borror, Republican
Eureka Township, no filings
Fairview Township, no filings
Grant Township, no filings
Great Bend Township, R.L. Engle, Republican
North Homestead Township, no filings
South Homestead Township, no filings
Independent Township, no filings
Lakin Township, no filings
Liberty Township, no filings
Logan Township, Joseph V. Zink, Republican
Pawnee Rock Township, no filings
South Bend Township, Darren Nicolet, Republican
Union Township, Marty Michaelis and Justin Ludwig. both Republicans
Walnut Albert Township, no filings
Walnut Olmitz Township, no filings
Wheatland Township, Tim Maier, Republican
State candidates
United States Senate
Mike Andra, Democrat
Paul Buskirk, Democrat
Robert Klingenberg, Democrat
Michael Soetaert, Democrat
Joan Farr, Republican
Jerry Moran, Republican
United States House of Representatives 1
James “Jimmy” Beard, Democrat
Tracey Mann, Republican
Governor/Lt. governor
Richard S Karnowski/Barry J. Franco, Democrat
Laura Kelly/David Toland, Democrat
Arlyn Briggs/Lance Berland, Republican
Derek Schmidt/ Katie Sawyer, Republican
Secretary of state
Jeanna Repass, Democrat
Mike Brown, Republican
Scott Schwab, Republican
Attorney general
Chris Mann, Democrat
Kris Kobach, Republican
Tony Mattivi, Republican
Kellie Warren, Republican
State treasurer
Lynn W Rogers, Democrat
Steven Johnson, Republican
Caryn Tyson, Republican
Commissioner of insurance
Kiel Corkran, Democrat
Vicki Schmidt, Republican
Kansas House of Representatives 112
Tory Marie Blew, Republican
Kansas House of Representatives 113
Jo Ann Roth, Democrat
Brett Fairchild, Republican
Bob Rein, Republican
State Board of Education 7
Dennis Hershberger, Republican
Ben Jones, Republican
District Court Judge 20
Carey Hipp, Republican
