Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab announced Wednesday that six legislative contests across the state will undergo close‑race audits following the November 5 midterm elections. All six races were within a 1% margin after the unofficial final count, triggering the statutory requirement under KS 25‑3009 for a detailed review.
What the audit entails
The audit will involve a hand count of ballots in 10% of precincts within each county for the contested races, in addition to the routine post‑election audit that checks one precinct per county. County election officials will compare the hand‑counted totals with the numbers produced by the voting tabulators – the machines that tally paper ballots – to verify that the results match.
Johnson County races under review
Two of the six audited contests are in Johnson County. House District 27, covering parts of southern Leawood and Oveland Park, saw Republican incumbent Rep. Sean Tarwater trail Democrat Sara Kiewiet by 41 votes in the unofficial count. After a Wednesday update, Kiewiet’s lead widened slightly to 42 votes. In a statement to the Johnson County Post, Kiewiet said she was “cautiously optimistic” about maintaining her lead and praised the district’s 69.5% turnout, noting that 13,685 of 19,710 registered voters cast ballots.
Tarwater had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
House District 117, which spans Johnson and Douglas counties and includes portions of De Soto, Lenexa, Olathe and Shawnee, is also being audited. Democrat Brandon Holland currently leads Republican Rep. Adam Turk by 134 votes, with totals of 6,601 to 6,467 according to the latest figures from the Secretary of State’s office.
Other close contests in Kansas
The statewide audit list also includes the governor’s race, where Democratic nominee Cindy Holscher holds a narrow lead over Republican Ty Masterson, and the Secretary of State race, where Republican Pat Proctor leads Democrat Jennifer Day by just over 10,000 votes after Wednesday’s update. Both candidates emphasized the importance of patience and confidence in the audit process.
In the Attorney General contest, Democrat Chris Mann’s lead over incumbent Republican Kris Kobach grew slightly to nearly 12,200 votes out of more than one million cast.
Why the audits matter
Schwab stressed that the audits are a safeguard for Kansas voters, ensuring that every eligible ballot is counted accurately. “This is about the integrity of our elections and making sure every Kansan has a voice,” said Democratic candidate Jennifer Day, echoing the sentiment shared by officials on both sides of the partisan divide.
Local observers note that the close margins reflect robust voter engagement in Johnson County, where turnout rates exceeded the state average. The hand‑count audits will provide additional transparency and confidence in the final outcomes for these tightly contested races.
Original reporting: Johnson County Post (Overland Park) — read the source article.
