WRITER: Josie Heimsoth

Democrat Erica Anderson wins County Commission's District 5 seat, wants collaborative leadership and increased community engagement

Democrat Erica Anderson came out on top among the three candidates who competed for the Douglas County Commission's new District 5 seat. Anderson had garnered 5,149 votes as of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday to win District 5, which includes a small portion of south Lawrence, southern Wakarusa Township, Baldwin City and Palmyra Township. Republican Rich Lorenzo and Libertarian Kirsten Kuhn, Anderson’s opponents, received ...

Democrat Gene Dorsey wins County Commission's new District 4 seat, vowing increased transparency and community outreach

Gene Dorsey will be representing the newly established District 4 seat on the Douglas County Commission after defeating two other candidates. Dorsey received 5,849 votes to Republican Vice Mayor of Eudora Timothy Bruce's 3,557 votes and Libertarian Steve Jacob's 719 votes. District 4 includes a small portion of southeastern Lawrence, Eudora and Eudora Township and the small portion of Wakarusa Township located ...

Incumbent Shannon Reid re-elected as Douglas County commissioner for District 2

Incumbent Douglas County Commissioner Shannon Reid was reelected on Tuesday, and will now be serving another term in the District 2 seat. Reid’s opponent, independent candidate Brad Chun, received 2,228 votes, while she acquired 4,899 votes. The district Reid will continue representing includes North Lawrence, the eastern Lawrence area around downtown, Grant Township and the portion of Wakarusa Township ...

Incumbent Karen Willey elected as Douglas County commissioner for District 3

Incumbent Douglas County Commissioner Karen Willey has won the District 3 seat and will continue serving on the commission. On Tuesday, Willey received 7,008 votes against Republican Pam McDermott, who won a total of 5,266 votes. District 3 is the largest Douglas County Commission district by geographic area. The district includes the western portion of Lawrence, the city of Lecompton and the entirety of five ...

County sees record turnout for advance voting as Election Day looms

UPDATED 5 p.m., Nov. 4 Monday was the last chance for advance voting in Douglas County, and the county clerk reports record turnout. For much of the morning on Monday, the line of people to vote at the Douglas County Elections Office at 23rd and Louisiana streets stretched out the door and onto the sidewalk. County Clerk Jamie Shew reported that after the election office closed to in-person advance voting at ...

Community open house to address stormwater management plan for controversial Douglas County solar project

An open house will be held to discuss a stormwater management plan for a large solar project in Douglas County on Wednesday. The Kansas Sky Energy Center plans to install 8 million square feet of solar panels on approximately 600 acres of farmland in the Kansas River valley, located in northern Douglas County. This project, which has been controversial among county residents, requires two approvals from the ...