For the second time in five years, former Johnson County Election Commissioner Connie Schmidt has been called upon to fill a temporary vacancy overseeing the county’s elections.
Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab on Monday appointed Schmidt to be interim election commissioner for the vacancy created when Fred Sherman resigned last week. Schmidt will administer elections through Sept. 1, 2026.
Once the mail-in special elections are finished in March, the search process for a permanent replacement for Sherman will begin, Schwab’s office announced. The city of Edgerton and the De Soto and Olathe school districts have submitted ballot questions in the March 3 elections, which Schmidt will oversee.
Election commissioners in Kansas’ four most populous counties are appointed by the Secretary of State after a search committee process. The search committee is made up of the county commission chair or a designee, a representative from county human resources and three representatives from the Secretary of State’s office.
Interim election commissioner is becoming a familiar role for Schmidt. She was appointed to the same spot in 2020 after former Election Commissioner Ronnie Metsker resigned, and eventually mentored Sherman as he took the reins.
Schmidt has had 27 years of experience in election administration. She was the county’s election commissioner from 1995 to 2004 and since 2005 has owned an election consulting business that has advised local and state agencies as well as the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
“Connie brings experience and institutional knowledge,” Schwab said. “I am confident she will ensure elections in Johnson County continue to be administered in a secure manner during this interim period.”
Schmidt was unavailable for comment Monday.
