Democratic Party primaries in Kansas, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 16
- Early voting: Oct. 17 - Nov. 5
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Photo ID required
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on their party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.
Heading into the 2018 election, the Democratic Party sought to increase its power at the state and federal levels under the Trump administration. Its membership, however, disagreed on several major policy areas, including healthcare, free trade, education funding, a federal job guarantee, and a proposal to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[1][2]
Candidates endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee won 31 of 33 primaries in 2018.[3] Democratic Socialists of America member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D) primary victory over incumbent Joseph Crowley (D) in New York's 14th Congressional District was a notable victory for progressive activists.[4][5][6]
Democrats also won a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama for the first time in 30 years and flipped longtime Republican seats in the Wisconsin state Senate and Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District. A record number of Republican congressional retirements also led to large Democratic fields for typically non-competitive seats.[7]
This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in Kansas on August 7, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.
Battleground primaries
Battleground elections are those that Ballotpedia expected would either be more competitive than other races or attract significant national attention.
- Kansas' 3rd Congressional District election (August 7, 2018 Democratic primary)
- Kansas gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 7 Democratic primary)
Federal elections
U.S. House
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
State elections
Kansas Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas • Sixteen years of Republican trifectas
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial elections
Democratic primary candidates
Did not make the ballot:
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Polling
On June 20, 2018, a GBA Strategies poll commissioned by Kelly's campaign indicated that she led the race. She earned 33 percent support among voters polled, compared to Brewer's 22 percent and Svaty's 12 percent.[8]
Attorney general election
Democratic primary candidates
Secretary of state election
Democratic primary candidates
Did not make the ballot:
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
State legislative elections
Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Kansas state legislative Republican primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Republican caucus or had an impact on general election races.
To determine the Kansas state legislative Republican primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:
- Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
- One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
- The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.
House District 30
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| No |
What made this a race to watch?
| A split emerged between the two Democrats vying to take on Republican incumbent Randy Powell in a district that voted for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by 3.3 points in 2016. Matthew Calcara said that his primary opponent, Brandon Woodard “represents the establishment of the Democratic Party, while our campaign harnesses the energy of progressive principles.” Woodard said he ran on a platform of expanding Medicaid in the state and eliminating the sales tax on food. Both men are openly gay.[9] Woodard won the primary. |
State party overview
- See also: Democratic Party of Kansas
State political party revenue
State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Democratic Party of Kansas' revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.
| Democratic Party of Kansas revenue, 2011 to 2016[10][11] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Federal account | State account(s) | Total |
| 2011 | $375,502.46 | $211,195.21 | $586,697.67 |
| 2012 | $423,166.45 | $1,041,085.01 | $1,464,251.46 |
| 2013 | $406,571.93 | $143,458.46 | $550,030.39 |
| 2014 | $917,579.26 | $1,328,824.87 | $2,246,404.13 |
| 2015 | $581,558.97 | $137,159.50 | $718,718.47 |
| 2016 | $$2,483,421.64 | $511,203.69 | $2,994,625.33 |
Kansas compared to other states
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:
Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016
Primary election scheduling
Kansas was one of four states to hold a primary election on August 7, 2018.
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Kansas utilizes a semi-closed primary process, in which previously unaffiliated voters can participate in the partisan primary of their choice (a voter who is already affiliated with a party can only vote in that party's primary).[12][13][14][15]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
Unless otherwise set by the county, polls in Kansas open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. Central time (6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Mountain time). Counties are given the discretion to open polls as early as 6 a.m. and close polls as late as 8 p.m. Central time (5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mountain time). Polls must be open for a minimum of 12 consecutive hours and may not close before 7 p.m. Central time (6 p.m. Mountain time).[16] An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[17]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Kansas, one must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of Kansas. In order to register, an individual must be least 18 years old before the next election. Voters must register at least 21 days prior to Election Day. Registration can be done by completing and returning an application, either in person or by mail. Registration may also be completed online.[18]
On June 18, 2018, a federal judge struck down a Kansas law requiring citizens to present proof of citizenship when registering to vote. A federal appeals court subsequently affirmed that decision. For more information, see below.
Automatic registration
Kansas does not practice automatic voter registration.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Kansas has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
Kansas does not allow same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Kansas, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.
Verification of citizenship
Kansas does not require voters to provide proof of citizenship at the time of voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, an applicant who provides false information "may be convicted and sentenced to up to 17 months in prison."[19]
A Kansas state law that went into effect in 2013 required voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. However, the provision was challenged in court and on June 18, 2018, Judge Julie Robinson, of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, struck down the proof of crequirement and ordered Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) to stop enforcing the rule. On June 20, 2018, Kobach’s office advised county clerks to comply with Robinson’s order. Kobach appealed the decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which heard oral arguments on March 18, 2019. On April 29, 2020, a Tenth Circuit panel affirmed the district court's ruling.[20][21][22][23]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[24] As of January 2025, six states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The site Voter View, run by the Kansas Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Kansas requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[25]
Voters can present the following forms of identification:
- Driver's license or nondriver's identification card issued by Kansas or by another state or district of the United States
- Concealed carry of handgun license issued by Kansas or a concealed carry of handgun or weapon license issued by another state or district of the United States
- United States passport
- Employee badge or identification document issued by a municipal, county, state, or federal government office
- Military identification document issued by the United States
- Student identification card issued by an accredited postsecondary institution of education in the state of Kansas
- Public assistance identification card issued by a municipal, county, state, or federal government office
- Identification card issued by an Indian tribe
A photo ID does not need to have an expiration date, but, if it does have an expiration date, it must not have expired at the time of voting. If the voter is over the age of 65, he or she can use an expired ID.[25]
The following voters are exempt from providing photo ID:[25]
- Military and overseas citizens who vote under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA)
- Voters who vote in mail ballot elections, which are limited to local jurisdictions holding special question-submitted elections
- Voters who are accepted to the permanent advance voting list
- Any voter who objects to having his or her photo taken because of his or her religious beliefs. The voter can complete and sign the Declaration of Religious Objection form.
Voters who do not have a photo ID can obtain one for free through the Division of Vehicles, Kansas Department of Revenue. The voter must provide proof of identity and proof of residence. The voter must also sign an affidavit. Voters can access the Certification Requesting Fee Waiver for Nondriver Identification Card form at all driver's license offices, county election offices, and on the secretary of state's website. If a voter does not have the proper documents to obtain a nondriver ID card, he or she can obtain a Kansas birth certificate from the Kansas Office of Vital Statistics for free. Voters can also apply for a free State Voter Identification Document. Voters should contact the election division of the secretary of state's office at election@sos.ks.gov or (800) 262-VOTE to apply.[25]
Early voting
Kansas permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Kansas. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee. An absentee ballot application must be received by the Tuesday prior to the election. Kansas refers to absentee voting as "advance voting."[26]
See also
| Federal primaries in Kansas | State primaries in Kansas | Kansas state party apparatus | Kansas voter information |
|---|---|---|---|
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Footnotes
- ↑ CNN, "Why a 'federal jobs guarantee' is gaining steam with Democrats," April 26, 2018
- ↑ The Atlantic, "What ‘Abolish ICE’ Actually Means," July 11, 2018
- ↑ CNBC, "Despite Ocasio-Cortez upset, Democratic primaries have not gone as far left as some argue," June 28, 2018
- ↑ New York Times, "There Is a Revolution on the Left. Democrats Are Bracing." July 21, 2018
- ↑ New York Times, "Democrats Are Moving Left. Don’t Panic," July 23, 2018
- ↑ Time, "How Democrats in Congress Responded to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Surprise Win," June 28, 2018
- ↑ CNN, "9 Democratic primaries to watch in 2018," October 26, 2017
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Morning Digest: Daily Kos Elections releases our initial 2018 House race ratings," accessed June 25, 2018
- ↑ Kansas City Star, "Democrats set for primary to send first openly gay member to the Kansas Legislature," February 12, 2018
- ↑ Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, "View Submitted Forms & Reports," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Kansas Republican Party and Kansas Democratic Party)
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate and Committee Viewer," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Kansas Republican Party and Kansas Democratic Party)
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," February 6, 2024
- ↑ FairVote, "Open and closed primaries," accessed July 25, 2024
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ Scott Schwab Kansas Secretary of State, "Voter information," accessed July 25, 2024
- ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "25-106. Hours of voting; change of hours, how made; rules and regulations," accessed November 4, 2024
- ↑ State of Kansas Secretary of State, “Frequently Asked Questions” accessed July 25, 2024
- ↑ Kansas Office of the Secretary of State, "Kansas Voter Registration Instructions," accessed July 25, 2024
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "Kansas Voter Registration Application," accessed November 1, 2024
- ↑ United States District Court for the District of Kansas, "Fish v. Kobach and Bednasek v. Kobach: Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law," June 18, 2018
- ↑ The Topeka Capital-Journal, "Kobach's office tells counties to stop asking for proof of citizenship," June 20, 2018
- ↑ AP News, "Kansas hopes to resurrect proof-of-citizenship voting law," March 18, 2019
- ↑ United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, "Fish v. Schwab: Opinion and Order," April 29, 2020
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 Kansas Secretary of State, "Elections - FAQ," accessed July 25, 2024
- ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, “K.S.A. 25-1122” accessed July 25, 2024
