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Election Bill Moves Forward

By Joel Hardy

02/24/2015

State Sen. Dennis Pyle

(KAIR)--A Kansas Senate bill that would move city and school board elections to fall of even numbered years, as well as change them from non-partisan to partisan, has moved forward in the legislative process.

Senate bill 171 passed out of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections on Friday, but not before being amended.

According to Republican Senator Dennis Pyle, the amendment was proposed by Senator Susan Wagle of Wichita. He says “she made an amendment that divided it and put the local spring elections on the fall of odd numbered years, so the spring elections are moved to the odd numbered years in November....and basically, then the regular fall elections on even numbered years would remain the same. That way, the spring elections will still remain non-partisan.”

Pyle adds that he thinks the amendment was a compromise, and the change may have alleviated concerns some had over the partisan aspect of the bill. He says that “most of the entities that I am hearing from now that were opposed to the bill are saying they have a lot less anxiety over the bill because it is still keeping them non-partisan.” He says this was a big concern for some who serve on local boards in his district because they are federally employed and are not permitted to run in a partisan election.