Voter Guide with Recommended Candidates – Early Voting Starts Today
Current Guide is for Johnson County. Also included is Game On for Kansas Schools roster of candidates for those in other parts of the state.
Scroll down to find the Voter Guide with Recommended Candidates for Johnson County. Take a screen shot.
Watch for some graphics to come with recommendations for other parts of the state. In the meantime, I’ve included Game On For Kansas Schools roster of candidates for those of you in other parts of the state, which has good picks for the state legislature and State Board of Education.
Go to myvoteinfo.voteks.org to find the contested races on your ballot and look for the corresponding races on the Johnson County Voter Guide or Game On’s Primary Roster.
Everyone can (and should) vote in primaries
Turnout in primaries is extremely low and it seems to be leading to polarization and more extreme candidates getting elected, at least at the state level in Kansas.
Over the last few election cycles, we have lost a number of moderate republicans to more extreme candidates in the August primary. So, not only do we have a GOP Supermajority (ability to override vetoes and initiate constitutional amendments) in Topeka, but it has become more extreme.
There are often big differences between candidates even within the same political party. Too many voters are letting others decide for them who will be on their November ballot.
Your voice is important and you should use it in every election!
Unaffiliated voters can (and should) vote in primaries
Many unaffiliated voters don’t realize that they can also have a say in who ends up on their November ballot. In Kansas, you just show up at the polls to vote and they will ask you if you want the Democratic or Republican ballot. They will then have you register with that party before voting. You can always switch back to unaffiliated after the primary by simply re-registering on-line at ksvotes.org.
I’m unaffiliated and I can attest that it is very easy. Some years I vote in one party’s primary because there is a candidate I really like and I want to make sure they end up on my November ballot. And sometimes I decide it is more important to vote in one party’s primary because there is a candidate who concerns me and I want to use my voice to try to keep them off the November ballot.
Your voice is important and you should use it in every election!
Do your own research — a little homework
Doing your own research is always recommended—consider the Voter Guide a starting point.
In fact, everyone in Johnson County voting in the Democratic primary has a little homework to do. Sorry. Both candidates for District Attorney are very good and it was difficult to choose between them. I compiled a few resources for researching this race at bit.ly/DemDA24 to make it a little easier.
Review the resources and choose the candidate that best resonates with you.
About this Voter Guide
Only contested races are included on the guide, which means the best candidate for the general election may not appear.
When researching candidates for recommendation, support for the following issues was considered:
reproductive rights
public schools
common sense gun safety
LGBTQ rights
Medicaid expansion
voting rights
Not all candidates align perfectly with these issues, but recommended candidates come closer than their opponent, or they were less extreme, or were deemed more qualified than their opponent(s). In some cases, no recommendation was made as neither candidate was ideal.
Inclusion on the guide does not guarantee a recommendation for the general election.
However, these candidates on the guide will definitely be recommended in November if they win their primary race. Start learning about them now!
Zach Thomas or Vanessa Riebli for Johnson County District Attorney.
Shirley Allenbrand for County Commission District 6
And Now for the Guide
Take a screenshot or click on the image to save to your phone and/or share with others.
Below is a PDF version of the same guide.
Game On for Kanas Schools Roster
Incumbents who have supported public education while serving in office are on the “Varsity Squad.” Challengers Game On believes will be the best advocates for public education are on our roster of “Top Recruits,” while incumbents who have repeatedly failed to support public education are “Benched for academic ineligibility.”
