photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

The Douglas County Elections Office on West 23rd Street is pictured on July 13, 2022.

The filing and withdrawal deadline for this year’s local elections has come and gone, and the slates are now set for key races across Douglas County — including the Lawrence City Commission, Lawrence school board, and other municipal offices.

The deadline to file as a candidate for the upcoming election in the county was Monday at noon, and there were many last minute filers, notably incumbents of the Lawrence school board Kelly Jones and Shannon Kimball along with another filing for Lawrence City Commission being Mike Harreld.

County Clerk Jamie Shew told the Journal-World that nine people filed Monday alone before the deadline, with Kenny Massey withdrawing from the race for Eudora school board.

The deadline to register to vote or update your voter registration information for the 2025 primary election is July 15. This year’s general election is set for Nov. 4. Here’s an overview of the candidates in several races as of the end of Monday’s deadline.

The Lawrence City Commission has two seats up for election this year, and the field of candidates includes 13 candidates and will require a primary, which will take place on Aug. 5. During the primary election, people will be asked to vote for two candidates – matching the number of open seats – and four will move on to the general election.

The candidates are Paul Buskirk, Michael K. Courtney, Eric B. Hyde, Alex Kerr, Steve Jacob, Ruby Mae Johnson, Amanda Nielsen, Kristine Polian, Bob Schumm, Peter Victor Shenouda and Courtney Shipley, Harreld, as well as current City Commissioner Bart Littlejohn, who is seeking reelection.

The Lawrence school board has seven candidates competing for three open seats, including ChrisTopher Niles Enneking, Matt Lancaster, Molly Starr, Pam Shaw and incumbents Jones, Kimball and Bob Byers, who are seeking reelection.

Beyond Lawrence, various communities have open seats in their school boards, city councils, and commissions.

Baldwin City mayor and council: In this race, residents will elect a mayor and two at-large seats on the city council. Current mayor Casey A. Simoneau and Gerald “Gerry” Cullumber are running for mayor. Five people have filed as a councilperson, including Dan Riney, J. King, Peter Wentz, Robert L. Flegal Jr. and incumbent Susan Pitts.

The Baldwin City school board, which elects its school board by geographic districts, has an open seat in its first, second and third districts this year. Randee M. Kallas has filed in the first district, Miranda Hamrick in the second district and Jennifer Clark filing for the third district seat.

Eudora City Commission: City residents will elect two city commissioners this year. Four people have filed for those seats, including Grant High, Jason E. Musick, John M. Cullen Jr. and incumbent Timothy Reazin.

The Eudora school board has had five candidates file for three open seats: Incumbents Heather Whalen and Joseph Hurla, Shawna Vetter, Tony Barron and Travis McCormick.

Lecompton mayor and council: Residents will be electing a mayor and two at-large seats on the city council in this election. Ed Smith and current mayor Jimmy Wilkins, who’s seeking reelection, have filed for mayor along with Norraine “Waynie” Wingfield and incumbent Troy Clark filing for city council.

The Perry-Lecompton school board is also elected by district and currently has four open seats, with two available for residents of Douglas County. The candidates from the county include Daniel Bahnmaier for the first district and Lindsey Trent for the third district.

Other races in the county are listed on the Douglas County Clerk’s Office website at dgcoks.gov/county-clerk/voting-and-elections/current-candidates.