All Emporia City Commission and USD 253 Emporia Board of Education incumbents are now on the 2023 ballot.
Friday, Emporia City Commissioner Jamie Sauder and USD 253 Emporia Board of Education members Grant Riles, Leslie Seeley and Art Gutierrez filed their paperwork with the Lyon County Clerk’s Office. Sauder is currently in his first term on the commission after filling the seat previously held by longtime commissioner Jon Geitz back in December of 2021.
Sauder says there is a laundry list of reasons as to why he chose to seek re-election, first and foremost his love for Emporia.
Sauder is the third and final incumbent to file for the Emporia City Commission following Becky Smith last month and Erren Harter earlier this week.
Meanwhile, Riles, Seeley and Gutierrez now join fellow incumbent Jeremy Dorsey in seeking another term on the board of education after Dorsey filed back in February. If re-elected this would be the second term for both Dorsey and Seeley who were elected to the school board back in 2019.
Seeley currently serves as the president of USD 253 and says her first term was a “roller coaster ride” to say the least.
Seeley adds she looks forward to the opportunity to continue advocating for educators and helping push the district forward if re-elected. Gutierrez was first elected to the board back in 2015 and is seeking his third term this year. Riles is the longest-tenured member of the current USD 253 Board of Education having served for over a decade plus.
KVOE has reached out to Riles and Gutierrez for comment.
Thus far, no newcomers have filed for either USD 253 Emporia Board of Education or Emporia City Commission. The candidate filing and withdrawal deadline is noon June 1 and if enough candidates file there will be a primary election held August 1.
Mayor, city council and school board positions are all on the ballot this year.
