The 2021 ballot is now set after the candidate filing and withdrawal deadline passed at noon Tuesday.
Emporia City Commission incumbent Danny Giefer has filed for re-election.
Going for his third term in office, Giefer tells KVOE News he brings a nonpartisan viewpoint to the board.
Giefer says the city is headed in a good direction but still has a number of notable items to address, including increasing the available housing stock, adding jobs and improving infrastructure. He says the city is poised to see several important economic developments, including a possibility of new businesses at the Emporia Pavilions, a second travel plaza, Evergy’s new service center and Fanestil Meats’ move out of the Cottonwood River floodplain.
Giefer’s filing came shortly before the filing and withdrawal deadline for this election cycle. Fellow incumbent Susan Brinkman is also on the ballot, while incumbent Jon Geitz announced in March he would not seek a third term.
Several other candidates are on the Emporia City Commission ballot, including Simmons Human Resources staffer William Garner, Guardian Construction owner Jermy Hinkle, entrepreneur Travis Hitt and Coldwell Banker Emporia Real Estate co-owner Jamie Sauder.
Cactus technology specialist Todd Maddox announced his candidacy two weeks ago, however, he withdrew his candidacy just before the withdrawal deadline. KVOE News contacted Maddox who declined to comment on his decision.
For USD 253 Emporia Board of Education, incumbent Mike Crouch has filed for re-election. So have Newman Regional Health Dr. Christina Faulkner, Marion County educator Lillian Lingenfelter, Emporia Church of the Nazarene Pastor Paul Meinke, Kansas Appleseed Director Jami Reever and Emporia State professor Dr. Jennifer Thomas.
There will be at least two new faces on the board after the general election as incumbents Melissa Ogleby and Doug Epp both chose not to refile.
Ogleby has served on the board for the past four years and says she felt it was time to let someone else take the lead. She says in her time on the board, the district has made tremendous progress and there were a number of accomplishments she was proud to be a part of.
Epp says he chose not to seek another term on the board as he and his wife are planning to travel more frequently and spend more time with family in the near future. Epp says he is excited for the future of the district, especially with so many schools undergoing educational redesign at this time.
Elsewhere in the area:
*Fiona Lee withdrew from the USD 251 District 2 Position 5 race.
*Appointments will be needed for the Reading Mayor and all three Admire City Council positions as no candidates filed for election.
There will be no primary election held in August. The general election is set for Nov. 4.
