The upcoming Aug. 4 party primary ballots are going to be … a lot.
With 11 Democrats and two Republicans running for U.S. Senate, and seven Republican and three Democratic tickets for governor/lieutenant governor, voters will have a lot of winnowing to do for the November elections.
Some last-minute changes will affect each party’s contest for governor.
On the Republican side, former Gov. Jeff Coyler, an Overland Park plastic surgeon, dropped out of the primary shortly after President Donald Trump backed Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson.
In the Democratic primary for governor, Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog filed shortly before the deadline on Monday, making it a three-way race among three Johnson Countians, joining state senators Ethan Corson of Fairway and Cindy Holscher of Overland Park, both of whom have been running since last summer.
Also, County Commissioner Janeé Hanzlick announced recently she will not seek reelection to her Overland Park-area commission district. That district only had one candidate file, so there will be no competitive race to succeed Hanzlick.
There will, however, be an open primary for the county chair seat. Current Chair Mike Kelly is seeking a second term and faces two challengers, Karen Crnkovich and Gene Senesac. This is technically a nonpartisan race, and the top two vote-getters in August will advance to November.
There are also six intraparty primaries for Kansas House seats in Johnson County that will appear on some voters’ ballots.
And to top off what voters need to know about August: there will be a ballot question. Voters will be asked whether to amend the Kansas Constitution to allow for the direct election of state supreme court justices. (Currently, a nonpartisan nominating commission forwards a list of nominees to the governor, who must then select an appointee from that list.)
The following is a list of candidates who have filed from the two major political parties. Some alternate party candidates have also filed, but since they didn’t trigger any primary race, voters won’t see them on the ballot until November.
For a complete list of all candidates, click on the election office’s webpage here.
U.S. Senate
No less than 11 Democrats are vying to be chosen to run against incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall in the general election. One Republican candidate will challenge Marshall.
Marshall, of St. John, is nearing the end of his first term in office. Pond Naramore of Lawrence will run against Marshall in the Republican primary.
The Democrats vying for the office are:
Adam Hamilton, Church of the Resurrection pastor, of Stilwell; Anne Parelkar, an Overland Park lawyer; Christy Davis, a Cottonwood Falls business owner; Damon Anderson, a Shawnee entrepreneur; Erik Murray, Kansas City entrepreneur; Jason Hart, a former prosecutor from Wichita; Kevin Latz, a Mission Hills doctor; Michael Soetaert, former city councilmember from Wellington; Noah Taylor, small business owner from Wichita; Patrick C. Schmidt, Kansas state senator from Topeka; and Sandy Spidel Neumann, financial services businesswoman from Overland Park.
U.S. Representative — Third District
Sharice Davids of Shawnee will have a primary challenger in the Democratic field. Davids was first elected to Congress in 2018. Her Democratic challenger is Sarah Preu, a Fairway tech and communications professional.
On the Republican side, Chase LaPorte, a Mission business owner, and Eric Jenkins, former two-term member of the Shawnee City Council, will compete for the nomination.
Governor/Lieutenant Governor
Seven Republican teams and three Democratic teams have jumped at the chance to run for Kansas’ top two executive spots now that two-term Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is not running for reelection.
In Kansas, voters cast their ballots for a slate that includes governor and lieutenant governor. Although the candidates for governor have, in many cases, been campaigning for months, most of them only recently chose their running mates.
The Republican field:
Charlotte O’Hara of Overland Park, former Johnson County commissioner, with Michelle Dombrosky; husband-and-wife team Nick and Katy Reinecker of Inman; Philip Sarnecki, financial services business founder, of Overland Park, and Joy Eakins; Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, of Olathe, and Ken Rahjes; Wichita business owner Stacy Rogers and Michael W. Smith; Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson and Jeffrey Klemp; state Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, of Topeka, and Joe Newland.
The Democrats:
State Sen. Cindy Holscher of Olathe and KC Ohaebosim; State Sen Ethan Corson of Overland Park and Renee Duxler; Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog, who filed on Monday and Jennifer Bacani McKenney.
Below is a list of races for other statewide offices.
Secretary of State
The current Secretary of State, Scott Schwab, is running for governor this year, leaving this spot open. The Secretary of State is the state’s chief election officer as well as the official in charge of registering businesses.
Two Democrats have filed, Jennifer Day, a businesswoman from Mission and Samuel Lane, a construction worker from Shawnee.
Republican Pat Proctor, a member of the Kansas House of Representatives from Leavenworth, has also filed for the spot.
Attorney General
There are no contested primaries in this race. Democrat Chris Mann, former police officer and prosecutor from Lawrence, wants to challenge incumbent Kris Kobach, who has held the spot since 2023.
Treasurer
No primary contests are ahead for the state’s chief banking officer. Republican Steven Johnson, of Assaria, has held the spot since 2023. Juan C. Luengo, of Olathe, has filed as a Democrat.
Insurance Commissioner
Vicki Schmidt, the current insurance commissioner, is running for governor this year, so her position is open. The state insurance commissioner regulates insurance business in Kansas.
There are no contested primaries in this position. One candidate has filed for each party. Dinah Sykes, Kansas State Senator since 2017, filed as a Democrat, while Daniel Hawkins, speaker of the Kansas House from Wichita, is the Republican.
State representatives by district
House District 5
Three Republicans have filed. Courtney Sappington, of Baldwin City, is the incumbent and has held the seat since 2025. She will be challenged by Courtney L. Crawford of Paola and Jon Chitwood of Spring Hill. The primary winner will face Democratic incumbent Henry Johns in November.
House District 8
One Democrat and one Republican have filed. Megan Phillips, of Overland Park, is the Democrat, and incumbent Chris Croft, a Republican, has held the spot since 2019.
House District 14
Charlotte Esau, of Olathe, has served at this post for most of the time since 2019. Sherry Giebler, of Olathe, has filed as a Democrat.
House District 15
Allison Hougland, of Olathe, has filed as a Democrat wishing to challenge Republican Lauren N. Bohi, of Olathe. Bohi has held the seat since 2025.
House District 16
Democrat Linda Featherston, of Overland Park, has held this seat since 2021, and no Republicans have filed to challenge her.
House District 17
Republican Jim Eschrich, of Lenexa, has filed for a Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Democrat Jo Ella Hoye, of Lenexa, who has held the seat since 2021.
House District 18
Cindy Neighbor, a Shawnee Democrat, is the incumbent and has been in office various years since 2003. Robert Whitman, of Shawnee, wants to be her Republican challenger.
House District 19
Democrat Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, of Overland Park, has been in this office since 2013. Mark Hermes, of Overland Park, has filed to be her Republican challenger.
House District 20
Democrat Mari-Lynn Poskin, of Leawood, officerholder since 2021, is the only one to file.
House District 21
Democrat Jerry Stogsdill, of Prairie Village, is unchallenged to retain his seat. He has held the seat since 2017.
House District 22
Democrat Reed Krewson, of Overland Park, is the only candidate to have filed.
House District 23
Democrat Susan Ruiz, of Shawnee, has held this seat since 2019. She is the lone filer for this spot.
House District 24
Jarrod Ousley, of Merriam, the incumbent since 2014, is the Democratic candidate. Scott Speicker, of Merriam, has filed to be the Republican.
House District 25
Rui Xu, of Westwood, has been the Democratic officeholder since 2019. He has no Republican challengers.
House District 26
Democrats Laura Johnson, of Olathe, and Robert Collins, of Olathe, will compete to become the nominee to challenge Republican incumbent Chip VanHouden of Spring Hill. VanHouden has been in office since 2025.
House District 27
Democrats C. Edward Young, of Overland Park, and Sara Kiewiet, of Overland Park, will run against each other for the nomination to face incumbent Republican Sean E. Tarwater, of Stilwell, who has held office since 2017.
House District 28
Neither party has a contested primary. Bryan Mouber, of Overland Park, has filed as a Democrat, and Alex N. Bergman, of Overland Park, filed as a Republican.
House District 29
Heather Meyer, a Democrat of Overland Park, remains unchallenged by Democrat or Republican. She’s held the seat since 2021.
House District 30
Democrats Amelia Wiederaenders, of Olathe, Zachary Thomas Hawkins, of Olathe, and Tyler Holmes, of Lenexa, will run in the primary to face Republican Laura Williams, of Lenexa, officeholder since 2023.
House District 39
Zach Maier, of Lake Quivira, has filed as a Democrat, and Angela Stiens, of Shawnee, the incumbent since 2024, is the Republican filer.
House District 43
Kristen Schultz, of Gardner, has filed as a Democrat hoping to run against incumbent Republican Bill Sutton, of Gardner. Sutton has been in office since 2012.
House District 48
Incumbent Democrat Dan Osman, of Overland Park, is the only candidate to file. He’s been in office since 2021.
House District 49
Republican Tricia Sinclair, of Olathe, has filed for her party’s nomination against Democratic officeholder Nikki McDonald, of Olathe. McDonald was first elected in 2023.
House District 78
Democrats Tim Lundberg, of Olathe, and KaMesha Bernard have filed for their party’s nomination to face Republican Robyn R. Essex, of Olathe, officeholder since 2023.
House District 108
Democrat Brandon Woodard, of Lenexa, the incumbent since 2019, remains the sole filer.
House District 117
Democrat Brandon Holland, of Baldwin City, has filed to become challenger to incumbent Republican Adam Turk, of Shawnee. Turk has been in office since 2023.
House District 121
Republican incumbent Mike Storm, of Olathe, faces a Republican challenger, Thomas Palenske, of Olathe. Kelsey Stock, of Olathe, has filed for the Democratic nomination. Storm has been in office since 2026.
State Board of Education position 3
Republicans Jim McMullen, of Overland Park, and Steve Roberts, of Overland Park, have filed. Democrat Amy Diediker of Olathe also has filed.
Non-partisan local offices
County Commission Chair
Incumbent Mike Kelly, of Prairie Village, has two challengers, Gene Senesac, of Olathe, and Karen Crnkovich, of Olathe. Kelly is nearing the end of his first term.
County Commission District 1
Becky Fast, incumbent since 2019, of Roeland Park, is being challenged by Ben Hobert, of Westwood Hills.
County Commission District 4
Teresa Erb, of Overland Park, has filed to take the seat being vacated by Commissioner Janeé Hanzlick, who is not running again.
County Commission District 5
Incumbent four-term officeholder Michael Ashcraft, of Olathe, and Greg Mitchell, of Olathe, will be on the ballot.
Prairie Village Mayor
Cole Robinson, who represents the city’s first ward on the Prairie Village City Council, has filed, as has Inga Selders, the councilmember who represents Ward 2. Current Mayor Eric Mikkelson is not seeking another term.
McCamish Township Clerk
Ryan Hoobler, of Gardner, has filed to run for this position.
Keep reading other elections news: Johnson County’s decision to cut early voting sites draws protesters’ pushback
