Kansas Secretary of State election, 2026

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← 2022
Kansas Secretary of State
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: Pending
Primary: August 4, 2026 General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Kansas
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Kansas executive elections
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Kansas is holding an election for secretary of state on November 3, 2026.

To learn more about other elections on the ballot, click here.

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:

• Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
• Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for Kansas Secretary of State

Sam Lane, Pat Proctor, and Ken Rahjes are running in the general election for Kansas Secretary of State on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Sam Lane (D)
		Pat Proctor (R)
		Ken Rahjes (R)

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Sam Lane

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I'm a working class, eyes-wide-open patriot who believes in things like Democratic Process and the Constitution of the United States of America. I recently switched from Independent to Democrat."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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Election integrity, vital to a healthy democratic republic, is under threat from partisan politics. The Secretary of State, charged with overseeing elections, is the first line of defense. And that's a line I intend to hold.

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Fair and accurate elections -- I intend to make certain we have a complete paper trail for every ballot location, to achieve complete transparency and so voter fraud has no place to hide. In this era of tense, sometimes near-violent political polarization I also intend to make sure every ballot location is well-protected and to work to restore the reliability of mail-in ballots so we can all vote in safety. And I absolutely intend to push back against attempts at voter suppression, no matter where it comes from. Every citizen Constitutionally eligible to vote deserves safe and easy voting access. That's fundamental to democracy -- every voice matters

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Both sides of the aisle claim election integrity is being compromised, but for different reasons. It's my intent to take both sides seriously, regardless of what I personally think is or isn't true. I have to take every threat seriously, because our elections are too vital to risk to a biased judgement call.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

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Survey responses from candidates in this race

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Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Sam Lane (D)

Election integrity, vital to a healthy democratic republic, is under threat from partisan politics. The Secretary of State, charged with overseeing elections, is the first line of defense. And that's a line I intend to hold.

Fair and accurate elections -- I intend to make certain we have a complete paper trail for every ballot location, to achieve complete transparency and so voter fraud has no place to hide. In this era of tense, sometimes near-violent political polarization I also intend to make sure every ballot location is well-protected and to work to restore the reliability of mail-in ballots so we can all vote in safety. And I absolutely intend to push back against attempts at voter suppression, no matter where it comes from. Every citizen Constitutionally eligible to vote deserves safe and easy voting access. That's fundamental to democracy -- every voice matters

Both sides of the aisle claim election integrity is being compromised, but for different reasons. It's my intent to take both sides seriously, regardless of what I personally think is or isn't true. I have to take every threat seriously, because our elections are too vital to risk to a biased judgement call.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Sam Lane (D)

Relevant to this job, election integrity and democratic process, of course. More broadly, I'm a freedom-loving American, so civil liberties are a big deal to me -- freedom of speech, right to bear arms, due process (protection from unwarranted search and seizure, writ of habeas corpus), privacy, freedom of religion. Constitutional checks and balances are also important to me, as is education.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Sam Lane (D)

In addition to elections, the Secretary of State is responsible for registering Kansas businesses. "Government paperwork" has a certain well-deserved infamy, and unfortunately Kansas is no exception. I'd like to make the state more user-friendly.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Sam Lane (D)

When I was a kid, my dad told me I was descended from a famous Abolitionist named James Henry Lane. Much later in life, I learned Senator Jim Lane was a famous demagogue who sided with the Abolitionists when he figured out which way the wind was blowing in Kansas. We like to put a spin on the stories we tell.

Being a history nerd, I could name any number of admirable historical figures. John Brown wasn't afraid to die for his Abolitionist beliefs. Rudramadevi led her kingdom with skilled statesmanship in peace and war. Gráinne Mhaol was irrepressible. Cyrus the Great was one of the first rulers to practice the virtues of mercy and religious pluralism.

My grandpa served on an LST during WWII. As a kid I would occasionally help him fold Old Glory come sundown.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Sam Lane (D)

Just about every official needs willingness to listen. This can take many forms, from a senator listening to constituents' worries, to an election commissioner looking into subordinates' concerns, to a secretary of state hearing business owners talk about how the business registration system needs to change.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Sam Lane (D)

My grandma, a child of Polish immigrants, made bombers during the war. She lived for just shy of a century, probably because she was too headstrong to accept death. I think I inherited some of her stubbornness, which is probably why we never really got along that well.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Sam Lane (D)

I suspect that historians will remember this era as one in which American values like freedom, democracy, and equality were under threat. It's my intent to be counted among the people who stood up to defend them.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Sam Lane (D)

Although in most of Kansas elections at the county level are run by the (elected) County Clerk, the most populous counties have Election Commissioners appointed by the Secretary of State. Also, the Kansas Secretary of State has the power to prosecute voter fraud cases.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Sam Lane (D)

It's a mixed blessing. It's true that being an outsider, I'll have to put effort into learning things that career politicians already know. I'll have to be extra careful about understanding why things work the way they do before I start making changes. That's because I've seen what happens when a new boss makes careless changes to a system that already works. About the time I wrote this (June 2025) I started the process of meeting with county clerks and election commissioners to better familiarize myself with the process. On the flipside, familiarity breeds complacency. I've seen a lot of people at the various jobs I've worked take shortcuts or ignore safety rules, and bosses let it slide because that's just how it is. I'm not usually the guy that "lets it slide" anyway, and since I'm looking at it with fresh eyes, I'm not about to say any breach of important protocol is "just how it is".

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Sam Lane (D)

If the job were solely about business registration and publishing state records, then just about anybody with a decent helping of integrity, diligence, and intelligence would be adequate to the task. But throwing elections in there changes everything. A good Secretary of State will need to be sharp enough to catch threats to election integrity, stubborn enough to stop them in their tracks, and skilled enough at critical thinking to see through attempts to sell threats as something benign.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Sam Lane (D)

"Politicians are like diapers. They need to be changed frequently, and for the same reason." -Mark Twain

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Sam Lane (D)

With very rare exception, transparency is a necessary component of a healthy democracy. That's why freedom of the press is so high on the Bill of Rights.

You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:

• Ken Rahjes
• Pat Proctor

Voting information

See also: Voting in Kansas

Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.

Past elections

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2014.

2022

See also: Kansas Secretary of State election, 2022

General election

General election for Kansas Secretary of State

Incumbent Scott Schwab defeated Jeanna Repass and Cullene Lang in the general election for Kansas Secretary of State on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Scott Schwab (R)	58.4	580,908
		Jeanna Repass (D)	38.8	386,661
	Submit photo	Cullene Lang (L)	2.8	27,844

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 995,413
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Kansas Secretary of State

Jeanna Repass advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas Secretary of State on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jeanna Repass	100.0	246,870

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 246,870
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Kansas Secretary of State

Incumbent Scott Schwab defeated Mike Brown in the Republican primary for Kansas Secretary of State on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Scott Schwab	55.2	245,998
		Mike Brown	44.8	199,316

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 445,314
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Kansas Secretary of State

Cullene Lang advanced from the Libertarian convention for Kansas Secretary of State on April 23, 2022.

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Cullene Lang (L)

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

See also: Kansas Secretary of State election, 2018

General election

General election for Kansas Secretary of State

Scott Schwab defeated Brian McClendon and Rob Hodgkinson in the general election for Kansas Secretary of State on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Scott Schwab (R)	52.6	549,416
		Brian McClendon (D)	43.9	458,142
		Rob Hodgkinson (L)	3.5	36,882

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,044,440
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Kansas Secretary of State

Brian McClendon advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas Secretary of State on August 7, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brian McClendon	100.0	139,457

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 139,457
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Nathaniel McLaughlin (D)
• Lucy Steyer (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Kansas Secretary of State

Scott Schwab defeated Randy Duncan, Dennis Taylor, Craig McCullah, and Keith Esau in the Republican primary for Kansas Secretary of State on August 7, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Scott Schwab	38.3	108,705
	Submit photo	Randy Duncan	20.2	57,236
		Dennis Taylor	19.9	56,537
	Submit photo	Craig McCullah	11.5	32,615
		Keith Esau	10.0	28,426

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 283,519
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2014

See also: Kansas secretary of state election, 2014

Secretary of State of Kansas, 2014
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Kris Kobach Incumbent	59.2%	508,926
	Democratic	Jean Schodorf	40.8%	350,692
Total Votes				859,618
Election results via Kansas Secretary of State

Election analysis

This section will contain facts and figures related to this state's elections when those are available.

Secretary of State elections in 2026

There are 26 secretary of state seats on the ballot in 2026.

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Kansas secretary of state official website

Footnotes

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