Topeka ? Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh stared at his watch as 5 p.m. approached and brought down the gavel with a resounding bang. Finally, the congressional filing season for Kansas had ended.

“I hereby declare the filing deadline for United States Congress closed,” Thornburgh said with a smile Tuesday at his office.

	The last day to register or change party affiliation to vote in the Aug. 6 primary is July 22. For registration sites, see www.douglas-county.com/Clerk/vote.asp#regsites.

The delayed deadline sets the ballot for the four congressional districts in the Aug. 6 primary and Nov. 5 general elections.

The original filing deadline was noon June 24. But a federal lawsuit challenging the state’s new congressional redistricting law extended the deadline to Tuesday for U.S. House candidates only.

Last week, three federal judges upheld the new districts. Had they delayed ruling beyond Tuesday, Thornburgh would have asked them to push the primary back to Aug. 27.

The only candidate filing Tuesday was Topeka lawyer Dan Lykins, running as a Democrat in the 2nd District. In November, he faces Republican Jim Ryun, seeking a fourth term with part of Lawrence added to his district.

“Oh, I definitely think it’s a seat we can win,” said Tom Sawyer, state Democratic Party chairman. “I don’t think the people of Lawrence feel very comfortable with Jim Ryun as their representative.”

But Kari Austin, state GOP executive director, said she wasn’t worried.

“I think Ryun is in a very strong position, and nothing about redistricting changed that at all,” Austin said.

Austin said the real contest would be the 3rd District that includes the Kansas City metropolitan area. Democrat Dennis Moore wants a third term.

Two Republicans Jeff Colyer of Overland Park and Adam Taff of Lake Quivira are battling each other for the chance to take on Moore in November.

“Both are strong on the stump and have good messages,” Austin said. “It’s a target for us. It is something we care a lot about.”

In the 4th District, Democrats Carlos Nolla and Patrick Quaney, both of Wichita, want to end Republican Todd Tiahrt’s fifth-term bid.

If Nolla wins, it would be a rematch from two years ago when he lost with 42 percent of the vote.

“Carlos surprised everybody with his strong showing, and he has a lot better chance of winning this time,” Sawyer said. “The 4th District will be a real battleground this time.”

But Austin said, “Nothing has changed about the 4th District. Tiahrt was strong two years ago, and he is in a strong, if not stronger, position.”

In the 1st District, Republican Jerry Moran wants a fourth term and faces only Libertarian Jack Warner of Wright in November. Like two years ago, no Democrat challenged Moran.

“It wasn’t a priority for us,” Sawyer said. “Our chance of winning that district with a strong incumbent like Jerry Moran isn’t good.”

Thornburgh said the delayed filing deadline also changed a few other things, not only for congressional races, but also statewide and legislative contests.

The deadline for county election officials to mail absentee ballots to military personnel and federal employees working overseas was extended from June 21 to Friday.

Thornburgh wants the federal judges to extend the deadline for local election officials to accept those ballots until noon Aug. 12, rather than the normal deadline of when the polls close on Election Day.

Advance primary ballots will be available starting July 24 rather than July 17, and they must be returned by the time the polls close.