Patrick Kelly

Patrick Kelly, who is currently serving as the Douglas County commissioner for District No. 1, announced Tuesday that he has filed for reelection.

Kelly was elected to his current position in 2018, and that four-year term expires in January 2023. More than half of his time in office has been spent responding to the coronavirus pandemic; Kelly and the other members of the commission have been at the forefront regarding emergency public health orders like the county’s mask mandate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kelly is the third candidate to file for the seat. Justin Spiehs, a Lawrence resident who has likened mask-wearing to child abuse and who is facing felony charges, filed for the seat as a Republican last month. The first person to file was Lawrence resident and former City Commission candidate Dustin Stumblingbear, another Democratic candidate, at the beginning of 2022.

The filing deadline for the 2022 election is June 1, according to the Douglas County Elections Office. Because there is more than one candidate running for either party, a primary election will take place Aug. 2, and the general election is Nov. 8.