Dear Kansan,

Thank you for your interest in receiving my monthly newsletter.

It is an honor to serve as your Kansas Secretary of State. If my office can be of any service to you, please do not hesitate to contact me at Scott.Schwab@ks.gov or 785-296-4575.

All my best,

Scott Schwab

Kansas Secretary of State 

Last month we celebrated the 120th anniversary of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS). As president of the association, it was an honor to lead the conference as well as celebrate the oldest nonpartisan professional organization for public officials in the country.

During the conference we heard presentations on election administration and cybersecurity, received information about artificial intelligence, heard from national media outlets, and received updates from federal agencies on legislation and regulations that impact the work of Secretary of State offices.

Read more about the conference via my interview with Politico HERE.

During the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) conference, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon and I sat down with Zach Montellaro from Politico. We discussed NASS' efforts to disseminate reliable information for the upcoming election cycle and our appreciation for the collegiality among the Secretaries that strengthens the association.

Click HERE to read the Politico article.

Grants Awarded to Improve

County Election Security

I am pleased to announce that 84 Kansas counties will be awarded grant dollars to strengthen the physical security of county election offices. The grant funds will be used for physical security upgrades to safeguard election equipment.  

Security items include:

• Security cameras and monitoring systems
• Access control, such as upgrades to locks and doors
• Hardware storage and transportation, including locking cabinets, rolling carts, and cages for storage for election equipment

Click HERE to read the press release.

Overland Park Rotary Club

I recently spoke to the Overland Park Rotary Club about the upcoming Presidential Preference Primary on March 19, and how this election differs from the August primary and November general elections. While each of these elections are state run, the presidential primary results are used by the respective state political parties to determine the allocation of delegates to the national party conventions later in 2024. 

To learn more about the Presidential Preference Primary visit VoteKansas.gov.

Speaking at the Robert J. Dole

Institute of Politics

Testifying before Senate Committee

on Transparency and Ethics

County Treasurers Meeting

Last month, county treasurers met in Topeka. Our discussions revolved around local governance and the ways in which the Secretary of State's office could provide assistance. Among the topics covered was the process of notarization. I took the opportunity to inform the treasurers about our online notary option and reiterated the associated requirements.

For individuals interested in becoming a notary in Kansas, the criteria include:

1. Being at least 18 years old.

2. Being a legal resident of Kansas or a resident of a neighboring state who regularly conducts business or practices a profession in Kansas.

Click HERE to learn more about becoming a notary.

WIBW & KSNT Interviews

I appreciated the opportunity to visit with members of the Kansas media to discuss the upcoming Presidential Preference Primary (PPP) election on March 19 and initiatives taking place in our office. I encourage Kansans to mark their calendars and share election information with their friends and family.

For reliable and accurate election information, please visit the Secretary of State's website VoteKansas.gov (the .gov authenticates that the website information is coming from a government source). Also please keep in mind that my office posts on various verified social media accounts (Facebook, X, and Instagram) and I encourage everyone to follow those accounts for accurate and timely election information.

Watch my KSNT Interview HERE.

Watch my WIBW Interview HERE.

Meeting Taiwan Ambassador Yui

A personal highlight from the NASS Winter Conference was meeting with Taiwan Ambassador Alexander Yui at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO).

A special thank you to the staff at TECRO and National Association of Secretaries of State for making this event possible.

A New Deputy in Town

I recently swore in Whitney Tempel, our Director of Communications and Policy, as our newest deputy for the agency.

The deputies provide invaluable support for the good work of our team at the Secretary of State's office.

NEW K.S.A. SUPPLEMENTS AND VOLUME 2

AND 2A AVAILABLE

The 2023 Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A.) Supplements and updated hardbound Volume 2 and 2A are now available to order!

Supplements are printed on a yearly basis to provided the most current statute changes, while volumes are printed on a rotation. The last time the Volume 2 set was printed was in 2007.

See the order form for pricing and availability of all our legal publications. Call and order your copies at 785-296-BOOK (2665).