Most people forget about the local and state positions that are up for election the same day as the presidential election. Here’s a last second look at some of the local and state candidates you might be voting for.

U.S. SENATE

Patrick Wiesner, Democrat:

Experience: Been in law practice for 23 years. Certified accountant.

Website:  http://www.wiesnerforsenate.com/affordable-health-care/

Beliefs:

• Wants to pay off the debt by ending Washington lobbyist senate control
• Wants Congress to be the insurance models of health care. Also wants to stop and reverse inflation in premiums and deductibles.  
• Wants undocumented immigrants to return to their home country and re-enter legally. Wants Congress to enforce the border, end drug smuggling and child trafficking.
• Pro-choice on abortion
• Supports same-sex marriage

Jerry Moran, Republican:

Experience: incumbent, served in the Kansas Senate and U.S. House of Representatives

Website: http://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/education

https://www.moranforkansas.com/priorities/

Beliefs:

• Wants to secure borders and reform the immigration process “to produce a fair and efficient immigration agency that encourages respect for our laws so those who wish to come to the United States legally are able to do so in a timely and appropriate manner.”
• Lower taxes in Congress, voting to repeal the estate tax. He is also the lead sponsor of FAIR Tax reform plan.
• Moran will work to improve public health innovations (medicine, medical devices, food safety). He also wants to increase qualified teachers in schools. He thinks school districts should be allowed to decide how to use federal educational resources. Moran wants to make NCLB less of a burden and more workable.
• Pro-life on abortion

Robert Garrard, Libertarian:

Experience: Electronic technician, ran as Libertarian candidate for the 2nd district in 2004 and 2006

Information: http://ksn.com/2016/10/16/robert-d-garrard-l-us-senate/

Beliefs:

• Wants a free market economy
• Supports amendments to require a balanced budget, forbid borrowing or printing money to fund the federal budget
• Would vote for spending cuts across the board and no tax increases
• Wants an easier passage to citizenship

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Lynn Jenkins, Republican:

Experience: Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference, a certified public accountant. Jenkins has one term in Kansas Senate and served for two years in the Kansas House of Representatives.

Website: https://ballotpedia.org/Lynn_Jenkins, https://lynnjenkins.house.gov/biography/

Beliefs:

• Believes parents, teachers and local administrators are best fitted to make choices and decisions about a child’s education
• Has a priority of making higher education more affordable and available
• Wants to strengthen our border and increase border agents, building more fence, and using modern technology to watch over the border
• Thinks that employers should have a system that can confirm an individual’s identity and immigration status

Britani Potter, Democrat:

Experience: Potter has three associates degrees and a bachelors of arts in business administration. She is currently finishing her Master of Science. She worked in childcare, mortuary science, retail management, financial consulting and insurance.

Website: http://www.bpotterforcongress.com/about-britani.html

Beliefs:

• Believes that providing the youth with a proper education will develop into more prepared adults
• Wants to give undocumented immigrants a chance to live in the U.S. legally

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Ann Mah:

Experience: Taught for five years in Emporia school districts and in Chase county, bachelor’s degree in education, and masters in curriculum, served 15 years on AdvancEd

Website: http://www.annmah.org/about-ann/

Beliefs:

• Wants to ensure the state board has a role in funding discussions
• Wants better quality of teachers. Advocates licensure and training requirements, mentoring and advance development programs
• Greater stimulus for teachers to earn national certificates and high degrees
• Believes teachers have to accommodate teaching styles to the learning styles of students.

Sue Mollenkamp:

Experience: Taught home schooled students for 25 years, assistant to the Kansas House Education Committee

Website:  https://www.facebook.com/suemollenkamp/?scrlybrkr=cb8b11f0

Beliefs:

• Encourages two-way communication
• The state needs to allow flexibility that some students need to thrive in general education environment

STATE SENATE DISTRICT 2

Marci Francisco, Democrat:

Experience: Senate Assistant Minority Leader; mayor for a year and city commissioner of Lawrence in the ‘80s; state senator since 2005.

Website: http://www.marciforsenate.com/

• Francisco wants to reform tax policies in order to provide funding for education.
• Wants to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Kansas anti-discrimination statutes
• She believes that while religious freedom is important, the government should not condone discrimination against others.

Meredith Richey, Republican:

Experience: New to Kansas politics but was politically active in California, founded the conservative group “United Families California” and was the organization’s president from 2004-2008

Website: http://www.richeyforsenate.com/about-meredith-2/

Beliefs:

• Richey wants to create stability with the state’s tax policy.
• Richey wants to assure quality of education by passing legislation and funding to support schools and local control of schools.
• Individuals should not be discriminated against based on race, creed, or sexual orientation.

STATE HOUSE: 45th House District

Terry Maines, Democrat:

Experience: From California, lived in Europe for several years, full-time self-employment, opening IDEAL Strategies LLC—a strategic communications consulting and freelance writing business.

Website: http://www.terry4kansas45.org/

Beliefs:

• Maines wants to cut taxes and shift funds toward programs to benefit the community.
• Supports per-pupil funding instead of block-grant funding system.

Tom Sloan, Republican:

Experience: incumbent for 22 years, Only Republican member of Lawrence area legislation, president of the Lawrence Technology Association and Chairman of Rural Water District #1.

Website: http://www.tomsloan.org/

Beliefs:

• Sloan believes that revenues should be increased to fund essential state programs.
• More specialization within school districts to tend to specific needs, wants to increase funding for universities and technical schools to make them affordable

DOUGLAS COUNTY COMMISSION 

Nancy Thellman, Democrat:

Experience: incumbent, co-chair of Horizon 2020 Steering committee, ordained Presbyterian minister & nurse

Website: https: //www.facebook.com/NancyThellman/

Beliefs:

• Wants to “regain the trust of weary citizenry” in politics. Wants to listen, learn and take action.
• Wants to expand the jail and wants a mental health crisis intervention center
• Advocated for infill development, walkable neighborhoods, multi-modal transportation and environmental policies
• Wants to find funding to make more transitional supportive housing for the homeless, chronic  mental illness, addiction

Jesse Brinson, independent:

Experience: Brinson involved with the communities youth by coaching in the Lawrence school district and volunteering as a mentor in districts middle and high school. Also a youth minister for Call to Greatness Ministries.

Website: http://www.brinsonforcommission.com/

Beliefs:

• Wants to invest in programming to fix jail overcrowding.
• Wants to try out program on mental health answer before building a crisis center.
• encourage current business expansion, have that success attract other businesses.