Johnson County, KS – With incumbent Republican Scott Schwab running for governor, Kansas voters will select a new secretary of state this November. Three candidates have emerged with distinct backgrounds and platforms that reflect the state’s focus on election integrity, economic growth, and constitutional clarity.
Mike Proctor – Republican Representative from Leavenworth
Rep. Mike Proctor (R‑Leavenworth) has served in the Kansas House since 2020 and chairs the House Elections Committee. He has championed legislation aimed at tightening election security, including a bill that would end the three‑day grace period for mail‑in ballots, requiring all ballots to be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day. A federal court has temporarily blocked that change, reinstating the grace period.
Proctor’s military service spans three decades (1989‑2019) with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He holds a doctorate in history from Kansas State University and three master’s degrees related to homeland security, and he teaches homeland security at Wichita State University. His family operates Baan Thai Restaurant in Leavenworth and Manhattan.
On his campaign website, Proctor lists “restoring confidence in our elections” and “growing our economy” as top priorities. He backs a constitutional amendment that would revise Kansas’s voting language from “every citizen” to “only citizens,” clarifying that only legal citizens may vote. General counsel Clay Barker, from the current secretary of state’s office, says the amendment would prevent challenges based on wording.
Proctor has warned that “nefarious foreign and domestic actors” seek to influence Kansas elections. In a recorded interview, he claimed that Democrat‑funded groups pressured voters ahead of the 2022 abortion‑access referendum, citing “20 to 30‑year‑old women who you never saw at the polls before.” He later said the video clips were edited and that the real issue was “ballot‑harvesting organizations.”
Day – Democratic Former State Representative
Former Rep. Day (D‑Johnson County) was appointed to the Kansas House in 2020, won a narrow re‑election by 62 votes, and resigned in 2021 after moving out of the district. During her brief tenure, she sponsored legislation to end the state death penalty and to prohibit carrying a concealed handgun in the Statehouse.
Day has lived in Overland Park for 25 years, volunteered as an election worker, and served as vice president of the Johnson County League of Women Voters, an organization that frequently challenges Kansas voting laws. Her platform emphasizes voter education, secure yet accessible elections, and stronger service to Kansas businesses. She supports reinstating the three‑day grace period for mail‑in ballots and extending advance‑voting windows.
Day’s campaign refuted a claim that she supports illegal immigrants voting in Kansas elections, stating she opposes any non‑citizen voting in state contests.
Jeff Morgan – Republican Attorney and Former Candidate
Jeff Morgan (R) previously sought the 2014 Republican nomination for secretary of state and has run unsuccessfully for U.S. Congress and the state Senate. He has served as chief counsel for former Sen. Bob Dole’s 1988 presidential campaign and worked for former Gov. Mike Hayden, who endorsed Morgan’s current bid.
Morgan served two terms on the Lawrence school board and co‑founded the Free State Party, which merged with the United Kansas Party in April 2026. He now serves as executive director of United Kansas, a minor party aiming to give voters an alternative to the major parties.
His platform opposes adding proof‑of‑citizenship requirements for voter registration, expresses caution about the federal SAVE Act mandates, and supports both advance and mail voting, including reinstating the three‑day grace period.
What Voters Should Know
The secretary of state oversees Kansas elections, business filings, and a range of administrative functions. Candidates differ on how to balance election security with voter access, how to support Kansas businesses, and whether to amend the state constitution’s voting language.
Voters can review each candidate’s filing statements on the Kansas Secretary of State website and attend upcoming candidate forums in Johnson County and across the state. Early voting begins in early October, and the primary election is scheduled for August 4, 2026.
Original reporting: Johnson County Post (Overland Park) — read the source article.
