Early voting is underway in Johnson County, and the Nov. 3 election will decide everything from Kansas’ next governor to who represents Olathe in Washington and Topeka. Voters will also decide a constitutional amendment and whether several judges should remain on the bench.
If you haven’t looked at your ballot yet, you might be surprised by how many decisions await you in the Nov. 3 general election.
Olathe voters will help choose a governor, a U.S. senator, a member of Congress, state lawmakers and Johnson County officials. They’ll also encounter a proposed constitutional amendment involving citizenship requirements for voting, along with a lengthy section asking whether judges should keep their jobs.
Early voting began Saturday, Oct. 17, with two locations in Olathe and additional voting centers throughout Johnson County.
Here’s what residents should know before heading to the polls.
Kansas governor: An Olathe candidate is on the ballot
One of the highest-profile races is for Kansas governor, with Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher of Olathe facing Republican Senate President Ty Masterson of Andover.
Holscher’s running mate is KC Ohaebosim, while Masterson is running with Jeffrey Klemp.
The winner will succeed Gov. Laura Kelly, who cannot seek another consecutive term.
The race will determine who leads Kansas for the next four years, with decisions ahead involving state spending, education funding, economic development and other issues affecting Olathe residents.
Congress: Who will represent Olathe in Washington?
Kansas voters will also select a U.S. senator.
Republican incumbent Roger Marshall faces Democrat Adam Hamilton and Libertarian David C. Graham.
In the 3rd Congressional District, which includes Olathe, Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids is seeking another term against Republican Eric Jenkins and Libertarian Steven A. Hohe.
Members of the U.S. House serve two-year terms, while U.S. senators serve six years.
State lawmakers: Your address determines the race
Several Kansas House districts include portions of Olathe, and the candidates appearing on your ballot depend on where you live.
For example, Republican Charlotte Esau faces Democrat Sherry Giebler in House District 14. In District 15, Republican Lauren Bohi faces Democrat Allison Hougland.
Other legislative districts covering portions of the Olathe area have their own candidates.
Because district boundaries divide the city, voters should check their individual sample ballot rather than assume that a candidate who lives in Olathe represents their neighborhood.
Johnson County government: Local decisions with local consequences
Johnson County Commission races also appear on the ballot.
The race for county commission chair pits incumbent Mike Kelly against Olathe resident Karen Crnkovich.
In County Commission District 5, incumbent Michael Ashcraft faces Greg Mitchell. Both candidates are from Olathe.
The county commission makes decisions involving county services, budgets, public health, transportation infrastructure and other matters affecting residents.
Not every Olathe voter will have the same district commissioner race, but the countywide chair election appears throughout Johnson County.
A constitutional amendment about who can vote
One question on the ballot asks whether Kansas should change the wording of its constitution to explicitly state that a person must be a U.S. citizen to qualify to vote.
Noncitizens are already prohibited from voting in Kansas elections.
Supporters say the amendment would eliminate uncertainty in the constitutional language, particularly concerning the possibility of noncitizen voting in local elections.
Opponents say the change is unnecessary because existing Kansas law already requires citizenship.
A YES vote would approve the proposed wording. A NO vote would leave the existing constitutional language unchanged.
What about all those judges?
Voters will also see judicial retention questions.
Unlike traditional elections, these questions don’t pit one candidate against another. Instead, voters are asked whether an existing judge should remain in office.
A YES vote supports retaining that judge for another term. A NO vote opposes retention.
The questions include judges serving on the Kansas Supreme Court, Kansas Court of Appeals and the 10th Judicial District, which serves Johnson County.
Because judicial candidates generally aren’t campaigning in the same way as candidates for political office, many voters may be unfamiliar with the names.
Background information on judicial experience and professional evaluations is available through the Kansas and Johnson County bar associations.
Where can you vote early in Olathe?
Olathe has two early voting locations for the Nov. 3 election:
Johnson County Election Office
2101 E. Kansas City Road, Olathe
Olathe Indian Creek Library
16100 W. 135th St., Olathe
Registered Johnson County voters may use any of the county’s early voting locations, regardless of where they live.
The schedule is:
- Saturday, Oct. 17: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Oct. 19–24: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Oct. 26–31: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Monday, Nov. 2: 8 a.m. to noon
Voters must bring an acceptable form of photo identification.
What if you want to vote by mail?
Kansas voters can request an advance ballot by mail without providing a reason.
The Johnson County Election Office must receive completed mail-ballot applications by Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Because a legal dispute has created uncertainty over the deadline for returning mailed ballots, election officials are urging voters to make sure their ballots arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Completed ballots can also be returned to authorized ballot drop boxes or voting locations.
How can you see your actual ballot?
Perhaps the most useful step is to look at your own ballot before voting.
Kansas offers an online service called VoterView that allows registered voters to check their registration information, find their assigned Election Day polling location and view a sample ballot.
Visit VoteKansas.gov and select VoterView.
You can review the candidates and questions that apply specifically to your address before arriving at the polls.
The deadline to register for the Nov. 3 election was Oct. 13, but registered voters can still verify their information online.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
For more information about advance voting, mail ballots and polling locations, visit JoCoElection.org or call the Johnson County Election Office at 913-715-6800.
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