photo by: Contributed

Milton Scott

A Democratic challenger, Milton Scott has filed to take on the incumbent for the Douglas County Commission’s 1st District seat.

Scott, who previously ran for Lawrence City Commission in 2021, will be facing incumbent Patrick Kelly in the Democratic primary election. Scott said he was running for County Commission because he wanted a government that would deliver property tax relief, balance the budget and put tax dollars toward the community rather than into government reserves.

“True change doesn’t happen by chance; it happens by choice,” Scott said in a press release. “I am running to be your agent of change to bring fiscal sanity and real accountability back to our community.”

Scott currently serves as an adult service officer and coordinator for the Community Service Work Program with Douglas County Criminal Justice Services. He also has experience as a juvenile correctional officer.

He previously served as director of programs and property management with the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority for over 20 year and as executive director of the Kansas City, Kansas, Housing Authority.

Scott moved to Lawrence in 1980 to attend the University of Kansas, earning bachelor’s degrees in political science and communications studies as well as a master’s degree in higher education. Since then, he has been in multiple leadership roles in various community organizations and boards, such as president of the League of Women Voters Lawrence-Douglas County; treasurer for the faith-based advocacy group Justice Matters; and chair of the Douglas County Community Corrections Advisory Board.

County Commission Districts 1, 4 and 5 all have seats up for election, and the commissioners elected in 2026 will serve four-year terms. Incumbent Gene Dorsey, a Democrat representing District 4, will face newcomer Ethan Spurling, also a Democrat, in the primary. Incumbent Erica Anderson, a Democrat representing District 5, does not have an opponent in the primary, but will face Kirsten Kuhn, a Libertarian, in the general election this fall.

The deadline to register to vote or update voter registration for the 2026 primary election is July 14. The primary election is Aug. 4, and the general election is Nov. 3.