Elections and Voting
- June 1, 2020: Last day for candidates to file at Douglas County Clerk's Office
- July 14, 2020: Last day to register to vote in the primary elections
- July 15, 2020: Advance voting by mail and in person for the primary elections begins
- July 28, 2020: Deadline to request an advance ballot to be mailed
- August 3, 2020: Advance voting closes at noon
- August 4, 2020: Primary election
*Note: Most local elections, including the races for District attorney, Sheriff, and County Commission (2nd district), will be decided in the primary election because only Democratic candidates have filed.*
- October 13, 2020: Last day to register to vote in the general election
- October 14, 2020: Advance voting by mail and in person for the general election begins
- October 27, 2020: Deadline to request an advance ballot to be mailed
- November 2, 2020: Advance voting closes at noon
- November 3, 2020: General election
- KSVotes.org: Register to vote, update your registration, or check your voter registration
- Registering in Douglas County
- Advance Voting in Douglas County
- Check your voter registration status
- Ballot Scout: Did you request an advanced mail ballot, and you're wondering where it is? Check your ballot with Ballot Scout!
Looking for reliable information on political candidates and issues? Want to know who is running for office? Try these resources!
- Douglas County, Kansas Elections Hub: Find out who’s running, as well as your current reps, your voter registration status, and more
- Voter Network Ballot Builder: Enter your address to find the candidates on your ballot for the August 4th primary, and your polling place
- Vote411: A national ballot builder from the League of Women Voters
- Lawrence Journal-World 2020 election coverage
- Lawrence Journal-World coverage of the races for sheriff and district attorney
- Lawrence Journal-World coverage of the county government
Just want to get the facts straight? You can fact check politicians on the national stage with these resources:
- FactCheck.org (funded by the Annenberg Public Policy Center)
- Politifact.org (part of the nonprofit Poynter Institute)
- Fact Checker (from the The Washington Post)
Want to follow the money? You can research contributions to state and national candidates’ campaigns with these tools:
- Kansas Campaign Finance Reports (Secretary of State’s office)
- Campaign Finance Data (Federal Election Commission)
- OpenSecrets (Center for Responsive Politics)
County Commission:
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- Conversation with Democratic Candidates for Douglas County Commissioner (video), sponsored by the Douglas County Democrats
- Democratic candidates for Douglas County Commission all voice opposition to planned jail expansion
- Justice Matters Douglas County Commissioners Forum (District 2 - Eastern Douglas County) (video)
- Justice Matters Douglas County Commissioners Forum (District 3 - Western Douglas County) (video)
- Lawrence Chamber of Commerce Douglas County Commission Forum (video)
- Women for Kansas Northeast Chapter County Commissioner (District 2) Candidate Forum (video)
District Attorney:
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- Douglas County district attorney candidates share views on law enforcement misconduct, needed changes
- Candidates for Douglas County district attorney trade barbs in Democratic party forum
- Conversation with Democratic Candidates for District Attorney (video), sponsored by the Douglas County Democrats
- Justice Matters Criminal Justice & Democracy Douglas County District Attorney Candidate Forum (video)
- KU District Attorney Forum, sponsored by Student Senate
- Douglas County district attorney candidates debate on criminal justice reform
- NAACP District Attorney Forum (video)
- In NAACP forum, candidates for Douglas County district attorney share laws they want to see changed
- Bipoc/lgbtqia Community Candidate DA Forum (video)
- Candidates for Douglas County district attorney address racial disparities, ‘anti-Blackness’
- Douglas County Bar Association District Attorney Forum (video)
- Douglas County district attorney candidates answer colleagues’ questions, address experience in bar forum
- FAQs and fact-checks in the race for Douglas County district attorney
- Scheduled forum:
- Women for Kansas Northeast Chapter and the Native American/Indigenous Voters of Lawrence Candidate Forum, Wed., July 22nd, 10am-1pm
Register of Deeds:
Sheriff:
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- Douglas County sheriff candidates share views on public transparency, training against bias-based policing
- Douglas County sheriff candidates voice range of opinions on jail expansion, including opposition
- Conversation with Democratic Candidates for Sheriff (video), sponsored by the Douglas County Democrats
- Douglas County Sheriff Candidate Forum, held by the Lawrence Board of Realtors
- Bipoc/lgbtqia Community Candidate Sheriff Forum (video)
- In forum, candidates for Douglas County sheriff address systemic racism, issues affecting transgender people
- Justice Matters Criminal Justice & Democracy Candidate Forum (Douglas County Sheriff) (video)
- Lawrence NAACP Sheriff Forum (video)
- In NAACP forum, Douglas County sheriff candidates give thoughts on drug activity, white supremacists, body cameras
- In forum, candidates for sheriff, undersheriff address violence against Indigenous women, sexual harassment
- Women for Kansas Northeast Chapter and Native American/Indigenous Voters of Lawrence Sheriff Candidate Forum (video)
- Douglas County sheriff candidates address budget experience, release of records and more
Treasurer:
Kansas House, District 10:
County Clerk
- Jamie Shew, Lawrence, Democrat
- Running unopposed
County Commission 2nd District
- Shannon Reid, Lawrence, Democrat
- Sara Taliaferro, Lawrence, Democrat
- Nancy Thellman, Lawrence, Democrat
County Commission 3rd District
- Pam McDermott, Lawrence, Republican
- Shannon Portillo, Lawrence, Democrat
- Campaign website
- Campaign Facebook page
- KU administrator announces run for Douglas County Commission
- 3 Democratic candidates for Douglas County positions form ‘Justice Ticket’
- 2020 Primary Voters Guide: Shannon Portillo touts her criminal justice scholarship for Douglas County Commission role
- 2 Douglas County Commission candidates face residence questions; clerk's office says they're both legal
- Ronald Thacker, Lawrence, Republican
- Karen Willey, Baldwin City, Democrat
District attorney
- Charles Branson, Lawrence, Democrat
- Cooper Overstreet, Lawrence, Democrat
- Campaign website
- Facebook page
- Lawrence defense attorney Overstreet: Fairness, transparency missing from Douglas County criminal justice system
- 3 Democratic candidates for Douglas County positions form ‘Justice Ticket’
- 2020 Primary Voters Guide: Meet the candidates for Douglas County district attorney
- Suzanne Valdez, Lawrence, Democrat
Register of deeds
- Kent Brown, Lawrence, Democrat
- Kim Murphree, Lawrence, Democrat
Sheriff
- Jay Armbrister, Baldwin City, Democrat
- Dale Flory, Baldwin City, Democrat
- Doug Woods, Lawrence, Democrat
Treasurer
- Timothy Morland, Lawrence, Democrat
- Adam Rains, Lawrence, Democrat
State Candidate Profiles
Board of Education, District 4
- Ann Mah, Topeka, Democrat
- Running unopposed
Kansas Senate, 2nd District
- Marci Francisco, Lawrence, Democrat
- Running unopposed
Kansas Senate, 3rd District
- Willie Dove, Bonner Springs, Republican
- Tom Holland, Baldwin City, Democrat
Kansas House of Representatives, 10th District
- Christina Haswood, Lawrence, Democrat
- Brandon Holland, Baldwin City, Democrat
- A.J. Stevens, Baldwin City, Democrat
Kansas House of Representatives, 42nd District
- Jim Karleskint, Tonganoxie, Republican
- Lance Neelly, Tonganoxie, Republican
Kansas House of Representatives, 44th District
- Barbara Ballard, Lawrence, Democrat
- Running unopposed
Kansas House of Representatives, 45th District
- Mike Amyx, Lawrence, Democrat
- Running unopposed
Kansas House of Representatives, 46th District
- Dennis “Boog” Highberger, Lawrence, Democrat
- Running unopposed
Federal Candidate Profiles
U.S. Senate
- Barbara Bollier, Mission Hills, Democrat
- Robert Tillman, Wichita, Democrat
- Lance Berland, Chapman, Republican
- John Berman, Richland (Wa.), Republican
- Derek Ellis, Topeka, Republican
- Bob Hamilton, Miami County, Republican
- Kris Kobach, Lecompton, Republican
- Dave Lindstrom, Johnson County, Republican
- Roger Marshall, Great Bend, Republican
- Brian Matlock, Kansas City, Republican
- John Miller, Overland Park, Republican
- Steve Roberts, Overland Park, Republican
- Gabriel Mark Robles, Republican
- Jason Buckley, Overland Park, Libertarian
- Paul Tuten, no party affiliation
U.S. House of Representatives, Kansas 2nd Congressional District
- Michelle De La Isla, Topeka, Democrat
- James Windholz, Lawrence, Democrat
- Steve Watkins, Topeka, Republican
- Jacob LaTurner, Galena, Republican
- Dennis Taylor, Topeka, Republican
Interested in being a poll worker in Douglas County? Click here for requirements and application information.
Interested in running for office in Kansas or Douglas County? Click here for forms and filing information.
The Douglas County Clerk’s Office is responsible for overseeing all national, state and local elections conducted in Douglas County.
- Email: elections@douglascountyks.org
- Phone: 785-832-5267
