Voters have just a few more days to cast a ballot in the Aug. 6 primary election.
So far, 187 voters have cast ballots in person at the Allen County Courthouse. Clerk Shannon Patterson said that number seems to be a little lower than previous elections but this is also a primary election with few contested offices. The general election is likely to draw significant interest, as it features a presidential election.
Voters can vote early in person at the courthouse until noon Monday, or can vote by mail. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot has passed, and such ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday to count. The clerk’s office will accept mail-in ballots through Friday after the election, as long as they were postmarked by Tuesday.
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday (see polling locations at the end of this article). Check The Register’s social media accounts or the county’s website, allencounty.org, Tuesday evening for results.
The general election is Nov. 5.
ALLEN COUNTY voters have choices to make in just two local races, both on the Republican side of the ballot: sheriff and county commission.
Local voters also will select their choice to compete in the general election in the 2nd Congressional District. Republicans have several candidates to pick from; Democrats have two options. At the state level, the 12th District Senate seat offers two Republicans.
Here is a summary of contested races:
Sheriff
Republican candidates are incumbent Sheriff Bryan Murphy and challenger Anthony Maness. The winner is likely to take the office as no Democrat or other challenger has announced plans to run.
Murphy has worked in law enforcement for 32 years, with about 20 in Allen County. He was elected sheriff in 2012 and successfully defended his seat in several elections since then.
Maness has worked in law enforcement for 25 years, including under Murphy for a significant portion of that time. He also worked for the Iola Police Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and currently teaches at Allen Community College as its Criminal Justice Studies program coordinator.
Murphy defended his record at a candidate forum in June, citing his experience in handling challenging situations such as former deputies who were charged with crimes, along with everyday duties such as managing the budget and communicating with the public, the media and other government or law enforcement agencies. He also spoke about the need to access and understand mental health, both for his staff and for those they encounter while performing their duties. Murphy touted his long record of investing in new technology.
Maness talked about improving accountability, citing his concerns include a lack of communication between the sheriff’s office and state law enforcement agencies, local officials and the public. He also wants to see improved training and leadership opportunities for officers along with more community engagement.
County Commission District No. 3
