Note from Commissioner Howell:

How Every Vote Speaks for Ten People

In the years leading up to 2014, there was a very contentious debate raging across Kansas regarding whether city and school elections should be in April or in November and whether they should be partisan or not. One of the goals behind the discussion was an effort to increase campaign visibility and voter participation.

The last springtime election in 2013 garnered a dismal 6.2% voter turnout in Sedgwick County. From 2009 through 2013, those four odd-year springtime elections in Sedgwick County averaged only 9.43% voter turnout. Compared to the even year elections from 2010 through 2014, the average voter turnout was 57.4%. As it turned out, the lawmakers did move these local elections to the fall starting in 2015 but they remain in odd years and non-partisan.

The upcoming November 7, 2023, city/school election will be the fifth odd-year election since the law was amended. We have enough data now to consider whether this was a good change. Increased voter registration rates coupled with higher voter participation has essentially tripled the number of ballots cast when comparing 2021 fall election to the 2013 spring election. Despite the fear and anxiety expressed with passion during the debate, we should agree today that elections being moved to the fall has proven to be good for our state. 

Nevertheless, it is still surprising that only 80% of eligible voters have registered to vote in Sedgwick County. If this election follows historical trends, only 50,000 ballots will be cast for 526,000 people. That means only one out of every ten people in this community (on average) will exercise their Constitutional right to select our local leaders. Another way to look at this is each ballot carries the weight for nine other people that either cannot vote or do not care.

Finally, even though we say these odd-year elections are non-partisan, partisan politics is increasingly a factor in our local city and school elections. The Wichita Mayor’s race undoubtedly demonstrates this truth. One thing that speaks to me personally is knowing a candidates’ personal values and principles of governance. Among the fifteen local candidates vying for nine positions, we have a right to know where they stand on the political spectrum. We can claim these are nonpartisan races but most of us know better.

Please take time to meet the candidates and vote. Our students and our city deserve the absolute best.