It's primary time

Jul. 29—With Barton County voters casting their ballots Tuesday for the local 2022 primary election, Election Officer Bev Schmeidler wanted to remind voters of the polling places. As an added reminder, Schmeidler noted that election signs and other campaign materials are not allowed within 250 feet of a polling station entrance.

Polls will be open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. and voters are reminded to bring their photo ID with them. In addition, advance voting is available until noon Monday at the County Clerk's Office on the second floor of the Barton County Courthouse, 1400 Main in Great Bend.

The ballot includes state and national offices, county commissioners, county clerk, township clerks, and Republican and Democratic precinct men and women. It will also include the constitutional amendment known as "Value Them Both" which would limit abortions in the state.

For more information, call the Clerk's Office at 620-793-1835.

Polling places include:

Great Bend City

—First Ward — Great Bend Rec Commission Activity Center 2715 18th, east main entrance.

—Second Ward — Prince of Peace St. Patrick's Parish Center, 4100 Broadway.

—Third Ward — Grace Community Church, 210 McKinley, north entrance

—Fourth Ward — Great Bend Recreation Center Burnside Room, 1214 Stone.

Ballot drop boxes

—Central Kansas Community Corrections, 1208 Kansas Avenue, Great Bend. Enter alley behind Golden Belt Cinema 6 theater. Driver's side drop-off.

No postage required.

—Hoisington City Building, 109 E. First St., Hoisington. Located in alley next to utility drop box. Driver's side drop-off.

No postage required.

Hoisington City

—First, Second, Third and Fourth wards — Meeting Room, Hoisington Activity Center, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, main entrance.

Other cities

—Albert — Arts and Crafts Room, Hoisington Activity Center, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, northeast entrance.

—Galatia — Arts and Crafts Room, Hoisington Activity Center, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, northeast entrance.

—Olmitz — Arts and Crafts Room, Hoisington Activity Center, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, northeast entrance.

—Susank — Arts and Crafts Room, Hoisington Activity Center, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, northeast entrance.

—Claflin — Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin.

—Ellinwood — St. Joseph Parish Center, 110 West Second, Ellinwood.

—Pawnee Rock — Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance.

Townships

—Albion Township — Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.

—Eureka Township — Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.

—Fairview Township — Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.

—Grant Township — Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.

—North Homestead Township — Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.

—South Homestead Township — Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.

—Union Township — Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.

—Walnut-Albert Township — Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.

—Walnut-Olmitz Township — Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.

—Wheatland Township — Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side.

—Beaver Township — Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin.

—Cheyenne Township — Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin.

—Cleveland Township — Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin.

—Independent Township — Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin.

—Logan Township — Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin.

—Comanche Township — St. Joseph Parish Center, 110 West Second, Ellinwood.

—Lakin Township A and B — St. Joseph Parish Center, 110 West Second, Ellinwood.

—Great Bend Township A — Barton County Sheriff's Office shooting range, 396 NE 30 Rd.

—Buffalo Township — Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance

—Clarence Township — Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance

—Great Bend Township B — Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance

—Liberty Township — Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance

—Pawnee Rock Township — Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance

—South Bend Township — Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance

What are the ward and district boundaries?

Below are links to view the Great Bend and Hoisington city council wards, and Barton County Commission districts:

—Great Bend wards — www.greatbendks.net/DocumentCenter/View/731/2016-GB-Ward-Map?bidId=

—Hoisington wards — www.hoisingtonks.org/city-council

—Commission districts, county wide — www.bartoncounty.org/vimages/shared/vnews/stories/518a7f43dc881/New2018DistrictsJD.pdf

—Commission districts, City of Great Bend — www.bartoncounty.org/vimages/shared/vnews/stories/518a7f43dc881/New2018DistrictsGBa.pdf

Constitutional amendment on primary ballot

This year, a constitutional amendment known as "Value Them Both" will be on the ballot during the primary election on Aug. 22. The constitutional amendment will be on all ballots regardless of one's party or affiliation, according to the Kansas Secretary of State's Office.

Below is a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that will be voted on in the August primary election as listed on the KSSO website.

"The Value Them Both Amendment would affirm there is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion or to require the government funding of abortion, and would reserve to the people of Kansas, through their elected state legislators, the right to pass laws to regulate abortion, including, but not limited to, in circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, or when necessary to save the life of the mother.

"A vote for the Value Them Both Amendment would affirm there is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion or to require the government funding of abortion, and would reserve to the people of Kansas, through their elected state legislators, the right to pass laws to regulate abortion.

"A vote against the Value Them Both Amendment would make no changes to the constitution of the state of Kansas, and could restrict the people, through their elected state legislators, from regulating abortion by leaving in place the recently recognized right to abortion."

August primary candidates listed

The slate of candidates for the Tuesday, Aug. 2, primary election is set. The filings included multiple candidates for each of the three County Commission seats up for grabs.

The general election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Below is the list of those who have filed in Barton County for the commission, county clerk and township clerks, according to the County Clerk's Office.

Not included are those who filed for the Republican and Democratic precinct men and women.

These elections are always decided during the primary and are not in the general election.

Local candidates

County Commission

—First District

Jeffery Donecker, Republican

Matthew Gerritzen, Republican

Linda M. Moeder, Republican

Rick Nulton, Republican

Duane Reif, Republican

—Fourth District

Jon L. Prescott, Republican

Tricia Schlessiger, Republican

—Fifth District

Rick Davis, Republican

Donna Zimmerman, Republican

County clerk

Bev Schmeidler, Republican

Townwhip clerks

Albion Township, Ronald (Rocky) Meitner, Republican

Beaver Township, Scott Schlochtermeier, Republican

Buffalo Township, no filings

Cheyenne Township, no filings

Clarence Township, Dennis D. Comer, Republican

Cleveland Township, no filings

Comanche Township, Linda Borror, Republican

Eureka Township, no filings

Fairview Township, no filings

Grant Township, no filings

Great Bend Township, R.L. Engle, Republican

North Homestead Township, no filings

South Homestead Township, no filings

Independent Township, no filings

Lakin Township, no filings

Liberty Township, no filings

Logan Township, Joseph V. Zink, Republican

Pawnee Rock Township, no filings

South Bend Township, Darren Nicolet, Republican

Union Township, Marty Michaelis and Justin Ludwig. both Republicans

Walnut Albert Township, no filings

Walnut Olmitz Township, no filings

Wheatland Township, Tim Maier, Republican

State candidates

United States Senate

Mike Andra, Democrat

Paul Buskirk, Democrat

Robert Klingenberg, Democrat

Michael Soetaert, Democrat

Joan Farr, Republican

Jerry Moran, Republican

United States House of Representatives 1

James "Jimmy" Beard, Democrat

Tracey Mann, Republican

Governor/Lt. governor

Richard S Karnowski/Barry J. Franco, Democrat

Laura Kelly/David Toland, Democrat

Arlyn Briggs/Lance Berland, Republican

Derek Schmidt/ Katie Sawyer, Republican

Secretary of state

Jeanna Repass, Democrat

Mike Brown, Republican

Scott Schwab, Republican

Attorney general

Chris Mann, Democrat

Kris Kobach, Republican

Tony Mattivi, Republican

Kellie Warren, Republican

State treasurer

Lynn W Rogers, Democrat

Steven Johnson, Republican

Caryn Tyson, Republican

Commissioner of insurance

Kiel Corkran, Democrat

Vicki Schmidt, Republican

Kansas House of Representatives 112

Tory Marie Blew, Republican

Kansas House of Representatives 113

Jo Ann Roth, Democrat

Brett Fairchild, Republican

Bob Rein, Republican

State Board of Education 7

Dennis Hershberger, Republican

Ben Jones, Republican

District Court Judge 20

Carey Hipp, Republican