A bill that cleans up language for Kansas counties looking to expand their county commissions has unanimously cleared both legislative chambers and now heads to Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk for a final signature.
After Pottawatomie County voters approved expansion in 2022, it became apparent that wouldn’t happen right away after the county’s legal team learned state statute wouldn’t allow that to occur until the next county election cycle in 2024, almost two years later. County elections are traditionally held in even-numbered years in Kansas.
“We’ve clarified that general elections occur every fall and since we’re having fall elections that gives us an opportunity in those odd-numbered years, to speed up that process,” said 51st District State. Rep. Kenny Titus.
House Bill 2661 also eliminates the role of the governor in determining how and when counties can expand their boards, a piece leftover from statute nearly a decade ago, when municipal elections were shifted from the spring to the fall.
“Oftentimes that was just a ceremonial role where the governor would defer to whatever the county commission wanted to do. It made sense to remove that,” he said.
Gov. Kelly is expected to sign the bill into law.
Pottawatomie County has four commission seats on the ballot this fall. The two candidates elected in the newly formed 4th and 5th districts will serve a two-year term. Those two seats will then be back on the ballot in 2026, along with the 1st district seat, for a full four-year term.
