Heading into a presidential election year that includes the first Kansas presidential primaries since 1992, the Sedgwick County Election Office will spend more than it has in at least 10 years. The election office will get $3.5 million in 2024 under a budget recently adopted by the Sedgwick County Commission. But a request to send […]
Elections
The Wichita Beacon shares stories about the upcoming elections.
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
A tale of two campaigns: Wichita’s school board candidates can’t match large sums raised by mayoral candidates
Although Wichita Public Schools consume nearly double the tax dollars that go through City Hall, candidates for school board have drawn far less campaign money than local government candidates in this year’s races. In the mayoral primary, candidate Lily Wu notably raised $207,000 during the first campaign reporting period, which ran Jan. 1 through July […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
Wichita general election ballot takes shape for Nov. 7
With the primary election results in, the candidate lineup for the 2023 general election in Wichita has taken shape. There will be 16 candidates total spread across seven races: Wichita mayor, City Council Districts 2, 4 and 5; and USD 259 school board Districts 3 and 4 as well as the at-large seat. To help […]
Posted inData, DIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
Lily Wu outraises all others in Wichita’s mayoral primary. Who is behind the money?
In the Wichita mayor’s race, there is one major takeaway from the filings submitted this week to the Sedgwick County Election Commission Office: Lily Wu, a first-time political candidate who calls herself “the outsider” in the race, is anything but. Wu is just one of eight candidates challenging incumbent Mayor Brandon Whipple in the Aug. […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
Wichita mayoral forum: Candidates talk policing, homelessness and neighborhoods
Wichita will choose its next mayor on Nov. 7, but first voters must narrow the field of candidates from nine to two in the primary on Aug. 1. Seven of those nine mayoral candidates shared their views on how to strengthen neighborhoods, engage citizens in advisory boards and tackle such problems as homelessness and police […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
Trans rights, mental health and student safety: USD 259 school board at-large candidates answer your questions
Last month, The Wichita Beacon surveyed our readers to find out what they most want to know about candidates running for local office. Questions for Wichita school board candidates centered on these themes: transgender protections in schools, student safety, mental health and curriculum decisions. Only one school board seat, the at-large seat, drew enough Wichita […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
Housing, fentanyl and worker shortages: Where do Wichita’s City Council candidates stand?
Last month, The Wichita Beacon surveyed our readers to find out what they most want to know about candidates running for local office. Questions for City Council candidates centered on four themes: homelessness; the city’s worker shortage in areas of policing, health care and education; fentanyl deaths; and diversity and inclusion. Only one district, District […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
Diversity, transparency and leadership: Where do the Wichita’s mayoral candidates stand?
Update: Brandon Whipple and Lily Wu will appear on the Nov. 7 general election ballot. They have answered a second questionnaire with different questions submitted by our readers. Last month, The Wichita Beacon surveyed our readers to find out what they most want to know about candidates running for local office. Questions for the 2023 […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
You have until July 11 to register to vote in the August primary election
The primary election in Wichita is on Aug. 1, giving voters the opportunity to narrow the fields in races for mayor, City Council and school board. Here’s who is running. Because local elections are nonpartisan, any registered voter regardless of party affiliation may vote in the primary. If you want to vote in this year’s […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
What should voters know about the Wichita 2023 primaries?
The Sedgwick County Election Office — responsible for all voter registration and elections within the county — is heading into Wichita 2023 primary elections with a new commissioner, following a fair amount of controversy and turnover in recent years. In 2020, Secretary of State Scott Schwab, whose responsibilities overseeing elections include appointing county election commissioners, […]