Allen Countians voted in league with others across the state in Tuesday’s primary election as the state’s Republican and Democratic voters tapped their nominees for the November General Election.
Allen County also voted with the majority — albeit with a slimmer margin than the rest of the state — in rejecting a proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed for the direct election of Kansas Supreme Court justices.
Allen Countians voted against the amendment, 1,166 to 1,039, a 53-47 split. Statewide, the “no” votes on the amendment passed at a 61-39 clip.
As for the party breakdowns, Allen County Republicans mirrored the state across the board in contested races, favoring Ty Masterson in the governor’s race, Sen. Roger Marshall in his bid to keep his seat, and Rep. Derek Schmidt to hold onto his congressional seat. Schmidt will face Democrat Don Coover in November. Coover was unopposed on the ballot Tuesday.
The Allen County GOP also voted in league with the state in tapping Destry Brown in a three-way race for a seat on the Kansas State Board of Education.
Meanwhile, Allen County Democrats followed the statewide votes in favoring Cindy Holscher in her bid for governor, Adam Hamilton in a crowded field for the U.S. Senate nomination and Jennifer Day for secretary of state.
The aforementioned winners will advance to the Nov. 3 General Election.
THERE were a number of uncontested races on the ballot as well.
Allen County Commissioner Jerry Daniels faced no opposition to hold onto his seat. Likewise, he will not see a Democratic opponent in November.
Also advancing to the November elections, but unopposed in the primary were Attorney General nominees Kris Kobach, Republican, and Chris Mann, Democrat. Republican Pat Proctor will face Day in the secretary of state’s race. Republican State Treasurer Steven Johnson will face Democrat Juan Luengo. Democrat Dinah Sykes will face Republican Daniel Hawkins as insurance commissioner.
ALLEN COUNTY Clerk Shannon Patterson reported turnout for Tuesday’s primary was 25.4 percent, or 2,260 of the 8,878 registered voters.
Of the 4,747 registered Republicans in Allen County, 1,591 took part in the race, either in advance or on Election Day, a rate of 34%. Patterson said 484 of the county’s 1,246 registered Democrats voted, a turnout of 39%. The unaffiliated Allen County voters — 2,885 in all — had the lowest turnout of all, with 185 participants in the primary, a turnout rate of 6%.
