State Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence, on Friday said she would seek re-election for an eighth term in the Kansas House.

“I will continue to work hard to represent my constituents and the community of Lawrence,” Ballard said.

The district covers western and central Lawrence.

Ballard is associate director for the Dole Institute of Politics at Kansas University and a former Lawrence school board member.

“My diverse experiences working at KU and the eight years I served as a member of the Lawrence school board have provided me with an understanding of the needs of higher education and K-12 schools,” she said.

“We must continue to look for opportunities to bring additional funding to these areas.”

Ballard has served in the House for 14 years. She is a member of the House budget committee and the subcommittee that deals with social service spending.