Elections and Voting

The general election is November 4, 2025.

Below you'll find information about early voting, locating your polling place, doing candidate research, and more. We're always here to help answer questions through email at Ask a Question and by Live Chat, but remember: the library is not an elections office, and you can find the contact information for the County Clerk's office below.

Important Dates: 2025 Primary and General Elections

Primary Election Dates

June 2, 2025: Candidate filing deadline
July 15, 2025: Deadline to register to vote or to update your voter registration for the 2025 primary election
July 16, 2025: Advance in-person voting for the primary election begins
July 29, 2025: Last day to apply for an advance voting mail ballot for the primary election
August 4: Advance in-person voting for the primary election ends at noon
August 5, 2025: Primary election, 7am-7pm

General Election Dates

October 14, 2025: Deadline to register to vote or to update your voter registration for the 2025 general election
October 15, 2025: Advance in-person voting for the general election begins
October 28, 2025: Last day to apply for an advance voting mail ballot for the general election
November 3, 2025: Advance in-person voting for the general election ends at noon
November 4, 2025: General election, 7am-7pm

Voting in Douglas County

Find your Polling Place

Researching Candidates and Issues

Looking for reliable information on political candidates and issues? Want to know who is running for office?

The County Clerk's Voting and Elections page, opens a new window has complete and updated information about where and how to vote, which offices are up for election, what candidates have filed so far, and more. Make it your first stop!
Douglas County, Kansas Elections Hub: Find out who’s running, who your current reps are, and your voter registration status.
KSBallot.org is a tool provided by the Voter Network (in both English and Spanish) that gives Kansas voters a nonpartisan, comprehensive look at the candidates and issues that will appear on their ballots.
Vote411.org: See who is on your ballot, find upcoming debates in your area, and more!
Election 2025: Lawrence Times coverage of local election news

Fact Checking Politics and Elections

Local Candidates

Schumm, Polian, Littlejohn and Courtney advance in Lawrence City Commission primary election (Lawrence Times)

Lawrence City Commission primary results: Schumm, Polian, Littlejohn, Courtney are the top vote-getters (Lawrence Journal-World)

2025 Lawrence City Commission primary voter guide: Get to know the candidates (Lawrence Journal-World)

Meet the 2025 primary candidates for Lawrence City Commission (Lawrence Times)

Candidate fields set for 2025 Douglas County races; a closer look at who's running in this year's local elections (Lawrence Journal-World)

Here's a look at the 2025 candidates for Lawrence City Commission (Lawrence Times)

Race for Lawrence City Commission set; 13 candidates will vie for seats as Larsen declines to run again (Lawrence Journal-World)

Here's a look at the 2025 candidates for Lawrence school board (Lawrence Times)

7 now running for Lawrence school board; no primary will occur (Lawrence Journal-World)

Here's a look at candidates who have filed for Lawrence City Commission and school board elections so far (Lawrence Times)

Second candidate withdraws from Lawrence City Commission race; 12 candidates remain (Lawrence Journal-World)

Lawrence City Commission candidate Gary Rexroad drops out of race due to health issue (Lawrence Journal-World)

Lawrence City Commission (2 open at-large seats)

Michael K Courtney
Bart Littlejohn
Kristine Polian
Bob Schumm
~~Paul Buskirk~~
~~Mike Harreld~~
~~Eric B. Hyde~~
~~Steve Jacob~~
~~Ruby Mae Johnson~~
~~Alex Kerr~~
~~Amanda Nielsen~~
~~Peter Victor Shenouda~~
~~Courtney Shipley~~

USD 497 School Board (3 open at-large seats)

Bob Byers
ChrisTopher Niles Enneking
Kelly Jones
Shannon Kimball
Matt Lancaster
Molly Starr
Pam Shaw

Local Election Events

Upcoming events:

WED | SEP 17 | 6:30 PM | Peaslee Tech, 2920 Haskell Ave. and online via Zoom
- City Commission Candidate Forum hosted by former Lawrence mayors

MON | SEP 22 | 6:30 PM | Peaslee Tech, 2920 Haskell Ave. and online via Zoom
- City Commission Candidate Forum hosted by former Lawrence mayors

MON | OCT 6 | 6:00 PM | Lawrence Public Library Auditorium
- Bringing Civility Back to Public Discourse, opens a new window hosted by The League of Women Voters of Lawrence

TUE | OCT 7 | 5:30 PM | Virtual Event
- Educate & Act: Voting Rights and Voter Suppression, opens a new window hosted by The Commons and the Center for Service Learning at KU
- Zoom registration at: https://bit.ly/EdAct2526

WED | OCT 15 | 7:00 PM | The Dole Institute of Politics in person, or stream online, opens a new window
- The 2025 Constitution Day Program: Healthcare in the U.S. Constitution , opens a new windowwith Dr. Barbara Ballard, Jesse Burbank, and I. Glenn Cohen

TUE | OCT 21 | 10:00 AM | The Dole Institute of Politics in person, or stream online, opens a new window
- Affordable Housing in America, opens a new window with Michael Kelley and Andy Winkler

WED | OCT 29 | 5:30 PM | Lawrence Public Library Auditorium
- Civic Engagement 101: Understanding the Constitution with a Community Reading, opens a new window hosted by Lawrence Public Library and Professor Amii Castle of KU

SAT | NOV 1 | 1:00 PM | Lawrence Public Library Auditorium
- Civic Engagement 101: Mapping Inequality, opens a new window with Donna Rae Pearson, hosted by Lawrence Public Library and Humanities Kansas's Speakers Bureau