Jo Ann Hagen, 87, of Overland Park, cast her ballot in the 2022 primary election during in-person advance voting Saturday, July 16, 2022 at the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center in Overland Park. Early voting began Saturday and will continue through August 2 at various Johnson County sites.
tljungblad@kcstar.com
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2022 Kansas Primary Election Results
Get the latest updates from the 2022 Kansas primary elections, including a vote on an abortion rights constitutional amendment, the US House and Senate primaries, and the Statehouse races.
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Editor’s note: The election results charts on this page will be continually updated as votes statewide are counted. Check back here throughout the night to see the latest news. Want results delivered to your inbox by late night? Sign up for our free political newsletter.
In today’s primary election, Kansas voters will have the opportunity to vote for governor and other statewide offices, congressional representatives to be sent to Washington, D.C., and representatives from state to serve in Topeka. And all Kansas voters, regardless of party affiliation, will also vote on a proposed constitutional amendment that would remove state-level abortion rights.
Below are live results from various races across the state:
Statewide races: Governor, US Senate, US House
Kansas Constitutional Amendment
The Kansas state constitution currently protects the right to abortion, but this primary election has asked voters to vote on an amendment that would remove those protections.
If Kansas votes yes on the vote and the amendment is adopted, the legislator will have the possibility of imposing new restrictions on abortion, which could include the prohibition of the procedure. A ban would not be put in place immediately, but lawmakers could enact one. Earlier this year, a state legislator introduced a bill that would have banned and criminalized nearly all abortions, but it was never heard from and died when the legislative session closed in May.
If Kansas votes no and the amendment does not pass, legislators would continue to be prevented from passing most laws that impede an individual’s access to abortion. Any new restrictions on abortion would have to undergo an extremely high level of “strict vetting” by the court to become law. Current abortion restrictions could be challenged in court, but any real change to current restrictions would depend on Kansas courts ruling that the regulation in question violates the state constitution.
All registered voters could participate in the vote, regardless of their political affiliation.
The Star has answered the most common questions reader questions we’ve received about the abortion amendment here.
Kansas Secretary of State
The position is currently held by Scott Schwab, a Republican who is running for re-election. The Republican candidate will face Jeanna Repass, who is the only Democrat in the race.
Kansas Attorney General
The Attorney General is responsible for enforcing the laws of Kansas and is the state’s primary attorney, bringing and defending lawsuits on behalf of the state and issuing legal opinions. The bureau also defends consumers against fraud.
The Attorney General serves a four-year term. The position is currently held by Schmidt, a Republican who is currently running for governor.
Three Republican candidates will face off in the primary for a chance to replace Schmidt: former federal prosecutor Tony Mattivi, Leawood state senator Kellie Warren and former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach.
The primary marks Kobach’s last attempt at a comeback after losing the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate bids.
His goal of becoming the state’s top law enforcement official has drawn attention to his checkered record as a lawyer, which includes being held in contempt by a federal judge and to be the lawyer for a non-profit organization whose leaders are accused of fraud.
Kansas State Treasurer
The state treasurer is responsible for managing state funds and acts somewhat like a chief banker for the state. The state treasurer’s office handles things like bond services, cash management, the state college savings program, and unclaimed property. The current state treasurer is Lynn Rogers, a Democrat who was nominated by Kelly in 2021 after Republican Jake LaTurner was elected to Congress.
Kansas Insurance Commissioner
This statewide official is responsible for regulating insurance policies and financial securities offered by private corporations in Kansas. The post is currently held by Republican Vicki Schmidt.
Kansas State House results:
State representatives are the legislators responsible for drafting and passing legislation. They also help create the state budget and create legislation that helps regulate state agencies. There are 125 state representatives in the Kansas House, each serving a two-year term at a time.
View live statewide results here:
Kansas Board of Education
The State Board of Education has 10 members elected for four-year terms. The board oversees public schools and represents the educational interests of the state. If you don’t know your neighborhood, look here.
Looking for more Kansas primary coverage?
This story was originally published August 2, 2022 7:00 p.m.