A sign in front of the Bourbon County Courthouse in November 2021.
Two elections will take place this spring, a presidential preference one on March 19 and one on April 16, for a question on whether a one-quarter cent sales tax would be imposed locally to partially fund health care services, including emergency (ambulance) services.
The following is provided by Bourbon County Clerk Jennifer Hawkins.
March 2024 election
This is a Presidential Preference Primary.
“A presidential preference primary takes an act by the Kansas legislature to be conducted. The enactment takes the responsibility from the two-state parties (Republican and Democrat) in Kansas from conducting a caucus, and instead, having the state of Kansas conduct a primary election. It is a “preference” primary because it is an election where the vote totals are given to a political party to allocate delegates to candidates at the national convention. This is not a primary where the voters select the party candidate. This year, the state legislature decided to resurrect the state-run presidential preference primary, which had only been used in Kansas in 1980 and 1992,” according to the Kansas Secretary of State website.
Early voting will take place at the courthouse and begin on March 12 and run until Monday, March 18 at noon.
Residents will be able to vote at their normal polling place from 7:00 am-7:00 pm on March 19.
The list of candidates is located below.
The Democrat-filed candidates are:
Dean Phillips
Jason Michael Palmer
Joseph R Biden Jr.
Marianne Williamson
The Republican-filed candidates are:
Donald J. Trump
Nikki R. Haley
Ron DeSantis
Ryan L. Binkley
April 2024 election
The sales tax question will be the only thing on the ballot in April, Bourbon County Clerk Jennifer Hawkins said.
The one-quarter cent sales tax would be imposed to partially fund health care services, including emergency (ambulance) services.
“Right now, the question is still being drafted with the two attached questions being submitted by County Counselor Justin Meeks at the last commission meeting as possible options and are drafts that are subject to change,” she said.
The election will be held on April 16 with early voting beginning on April 9.
This is a draft of the tax question, subject to change:
Bourbon County Democrats kick off 2024 with their first general meeting on Sunday, February 18th, 2024.
The meeting will be held at Fort Scott Community College in The Ellis Building meeting rooms.
The meeting time is 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
They will welcome a well-known Kansas Legislator to this first meeting: Representative Vic Miller, House Minority Leader. Miller is leaving the House to run for Kansas Senate this year and will be discussing “Cracking the Super Majority,” along with other issues relevant to Bourbon County and the State.
Please join BBcoDems to welcome Representative Miller.
We are also holding a special drawing (which involves customized engraving).
For more information, call or text 620 215 1505. Please add your name to the message.
The vote here sign sits in front of the north wing of the Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National.
Bourbon County Clerk Jennifer Hawkins spoke to the commissioners on January 23 about the upcoming Presidential Preference Primary election on March 19.
Hawkins stated the last day to register to vote will be February 19th. Early voting will begin at the courthouse on March 11 and run until noon on March 18. On March 19 residents will be able to vote at their normal polling place.
Unaffiliated voters will not be able to vote in this election, Hawkins said. “They would have to register to be a Democrat or Republican, but they can affiliate up until election day. They can re-register as an independent after the election.”
Commissioner Clifton Beth asked who will be paying for this election and Hawkins said the State will be reimbursing the County for what they consider hard-costs such as ballots, building rent, and personnel costs.
Bourbon County Clerk Jennifer Hawkins. Submitted photo.
The following is from the Kansas Secretary of State’s website about the election:
What is a Presidential Preference Primary?
A presidential preference primary takes an act by the Kansas legislature to be conducted. The enactment takes the responsibility from the two state parties (Republican and Democrat) in Kansas from conducting a caucus, and instead, having the state of Kansas conduct a primary election. It is a “preference” primary because it is an election where the vote totals are given to a political party to allocate delegates to candidates at the national convention. This is not a primary where the voters selected the party candidate.
What is the History of Presidential Preference Primary in Kansas?
In Kansas, it is a function of the state political parties to allocate delegates to presidential candidates at each party’s national convention to select each party’s presidential nominee. Such delegates are chosen via caucus or convention by the political parties. This year, the state legislature decided to resurrect the state-run presidential preference primary, which had only been used in Kansas in 1980 and 1992.
When is the Election?
The Republican and Democratic parties can have a state-run primary election on March 19, 2024. However, either party may opt out of participating in the primary by notifying the Secretary of State on or before December 1, 2023.
Who is on the Ballot?
Presidential candidates must file their candidacy with the Secretary of State 60 days before the election (12:00 p.m. January 19, 2024). Candidates must either pay a $10,000 filing fee or present a petition with 5,000 signatures of registered Kansas voters of the applicable political party.
What Voters Can Participate?
Each political party must notify the Secretary of State in writing on or before January 16, 2024, as to who may vote in the party’s primary election.
Where is my Polling Location?
Like other elections, the county election office will determine where the voting locations are held. Advance voting by mail and advance voting in person are also an option. You will vote at your regular polling place unless you receive a notification by mail from your county election office. You may also verify your polling location on the VoterView website.
Eight Candidates File for the Kansas Presidential Preference Primary
Friday, January 19, 2024
TOPEKA – Secretary of State Scott Schwab announced that eight candidates, four Democrats and four Republicans, met today’s filing deadline for the state’s Presidential Preference Primary. The preference primary will be held on March 19. Candidates were required to pay a $10,000 filing fee and submit notarized paperwork with the Kansas Secretary of State’s office.
The Democrat filed candidates are:
Dean Phillips
Jason Michael Palmer
Joseph R Biden Jr.
Marianne Williamson
The Republican filed candidates are:
Donald J. Trump
Nikki R. Haley
Ron DeSantis
Ryan L. Binkley
“I am pleased to have four candidates from each major political party file with our office,” Schwab said. “I encourage Kansans to get out and vote in this historic election.”
As a reminder, the deadline to register or update voter registration is February 20 to participate in the preference primary.
In accordance with K.S.A. 25-4503(d), the Secretary of State’s office conducted the random selection of the ballot order for both political parties on January 22, at the Memorial Hall Auditorium in Topeka.
In addition to the ballot order selected by the Office, each ballot will have four candidate names, as well as a “none of the names shown” option. To learn more about this one-time Presidential Preference Primary visit VoteKansas.gov.
Those elected in the last November election will be sworn in sometime in December, because of their duties starting in January, said Bourbon County Clerk Jennifer Hawkins.
Also in January, the Bourbon County Commission will choose a chairman for the year amongst themselves, she said.
This year the county elections were done on newly purchased election equipment, Hawkins said, with few glitches.
“We had a representative from the company on site, Clear Ballot, of Boston, Massachusetts,” she said.
The prior county clerk purchased all new equipment before she resigned, Hawkins said.
The following are the newly elected officials from the November 7, 2023 election:
For the City of Fort Scott Commission: Tracy Dancer, Matthew Wells, and Dyllon Olson.
For the Bronson City Council: Michael Stewart, Christy O’Brien, and Kayla Greenway.
As Mayor of Fulton: Misty Adams
On the Fulton City Council: Lawrence Paddock, Ronald Marsh, and Stephanie Smith.
On the Uniontown City Council: Danea Esslinger, Bradley Stewart, and Mary Pemberton.
On the the Redfield Council: L.D. Morrison, Brandy Corriston and Mel Hunt.
On the Mapleton Council, Michael Hueston, Tayler Northcutt* and Woody Brown*.
*These candidates were chosen by lot on November 20, 2023
to break a three-way tie, with the Bourbon County Chairman Jim Harris pulling a name out of a hat, supervised by the county clerk, she said.
For the Fort Scott USD 234 Board of Education:
Position 1: James Wood
Position 2: Mike Miles
Position 3: Doug Hurd
At-large: Stewart Gulager
For the Uniontown USD235 Board of Education:
Position 1: Troy Couchman
Position 2: Rhonda Hoener
Position 3: Seth Martin
At-Large: Matt Kelly
For the Southwind Extension District: Trent Johnson and Deb Lust.
For the Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees: Ronda Bailey, Douglas Ropp, and Chad McKinnis.
“As of the final unofficial report with all precincts reporting we had a total of 2,382 ballots cast out of 12,309 registered voters with a turnout of 19.35% which is better than the last city/school election where there was only 14.54% of turnout,” Jennifer Hawkins, the Bourbon County Clerk said. “We had 28 workers spread throughout the seven polling sites this year.”
“The official results will not be available until after the provisional ballots are determined at canvass next week,” she said.
The following are the unofficial Bourbon County Election Results,taken from the county’s Facebook page.
Early voting in Bourbon County has started on whether Uniontown’s school district will get new safety upgrades and expanded opportunities for students.
“The USD 235 bond issue prioritizes projects that were identified as the greatest needs through a 2021 facilities audit and through community feedback via 2022 survey work that went to all patrons,” USD 235 Superintendent Vance Eden said. “These items constitute safety upgrades and the expansion of educational opportunities for students.”
Vance Eden, superintendent for USD 235. Photo from the school district’s website.
Information about each specific component of the projects can be found on the website, uniontown235.org, under the label Bond Info, he said.
The two-question format on the ballot for a vote, “is responsive to the feedback we received regarding priorities and tax implications,” he said.
“In this format, Proposition 1 would need to pass for Proposition 2 to have the potential to pass,” he said.”
The tax implications can be found on the district’s website, he said. “Additionally, I’m happy to sit down with any patron who has a prior year’s tax bill and help them figure that out even more precisely,” Eden said. “The projects proposed do not represent all of the ideas and needs of the district, we have been extremely mindful to prioritize those most important and meaningful projects as parts of the bond.”
The list of those projects are below:
“New WBE Preschool- This would include programs for 3-year-old and 4-year-old students. This would also be a storm shelter all West Bourbon Elementary students and staff could use if needed.
Student Support Offices- We would add offices on both sides of the street for the (student support) providers who are working with students.
WBE Entrance- The aluminum doors are original to the building and are at the end of their life. This would also address some ADA compliance issues with the entrance.
Music Room- We would move around a couple of classes and make a music room that better fits the needs acoustically. This would also allow us to better address/ provide special education services in the prior music room.
Junior High, and High School Fire Alarm- A new fire alarm would include smoke detection and automatic calling of emergency services when triggered. Our current system does not do this.
HS Multipurpose Room- We would add a multi-purpose room at the HS that will also serve as the storm shelter for JH/HS students and staff. This will be a valuable space for all kinds of needs, including a room for wrestling practice.
New Agriculture Classroom, Metals Shop, and Construction Trades Shop- This building is at the end of its life and needs replacement for Ag and Metals to continue to be a part of our programming. We would also take the opportunity to add a construction trades program to this building to increase student programs.
6th Grade- 6th grade students would move across the street to become a part of the JH. This was the most efficient use of space and programming. It will increase opportunities for these students while creating the needed space at WBE to address their needs there without having to add on with additional new construction.”
‘The proposed USD 235 Bond Issue qualifies for State-Aide,” according to the district’s Facebook page on Nov.1. “If our bond is approved, the State will pay for 32% of the overall cost. If approved, the district will also apply for FEMA funding related to the storm shelters. If awarded, it would cover 50% of the cost of those storm shelters at WBE and UJH/HS.”
Other District Improvements, Not on the Bond Issue-The Community Walking Trail
Eden also provided an update on the walking trail around the school that is used by the community as well.
“The walking trail is currently with the architect to ensure ADA compliance and the project specifications,” he said.
“The layout will largely remain the same. There will be some ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) adjustments as well as considerations for better drainage in those locations where it is needed. The trail itself will be concrete construction at a width of 5 feet.”
“It is funded through a Recreational Trail Program Grant with the Department of Wildlife and Parks,” he said. Through this grant, they will pay 80% of the cost and the district will be responsible for the remaining 20%. That said, our 20% can be in-kind donations, which will be our preference.
Schultz Squared Architecture is doing this project for the district, he said. “They are the architect doing our pre-bond work and already had the planning materials needed to fulfill this quickly and efficiently.”
The Vote Here sign sits in front of the north wing of the Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National.
Early voting for the November 7 election begins today.
“If anybody would like to receive a mailed advance ballot, they may complete an application and return it to our office by October 31, 2023,” Bourbon County Clerk Jennifer Hawkins said.
One can vote at the Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National, in the early voting availability.
Early voting starts today at the Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National.
Today and tomorrow, Oct. 27, one can vote from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the courthouse.
Saturday, October 28 votes can be cast from 8:30 a.m. to noon, and Monday, October 30 until November 3 from 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the courthouse.
There will be voting availability on Saturday, November 4, and then on Monday, November 6 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the courthouse.
Election day is November 7 and the community can then vote in places closer to their neighborhood. See the list below of polling places in the county.
Candidates for the Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees:
Vote for three or less:
Ronda Bailey, Douglas Ropp, David Elliott, Kirk Hart, Roberta “Bert” Lewis, Robert Nelson, Josh Jones and Chad McKinnis.
Fort Scott City Commissioners, vote for three or less:
Joshua Baseley, Edwin Woelhof, Janice Allen, Harold Pete Allen, Tracy Dancer, Margaret Cummings, Matthew Wells, Dyllon Olson, Barbara Ann Rawlins.
No candidates have filed for the city councils of Mapleton and Fulton, and none for the mayor of Fulton
Filing to run for the Bronson City Council is Michael Stewart; for the Redfield City Council is L.D. Morrison and Brandy Corriston and for the Uniontown City Council is Danae Esslinger.
For the USD 234 Board of Education (Fort Scott Schooll District), vote for one of the following:
Position 1: James Wood, Joe Wimmer, Scott Center
Position 2: Mike Miles
Position 3: Robert Harrington, Aaron Judy, Doug Hurd
At Large: Payton Coyan, Stewart Gulager.
For the USD 235 Board of Education (Uniontown School District), vote for one of the following:
Position 1: Troy Couchman
Position 2: Rhonda Hoener
Position 3: Seth Martin, Kolby Stock
At Large: Matt Kelly, Josh Hartman
Southwind Extension District, vote for two of the following:
Deb Lust, Trent Johnson
The following are the questions that will be on the ballot, for the Uniontown School District, USD 235
Proposition No. 1:
Shall the following be adopted?
Shall Unified School District No. 235, Bourbon County, Kansas (Uniontown), issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $5,635,000, to pay the costs to construct, furnish and equip renovations, improvements, and additions to District facilities, including but not limited to: (a) Pre-K classroom/storm shelter, student support offices, music room, and secure entrance at West Bourbon Elementary School; (b) 6th grade classrooms, student support offices, tech office, multipurpose classroom/storm shelter, and fire alarm system at the Uniontown Junior/Senior High School; and (c) all other necessary improvements related to it (collectively the “Project”), and to pay costs of issuance and interest on said general obligation bonds during construction of the Project; all pursuant to the provisions of K.S.A. 10-101 et seq., K.S.A. 25-2018(f), K.S.A. 72‑5457, and K.S.A. 72-5458 et seq.?
To vote in favor of Proposition No. 1 submitted on this ballot, completely darken the oval to the left of the word “Yes” on the paper ballot. To vote against it, completely darken the oval to the left of the word “No” on the paper ballot.
Proposition No. 2:
Shall the following be adopted?
Shall Unified School District No. 235, Bourbon County, Kansas (Uniontown), issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $3,485,000, to pay the costs to construct, furnish and equip an Ag-Science Classroom, Metals Shop, and Construction Science Shop at the Uniontown Junior/Senior High School, and all other necessary improvements related to it (collectively the “Project”), and to pay costs of issuance and interest on said general obligation bonds during construction of the Project; all pursuant to the provisions of K.S.A. 10-101 et seq., K.S.A. 25-2018(f), K.S.A. 72‑5457, and K.S.A. 72-5458 et seq.?
To vote in favor of Proposition No. 2 submitted on this ballot, completely darken the oval to the left of the word “Yes” on the paper ballot. To vote against it, completely darken the oval to the left of the word “No” on the paper ballot.
Residents living in the City of Fort Scott vote at the following locations:
1st Ward-Community Christian Church
2nd Ward-Grace Baptist Church
3rd Ward-Grace Baptist Church
4th Ward-Grace Baptist Church
5th Ward-Community Christian Church
6th Ward-Community Christian Church
7th Ward-Grace Baptist Church
Residents living in the County vote at the following locations:
There will be two dates that the community can interact with local candidates for the upcoming November 2023 elections.
Ellis Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2401 S. Horton.
Session 1: Wednesday, Oct 25,5:30 doors open, 6 pm, at the Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College: candidates for FSCC bd of Trustees, USD 234 Board of Education and the, Fort Scott City Commission.
Uniontown City Hall.
Session 2: Thursday, Oct 26, 6:30 p.m. at Uniontown City Hall, Uniontown: candidates for FSCC bd of Trustees, USD 235 Board of Education, and city council candidates for Uniontown, Bronson, and Redfield.
Submitted by Deb Martin for the Bourbon County Republicans.
