Equality PAC 2021 Municipal and local Boards of Education endorsements

by | October 16, 2021

Vote!

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 Questionnaire

Local BOE candidate questionnaire:

2021 Fillable School Board Elections Questionnaire

 

Paid for by Equality Kansas PAC, Logan Murdoch, Chair

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