Early voting in Johnson County is in full swing already and Election Day, Nov. 8, is less than one week away.
As Johnson County residents head to the polls and mail in ballots, we’ve put together this election primer to give people an easy way to find out more about the candidates running for three seats on the Johnson County Commission and where they stand on the issues important to our readers.
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Who’s on the ballot
There are six candidates vying for three seats on the county commission.
Check out this map of the commissioner districts to see in which district you live.
District 1
- Becky Fast (incumbent)
- Audra McMahon
District 4
- Janeé Hanzlick (incumbent)
- Maria Holiday
District 5
- Michael Ashcraft (incumbent)
- Stephanie Berland
Quickly get to know the candidates and their policy priorities with the Post’s candidate thumbnail sketches.
Johnson County commission candidate questions
Earlier this month, the Post published the candidates’ responses to a questionnaire we developed with reader input.
The candidates’ answers to the five questionnaire items are linked below:
Election integrity: Since the fall of 2021, Sheriff Calvin Hayden has used county resources to conduct an investigation into unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud. His investigation continues even as the Johnson County Election Office and Secretary of State have offered repeated assurances that the 2020 election was free of significant abnormalities. Hayden, for his part, says he is simply doing his due diligence after residents raised concerns, though his office has produced just one actual complaint report so far. Do you support the Sheriff’s continued investigation of the 2020 election? Are you comfortable with county resources being used for it? Why or why not? Read candidates’ answers.
Home value and property taxes: Many Johnson County residents have seen the county’s appraised values of their homes going up double digits year after year without corresponding property tax rate reductions to offset them — meaning people’s out-of-pocket tax expenses have risen dramatically in recent years. What role do you think the county government needs to play in addressing rising property taxes here? Read candidates’ answers.
Pandemic response: The county played a central role in setting and enforcing the public health policies related to the pandemic — including business closures and school mask mandates. Do you believe the county’s approach to managing the pandemic was a success? Why or why not? What should the county do differently if a public health emergency arises in the future? Read candidates’ answers.
Tax incentives for developers: More and more developers are requesting tax increment financing when they bring proposals before Johnson County cities. Under state statute, the Board of County Commissioners has a 30-day window to veto the creation of TIF districts in the county. Critics say tax incentives amount to giving private businesses a handout. Proponents say development projects that ultimately benefit the community couldn’t move forward without them. What’s your view on the prevalence of the use of tax incentives on development projects here? Read candidates’ answers.
Climate change: Climate change continues to be a major issue of concern for our readers. What steps should the county government be taking to build climate resiliency and prepare for more extreme weather events in Johnson County? Read candidates’ answers.
Johnson County commission candidate forum
The Post hosted an in-person forum for the commission candidates on Oct. 4 on the campus of Johnson County Community College and all six participated.
Video of the event is embedded below, followed by a summary of the topics the candidates discussed and corresponding time stamps to help readers find their answers more quickly:
- Candidates’ opening statements [4:00]
- What do you see has being the biggest priorities in your particular district and how will our actions align with those needs and priorities? [11:07]
- Many Johnson County residents have seen the county’s appraised values of their homes going up double digits year after year without corresponding property tax rate reductions to offset them — meaning people’s out-of-pocket tax expenses have risen dramatically in recent years. The next Johnson County budget does, in fact, lower the county’s mill levy, or property tax, rate by one mill — the largest such reduction in 20 years — but home values are rising so quickly that Johnson County taxpayers, by and large, are expected to still pay more in property taxes. Should the county’s property tax rate be cut more? If not, what other relief is there for taxpayers? If so, what impact will this have on county services? [21:35]
- Since the fall of 2021, Sheriff Calvin Hayden has used county resources to conduct an investigation into unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud. His investigation continues even as the Johnson County Election Office and Secretary of State have offered repeated assurances that the 2020 election was free of significant abnormalities. Hayden, for his part, says he is simply doing his due diligence after residents raised concerns, though his office has produced just one actual complaint report so far. Do you support the Sheriff’s continued investigation of the 2020 election? Are you comfortable with county resources being used for it? Why or why not? [36:45]
- As a county commissioner, you will also be part of the Board of County Canvassers, the body that conducts the official canvass and certifies election results in Johnson County. Reader Ann Lintecum wants all of the county commission candidates to answer the following: “Who won the 2020 presidential election? Your answer will tell me everything I need to know.” Do you recognize Joe Biden as the legitimately elected president of the United States? If not, knowing you will eventually have a say in certifying election results in Johnson County, our readers deserve to hear what sources of information you go to and trust when considering the integrity and security of elections in general and our county election system in particular. [48:00]
- This questions directly from a reader: “When it comes to economic development, Kansas law leaves much of that to cities instead of counties. But the County government can play a significant role in making sure businesses are welcome and encouraged to locate here and bring good jobs with them. When trying to attract jobs and businesses, who is Johnson County competing against? What role, if any, do you think economic development incentives should play in trying to attract businesses here?” [54:00]
- The county commission earlier this summer approved new regulations governing industrial-scale solar farms. There are currently no solar farms in the county … but the approval of the new rules paves the way for such operations, including one proposed for outside Gardner that would, if built, be the largest solar farm in Kansas. The rules the county commission adopted were looser than ones recommended by the county planning commission, which some critics said were so strict it would have dissuaded solar farm development. With these regulations now in place, you could be asked to vote on solar farm proposals in Johnson County. Do you support the building of solar farms in Johnson County? Why or why not? [1:03:50]
- Candidates’ closing statements [1:11:20]
