Kansas Secretary of State

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Kansas Secretary of State

Seal of Kansas.svg.png

General information
Office Type:  Partisan
Office website:  Official Link
Compensation:  $86,003
2024 FY Budget:  $10,031,121
Term limits:  None
Structure
Length of term:   4 years
Authority:  Kansas Constitution, Article I § 1
Selection Method:  Elected
Current Officeholder

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab
Republican Party
Assumed office: 2019-01-14

Elections
Next election:  November 3, 2026
Last election:  November 8, 2022
Other Kansas Executive Offices
GovernorLieutenant GovernorSecretary of StateAttorney GeneralTreasurerCommissioner of EducationAgriculture SecretaryInsurance CommissionerWildlife and Parks SecretaryLabor SecretaryCorporation Commission

The Secretary of State of Kansas is a statewide constitutional office in Kansas. The secretary of state is publicly elected every four years. The office is responsible for overseeing the administration of all state and federal elections in the state.


Kansas has a divided government where neither party holds a triplex. The Democratic Party controls the office of governor, while the Republican Party controls the offices of attorney general and secretary of state.

Current officeholder

The current officeholder is Scott Schwab (R). He was elected in 2018 and assumed office on January 14, 2019.[1]

Authority

The secretary of state's powers are derived from Article 1 of the Kansas Constitution.

Article 1, Section 1:

The constitutional officers of the executive department shall be the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general, who shall have such qualifications as are provided by law.

Qualifications

There are no constitutional or statutory qualifications for this office.[2]

Elections

Kansas state government organizational chart
See also: States with gubernatorial term limits, State legislatures with term limits

The secretary of state is elected to serve for a term of four years of length, which runs concurrently with the term of the governor. The election is held in November and the official takes office the following January.

2022

See also: Kansas Secretary of State election, 2022

General election

General election for Kansas Secretary of State

Incumbent Scott Schwab defeated Jeanna Repass and Cullene Lang in the general election for Kansas Secretary of State on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/220px-Scott_Schwab_headshot.jpg
Scott Schwab (R)
 
58.4
 
580,908
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Jeanna_Repass.png
Jeanna Repass (D) Candidate Connection
 
38.8
 
386,661
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Cullene Lang (L)
 
2.8
 
27,844

Total votes: 995,413
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Kansas Secretary of State

Jeanna Repass advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas Secretary of State on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Jeanna_Repass.png
Jeanna Repass Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
246,870

Total votes: 246,870
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Kansas Secretary of State

Incumbent Scott Schwab defeated Mike Brown in the Republican primary for Kansas Secretary of State on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/220px-Scott_Schwab_headshot.jpg
Scott Schwab
 
55.2
 
245,998
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Mike-Brown-KS.PNG
Mike Brown Candidate Connection
 
44.8
 
199,316

Total votes: 445,314
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Kansas Secretary of State

Cullene Lang advanced from the Libertarian convention for Kansas Secretary of State on April 23, 2022.

Candidate
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Cullene Lang (L)

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

See also: Kansas Secretary of State election, 2018

General election

General election for Kansas Secretary of State

Scott Schwab defeated Brian McClendon and Rob Hodgkinson in the general election for Kansas Secretary of State on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/220px-Scott_Schwab_headshot.jpg
Scott Schwab (R)
 
52.6
 
549,416
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/BrianBAMMcClendon.jpg
Brian McClendon (D) Candidate Connection
 
43.9
 
458,142
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Rob_Hodgkinson_-_2-min.jpg
Rob Hodgkinson (L) Candidate Connection
 
3.5
 
36,882

Total votes: 1,044,440
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Kansas Secretary of State

Brian McClendon advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas Secretary of State on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/BrianBAMMcClendon.jpg
Brian McClendon Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
139,457

Total votes: 139,457
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Kansas Secretary of State

Scott Schwab defeated Randy Duncan, Dennis Taylor, Craig McCullah, and Keith Esau in the Republican primary for Kansas Secretary of State on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/220px-Scott_Schwab_headshot.jpg
Scott Schwab
 
38.3
 
108,705
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Randy Duncan
 
20.2
 
57,236
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/dtaylor.jpg
Dennis Taylor
 
19.9
 
56,537
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Craig McCullah
 
11.5
 
32,615
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Keith_Esau.jpg
Keith Esau
 
10.0
 
28,426

Total votes: 283,519
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2014

See also: Kansas secretary of state election, 2014
Secretary of State of Kansas, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngKris Kobach Incumbent 59.2% 508,926
     Democratic Jean Schodorf 40.8% 350,692
Total Votes 859,618
Election results via Kansas Secretary of State

Term limits

As stated in the Kansas Constitution, there is no term limit for this office.

2010

Kobach (R) defeated Democrat Chris Biggs in the 2010 general election, earning 59 percent of the vote.[3] Biggs was appointed to the position by Gov. Mark Parkinson in March 2010 following the resignation of 16-year office veteran Republican Ron Thornburgh.

Kansas Secretary of State, General Election, 2010
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngKris Kobach 59% 489,640
     Democratic Chris Biggs 37.2% 308,641
     Libertarian Phillip Horatio Lucas 2.1% 17,336
     Reform Party Derek Langseth 1.7% 13,896
Total Votes 829,513
Election results via Kansas Secretary of State

Vacancies

Article 1, Section 11 addresses the legal procedure for filling vacancies in executive offices.

When the office of secretary of state or attorney general is vacant, the governor shall fill the vacancy by appointment for the remainder of the term. If the secretary of state or attorney general is disabled, the governor shall name a person to assume the powers and duties of the office until the disability is removed.

Duties

As of January 18, 2021, the duties of the office stated on the official website included:[4]

[A]dministering elections, collecting certain records of Kansas businesses and publishing the official publications for the State of Kansas. As a result, hundreds of thousands of documents are kept by the Secretary of State. Generally, they fall into four categories – executive, legislative, elections and business.[5]

Divisions

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the Kansas Secretary of State has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.

State budget

See also: Kansas state budget and finances

The Office of the Secretary of State's budget for fiscal year 2024 was $10,031,121.[6]

Compensation

See also: Compensation of state executive officers

The salary of the secretary of state, along with other Kansas elected executives, is determined by the Kansas State Legislature. Article I, Section 13 requires state executive salaries to be legally fixed and not reduced during the current term, unless such a reduction applies to all salaried state officers.[7] However, under Article XV, Section 7 the legislature may reduce the salary of an elected officer for gross neglect of duty.[8]

Kansas Constitution, Article I, Section 13

Compensation of officers. The officers mentioned in this article shall at stated times receive for their services a such compensation as is established by law, which shall not be diminished during their terms of office, unless by general law applicable to all salaried officers of the state. Any person exercising the powers and duties of an office mentioned in this article shall receive the compensation established by law for that office.

Kansas Constitution, Article XV, Section 7

Salaries reduced for neglect of duty. The legislature may reduce the salaries of officers, who shall neglect the performance of any legal duty.

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $86,003, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]

2021

In 2021, the secretary of state received a salary of $86,003, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]

2020

In 2020, the secretary of state received a salary of $86,003 according to the Council of State Governments.[11]

2019

In 2019, the secretary of state received a salary of $86,003 according to the Council of State Governments.[12]

2018

In 2018, the secretary of state received a salary of $86,003 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]

2017

In 2017, the secretary of state received a salary of $86,003 according to the Council of State Governments.[14]

2016

In 2016, the secretary of state received a salary of $86,003 according to the Council of State Governments.[15]

2015

In 2015, the secretary of state received a salary of $86,003 according to the Council of State Governments.[16]

2014

In 2014, the secretary received a salary of $86,003 according to the Council of State Governments.[17]

2013

In 2013, the secretary received a salary of $86,003 according to the Council of State Governments.[18]

2012

In 2012, the secretary received a salary of $86,003 according to the Council of State Governments.

2011

In 2011, the secretary received a salary of $86,003 according to the Council of State Governments.[19]

Historical officeholders

There have been 5 Kansas Territory Secretaries and 32 Kansas Secretaries of State since 1854. Of the 37 officeholders, 28 were Republican, 7 were Democrat, and 2 were Populists.[20]

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Kansas Secretary of State. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Contact information

Kansas

Capitol Address:
Kansas Secretary of State
Memorial Hall, 1st Floor
120 SW 10th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66612-1594

Phone: (785) 296-4564

See also

Kansas State Executive Elections News and Analysis
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Kansas State Executive Offices
Kansas State Legislature
Kansas Courts
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Kansas elections: 202420232022202120202019201820172016
Party control of state government
State government trifectas
State of the state addresses
Partisan composition of governors

External links

Footnotes

  1. Kansas Secretary of State, "Home," accessed January 18, 2021
  2. Kansas Secretary of State, "Kansas Election Standards (Chapter IV: Candidates, p. IV-11)," accessed January 18, 2021
  3. Kansas Secretary of State, "2010 General Election Results," accessed January 18, 2021
  4. Kansas Secretary of State, "About the Office," accessed January 18, 2021
  5. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  6. Kansas Division of the Budget, "2024 comparison report," accessed December 6, 2023
  7. Kansas Constitution, "Article I Executive; Compensation of Officers," accessed February 18, 2015
  8. Kansas Constitution, “Article XV Miscellaneous; Salaries reduced for neglect of duty,” accessed January 18, 2021
  9. Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
  10. Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
  11. Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2020," accessed January 18, 2021
  12. Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 18, 2021
  13. Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 18, 2021
  14. Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 18, 2021
  15. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
  16. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
  17. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 14, 2014
  18. The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
  19. The Council of State Governments, "Book of States 2011- Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2012 (dead link)
  20. Kansas Historical Society, "Kansas Secretaries of State," accessed January 18, 2021