Pottawatomie County will be expanding its board of county commissioners from three to five seats in the next general election, but getting to this point has been anything but simple.
Voters approved expansion in November 2022, and many presumed expansion would occur during the next election cycle in 2023. However, complexities within state statute prompted delays, pushing back expansion until November 2024, when county commissioners are typically up for election. This created a potential violation of state law, which currently requires counties to have no more than a simple majority of its commissioners on the ballot during an election cycle.
State Rep. Kenny Titus was one of three area lawmakers who backed legislation to correct the issue.
Joining Titus in supporting House Bill 2661 was Rep. Francis Awerkamp, of St. Marys, and Sen. Kristen O’Shea, of Topeka.
Pottawatomie County proceeded under the guise of existing law and drew up five new districts and sought direction from Gov. Laura Kelly for when expansion would take place. She directed the expansion would take place during the 2024 election cycle, rather than having to hold a special election.
Titus says the new bill also eliminates the need for costly special elections when filling a newly created county commission seat.
The bill would also strip the governor’s authority to declare when a county commission election was held and staggers terms of commissioners to avoid conflict with state law forbidding election of more than a simple majority of commissioners in any general election.
Many of the state’s county governing boards are represented by three commissioners. Both Pottawatomie and Douglas counties are expanding to five in the upcoming election, with the two newly elected commissioners taking their oaths in January.
Candidates who have filed as of Friday, include:
District 2: Nancy McCarter, of Wamego
District 3: Bill Drew, of St. Marys; Greg Riat, of Belvue
*District 4: Michel Kerwood, of Wamego; Hans Tessmann, of St. George; Gary Yenzer, of St. George
*District 5: Armon Bosse Jr., of Onaga
* – denoted new county commission district in 2025
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