The ballots are now set for the 2025 election cycle and no primary will be needed according to Lyon County Election Officer Amie Jones.
Following the passing of the candidate filing and withdrawal deadline at noon Monday the following ballots are now set in stone. For the Emporia City Commission race, candidates include incumbent Tyler Curtis and hopefuls Monica Duncan, Tammi Ogle, Aaron Larson, Denise Gilligan, Don Loux, Kurt Steinkuhler and Travis Hitt who filed just before the deadline.
KVOE News reached out to Hitt for comment on his filing.
Not on the ballot this year is Emporia City Commissioner Jamie Sauder. He tells KVOE News his service on the commission “has been an incredible honor,” but it has also taken a toll on him away from his work on the board.
Sauder says Emporia “deserves bold, forward-thinking leadership that isn’t afraid to take on difficult work,” and he says the City Commission has done that with the recent push to reconfigure the Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas, expanding the board membership and adding voting status for Emporia Main Street, Emporia State University and Flint Hills Technical College. He says more work overall is needed on economic development.
Sauder joins Susan Brinkman as incumbents not seeking re-election.
While the general election is not until November, one local board is already guaranteed a new member as former educator Barb Fowler will be taking the seat currently held by Jennifer Thomas. Thomas did not file for re-election after just one term on the board.
When speaking with KVOE News she stated she has enjoyed her time on the board, however, she feels four years was long enough for her.
Retaining their seats on the board will be incumbents Jami Reever and Lillian Lingenfelter who are both running unnopposed.
With the filing deadline now passed, the next major date for local voters to keep in mind will be October 14 which is the voter registration deadline. The general election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4.
Additional races for the coming election:
City Council and Mayor:
Admire
OPEN
3 Write in Lines
Allen
Cathy Jo Jackson (Incumbent)
Roger Floyd (Incumbent)
Americus
Mayor: Dustin Wright
Coty Council
Dan Gerleman
Britney Hinrichs (Incumbent
Bushong
Mayor: Frederick “Bud” W. Fechter IV
City Council:
Vicki Jackson
Christina Atchison
Hartford:
Position 2: Taylor Jackson and Shawn Metcalfe
Position 4: Heather N Schultz
Neosho Rapids:
Mayor: Julia Buckridge
City Council:
Amy Sull (Incumbent)
Olpe:
City Council:
Justin M. Steinlage, Carissa Wigton, Rick Jones (Incumbent), Barbara Haag and Marie Hammond
Reading:
Mayor: Kevin Sorensen
City Council:
Heather Jones (Incumbent) and Mary Ann Newton (Incumbent)
School Board
USD 252 Southern Lyon County Board of Education:
Position 2: Ryan Gasche (Incumbent) and Michael Dieker
Position 3: Melissa Carson (Incumbent)
Position 6: Greg Markowitz
USD 251 Northern Lyon County Board of Education:
District 1, Position 4: Perry Petersen (Incumbent)
District 2, Position 5: Josh Hamlin (Incumbent)
District 3, Position 6: Rusty Heins (Incumbent) and Lisa Preisner
12:03 pm: Sauder decides against re-election to Emporia City Commission
A second Emporia city commissioner will not seek re-election.
Commissioner Jamie Sauder made his decision public Monday morning, saying his service on the commission “has been an incredible honor.” He says Emporia “deserves bold, forward-thinking leadership that isn’t afraid to take on difficult work.” Having said that, he also says this is the right time to leave the commission as the “intensity of this role” has affected both his business and personal life.
Sauder says Emporia “deserves bold, forward-thinking leadership that isn’t afraid to take on difficult work,” and he says the City Commission has done that with the recent push to reconfigure the Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas, expanding the board membership and adding voting status for Emporia Main Street, Emporia State University and Flint Hills Technical College. He says more work overall is needed on economic development.
Sauder joins Susan Brinkman as incumbents not seeking re-election. Incumbent Tyler Curtis is on the ballot, along with six potential newcomers — Monica Duncan, Denise Gilligan, Aaron Larson, Donald Loux, Tammi Ogle and Kurt Steinkuhler.
Statement from Jamie Sauder
To the Residents of Emporia,
After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided not to seek re-election for City Commission this fall.
Serving the past four years has been an incredible honor. When I stepped into this role, it was with a clear purpose: to move the needle on economic development and to address the critical housing shortage in our community. These issues have long been talked about, but rarely tackled head-on. I believed then—and still believe now—that Emporia deserves bold, forward-thinking leadership that isn’t afraid to take on difficult work.
During my time on the commission, I’ve worked to bring real solutions to the table, particularly around expanding housing options and advocating for economic growth. I’ve also pushed for greater accountability and transparency from organizations that receive significant taxpayer funding. These efforts haven’t always been easy—or popular—but they’ve been necessary.
I want to be clear: the challenges we’ve faced aren’t new. They’ve been ignored, postponed, or swept aside for too long because addressing them requires courage, collaboration, and sometimes conflict. The work we’ve done has sparked conversations that needed to happen, and I’m proud of the progress we’ve made.
But that work has come at a personal cost. The intensity of this role has impacted both my business and personal life. While I don’t regret a single moment of service, I recognize that now is the right time for me to step back.
I remain deeply committed to Emporia and believe our best days are ahead. But that will only be true if future commissions continue the work of challenging the status quo, holding institutions accountable, and prioritizing the real needs of our community—especially around housing and sustainable economic development.
To the many people who have supported and worked alongside me: thank you. Your belief in a better, stronger Emporia kept me going even on the hard days. To those who step forward to lead next: I urge you to stay focused, stay brave, and stay committed to meaningful progress.
With gratitude,
Jamie Sauder
