Here’s Equality Kansas PAC’s endorsements for the 2021 local elections on November 2. When making endorsements, we consider a number of factors in weighing our decisions. In order of importance, we consider:
- Voting record as a public official, and whether the candidate is a “friendly incumbent” running for reelection to their current office, who has voted for policies that are important to our mission. Issues evaluated are primarily non-discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, school bullying prevention inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity, and relationship recognition.
- Incumbent or former office holders who are running for a new office are evaluated on their historic voting record.
- Membership in Equality Kansas, or whether a candidate is openly LGBTQ;
- Responses to policy questionnaires sent to all candidates immediately after the June filing deadline;
- Public statements regarding LGBTQ equality issues.
Most endorsements decisions are relatively simple, especially for incumbents: They either vote with us or against us.
For newcomers, their questionnaire responses are key to our decision‑making process. We also consider voting records in prior offices held when a candidate is running for a different or higher office. You can view this year’s questionnaires at the bottom of this post.
While we will consider public statements made by candidates, we never base our endorsements on private assurances of support.
We do not endorse in races where we either lack information on candidates or where we believe no candidate will represent the interests of the Kansas LGBTQ population.
Our endorsements are for the benefit of our membership, the Kansas LGBTQ community, and our friends and families. We do not consider whether a candidate has sought our endorsement, nor do we withhold endorsements at any candidate request.
No matter who you vote for, get out and vote! Nothing changes in Kansas without your active participation.
Municipal Candidates
Bel Aire City Council, District: At Large: Ashley Markley
Dodge City Commission: Jan Scoggins
El Dorado City Commission, District: 1: Herb Llewellyn
Emporia City Commission: William Garner
Fairway, District: Mayor: Melanie Hepperly
Fairway City Council, District: 2: Dan Bailey
Fairway City Council, District: 1: Kelly-Ann Buszek
Fairway City Council, District: 4: Tanya Keys
Gardner Mayor: Tory Kristen Roberts
Kansas City/Wyandotte County UG, District: Dist. 2: Tom Burroughs
Kansas City/Wyandotte County UG, District: 5: Mike Kane
Kansas City/Wyandotte County UG, District: 8: Jane Philbrook
Kansas City/Wyandotte County UG, District: 1: Gail Townsend
Kansas City/Wyandotte County UG, District: 7: James Walters
Lawrence City Commission: Stuart Boley
Lawrence City Commission: Lisa Larsen
Lawrence City Commission: Amber Sellers
Leawood City Council, District: 4: Julie Cain
Leawood City Council, District: 1: Debra Filla
Leawood City Council, District: 2: Mary Larson
Leawood City Council, District: 3: Chuck Sipple
Lenexa City Council, District: 4: Craig Denny
Lenexa City Council, District: 3: Corey Hunt
Lenexa City Council, District: 1: Joe Karlin
Lenexa City Council, District: 2: Bill Nicks
Lindsborg City Council, District: Ward 2: John Presley
Lindsborg Mayor: Clark Shultz
Maize City Council, District: At Large: Jon Ramirez
Manhattan City Commission: Aaron Estabrook
Manhattan City Commission: Monica Macfarlane
Manhattan City Commission: Usha Reddi
Merriam, District: 3: Christine Evan Hands
Merriam, District: 4: David Neal
Merriam, District: Mayor: Bob Pape
Merriam, District: 2: Amy Rider
Mission, District: 4: Ben Chociej
Mission, District: 3: Debra Kring
Mission, District: 2: Lea Louden
Mission, District: 1: Hillary Thomas
Misson, District: Mayor: Dual endorsement for Sollie Flora and Arcie Rothrock
Mission Hills, District: At-Large: Bill Bruning
Mission Hills, District: Mayor: David Dickey
Mission Woods, District: At-Large: Lauren Aleshire
Mission Woods, District: Mayor: Darrell Franklin
Mission Woods, District: At-Large: Robert Tietze
Newton City Commission: Rebecca Barrett-Fox
North Newton City Council, District: At Large: Dennis Campbell
Olathe, District: At-Large: Dean Vakas
Olathe, District: 4: Marge Vogt
Overland Park, District: 2: Melissa Cheatham
Overland Park, District: 1: Logan Heley
Overland Park, District: 5: Sam Passer
Overland Park, District: 4: Stacie Gram
Overland Park, District: 6: Chris Newlin
Overland Park, District: Mayor: Curt Skoog
Overland Park, District: 3: Amanda Vega-mavec
Prairie Village, District: 6: Terrance Gallagher
Prairie Village, District: 2: Ronald Nelson
Prairie Village, District: 1: Cole Robinson
Prairie Village, District: 5: Gregory Shelton
Roeland Park, District: 2: Jen Hill
Roeland Park, District: Mayor: Mike Kelly
Roeland Park, District: 1: Tom Madigan
Roeland Park, District: 4: Michael Poppa
Shawnee, District: 3: Lisa Larson-Bunnell
Shawnee, District: 4: Kevin Makalous
Shawnee, District: 2: Eric Perrson
Westwood, District: At-Large: Andrew Buckman
Westwood, District: At-Large: Jason Hannaman
Westwood, District: At-Large: Jeffrey Harris
Westwood Hills, District: At-Large: Michael Anfang
Westwood Hills, District: At-Large: Ed Gogol
Westwood Hills, District: At-Large: Rosemary Podrebarac
Westwood Hills, District: Mayor: Paula schwach
Westwood Hills, District: At-Large: Karen shelor-sexton
Westwood Hills, District: At-Large: Ludwig Villasi
Wichita City Council, District: 3: Jared Cerullo
Wichita City Council, District: 6: Cindy Claycomb
Wichita City Council, District: 1: Brandon Johnson
Local BOE Candidates
USD 203-Piper: Tiffany Sheffler
USD 229 Blue Valley, District: 4: Andrew Van Der Laan
USD 233 Olathe, District: 3: Tiffany Seaman
USD 253 Board of Education, District: At Large: Lillian Lingenfelter
USD 253 Board of Education, District: At Large: Jami Reever
USD 259 Board of Education, District: 1: Benjamin Blankley
USD 259 Board of Education, District: 2: Julie Hedrick
USD 259 Board of Education, District: 6: Holly Terrill
USD 260 Board of Education, District: At Large: Claudia Peebler
USD 266 Board of Education, District: 1: Ashley Burdick
USD 373 Board of Education, District: At Large: Laura Garvin
USD 383 Board of Education, District: At Large: Jayme Morris-Hardeman
USD 457 Board of Education, District: At Large: Isidro Marino
USD 463 Board of Education, District: 6: Jonelle Knapp
USD 475 Board of Education, District: At Large: Stephanie Holloway
USD 475 Board of Education, District: At Large: Krystle Koch
USD 480 Board of Education, District: At Large: William Purdy
USD 500-Kansas City: Rachel Henderson
USD 500-Kansas City: Diosselyn Tot
USD 512 Shawnee Mission, District: 2: Mary Sinclair
USD 512 Shawnee Mission, District: 6 At-Large: Heather Ousley
Municipal candidate questionnaire:
2021 Fillable Municipal Elections QuestionnaireLocal BOE candidate questionnaire:
2021 Fillable School Board Elections Questionnaire
Paid for by Equality Kansas PAC, Logan Murdoch, Chair
