From abortion to the Senate, 7 races to watch on Election Day in the Kansas City area
On Tuesday, Kansas voters will have the chance to cast a primary ballot for the governor and other statewide offices, congressional representatives to send to Washington, D.C. and state representatives to serve in Topeka.
And all Kansas voters—regardless of party affiliation—will also vote on a proposed constitutional amendment that would remove the state-level right to abortion.
Missouri voters will have the chance to cast a primary ballot for representatives in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House in Washington, D.C., and in the Missouri State Senate and House of Representatives in Jefferson City.
Polls will be open in Missouri from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and in Kansas from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early voting has already started in Kansas. Missouri does not offer early voting.
You can check your voter registration and find your polling place through your secretary of state’s office.
A lot is on the line for Kansas City area residents on both sides of the state line, and at The Star we believe that our democracy is stronger when more people have the information they need to participate in and shape it.
We want to make it as easy as possible for you to decide who is most likely to make choices you believe will best serve you and your community.
This is our guide to the biggest races this Election Day:
Kansas constitutional amendment on abortion
The Kansas state constitution currently protects the right to abortion, but voters will be asked Tuesday to decide on an amendment that would get rid of those protections.
This right to abortion was the outcome of a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court ruling. The proposed amendment is an attempt to have voters in effect overturn that ruling.
If Kansans vote yes on the ballot and the amendment passes, the legislature could impose new restrictions on abortion, which could include banning the procedure. A ban would not go in place immediately, but legislators would be able to pass one.
Earlier this year, a far-right state legislator introduced a bill that would have banned and criminalized nearly all abortions, but it never got a hearing and died once the legislative session closed in May.
If Kansans vote no and the amendment does not pass, the legislature would continue to be barred from passing most legislation that impedes on an individual’s access to abortion. Any new abortion restrictions would need to clear an extremely high level of “strict scrutiny” from the court to become law, as they do now.
Current abortion restrictions could be challenged in court, but any actual changes to the current restrictions would depend on Kansas courts ruling that the regulation in question violates the state’s constitution.
All registered voters can participate in the vote, regardless of party affiliation.
Missouri Senate primaries
Senators create and vote on bills that can become federal laws if also passed through the House of Representatives and signed by the president.
Senators also hold hearings on different issues, confirm people the president appoints to certain positions in the federal government and try impeachment cases for federal officials. Each state gets two senators that serve six-year terms in Congress in Washington.
Missouri’s current senators are Republican Sen. Josh Hawley and Republican Sen. Roy Blunt. Blunt is retiring, so his seat is open this year.
The three candidates leading the Republican field to fill that seat are former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler.
U.S. Rep. Billy Long, St. Louis attorney Mark McCloskey and state Sen. Dave Schatz are all vying to remain in contention.
Greitens faces allegations of child abuse from his ex-wife that threaten to cost Republicans a safe Senate seat if he wins the nomination. He stepped down as governor in 2018 following claims that he blackmailed a woman to keep her quiet about an extramarital affair.
On the Democratic side, the race is largely between philanthropist Trudy Busch Valentine and former Marine Lucas Kunce. Spencer Toder, a St. Louis area real estate agent, is also trying to remain in the conversation.
Kansas governor
The governor is the state’s chief executive and is responsible for carrying out state laws, administering the executive budget and overseeing and appointing the heads of state agencies.
The governor can sign bills into state law or can veto a bill and send it back to the Legislature. Governors serve four-year terms.
Democrat Laura Kelly is the current governor, and she is running for re-election. In the primary, she faces off against opposing Democratic candidate Richard S. Karnowski.
Kelly’s likely November GOP opponent will be Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt. He faces an opponent Tuesday in Republican Arlyn Briggs.
Kansas Attorney General
The attorney general is responsible for enforcing Kansas’ laws and is the state’s top lawyer, bringing and defending lawsuits on behalf of the state and issuing legal opinions. The office also defends consumers from fraud.
The attorney general serves a four-year term. The position is currently held by Schmidt, a Republican who is now running for governor.
Three Republican candidates will face off in the primary for a chance to replace Schmidt: former federal prosecutor Tony Mattivi, Leawood state Sen. Kellie Warrenand former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach.
Tuesday marks Kobach’s latest comeback attempt after losing bids for governor and U.S. Senate.
His aim of becoming the state’s top law enforcement official has drawn scrutiny of his checkered record as an attorney, which includes being held in contempt by a federal judge and serving as counsel to a non-profit whose leaders are charged with fraud.
U.S. House - Kansas 3rd District
Representatives create and vote on bills that can become federal laws if also passed through the Senate and signed by the president, and serve on committees.
The House of Representatives is the chamber of Congress that first introduces spending bills and can impeach federal officials.
The representatives for the state of Kansas serve the people of their district in Congress in Washington, D.C. for two year terms. Kansas has four U.S. representatives.
Rep. Sharice Davids, a Democrat, currently holds this seat, which includes Johnson County, Miami County, Anderson County, Franklin County and part of Wyandotte County. The district is bounded by new lines after redistricting in 2020.
Two Republicans will compete in the primary Tuesday to challenge Davids. Amanda Adkins, a former Cerner executive who unsuccessfully ran for the seat two years ago, will face John McCaughrean.
U.S. House - Missouri 4th District
The Republican primary to succeed Rep. Vicky Hartzler in the U.S. House is crowded.
It includes state Sen. Rick Brattin, cattle farmer Kalena Bruce, former FOX4 anchor Mark Alford, former Boone County Clerk Taylor Burks, former St. Louis Blues player Jim Campbell, retired police officer William Irwin and entrepreneur Kyle LaBrue.
Missouri’s 4th District stretches from the Kansas City metropolitan area to the central part of the state.
The competing candidates have made appeals to the district’s large farming base and other key constituencies, like anti-abortion advocates, but the military vote could be key in deciding the primary.
Missouri auditor
Missouri primary voters will decide between two Republicans who are competing to succeed state Auditor Nicole Galloway — Missouri’s lone Democratic statewide officeholder, who is not running for reelection.
Republican state Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick, who was appointed by Gov. Mike Parson in 2018 before winning election in 2020, is running against state Rep. David Gregory, a St. Louis Republican, in the Aug. 2 GOP primary.
With Galloway announcing last year that she will not seek reelection after her unsuccessful run for governor, the upcoming state auditor race represents an opening for Republicans to take back the position that Democrats have held since 2015.
The Republican nominee will face former state Rep. Alan Green, who is the only Democrat in the race.
Star reporters Katie Bernard, Jonathan Shorman, Kacen Bayless, Daniel Desrochers, Kynala Phillips, Natalie Wallington and Joseph Hernandez contributed to this report.
