Saline County voters will head to the polls Tuesday, August 4, to select party nominees for offices ranging from the Saline County Commission to governor and the United States Senate.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters should confirm their assigned polling location before Election Day because ballots and voting locations vary by residential address. Kansas law requires voters casting ballots in person to present an accepted form of photographic identification.

The election is a partisan primary, meaning Democratic and Republican voters will receive ballots containing candidates from their respective parties. Unaffiliated voters may choose to affiliate with either major party through the close of polls and vote that party’s ballot. Unaffiliated voters who do not join a party may still vote on the statewide constitutional amendment.

Saline County Commission Races

Three of the five seats on the Saline County Commission are included in the 2026 election cycle.

In County Commission District 1, three Republicans are seeking the nomination:

-James Ravenkamp

-Tom Arpke

-Sharon Callabresi

Arpke currently represents District 1 after being selected to fill the vacancy created by former Commissioner Monte Shadwick’s resignation. District 1 includes Salina precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 12, along with the Cambria, Dayton and Elm Creek townships.

In County Commission District 5, incumbent Joe Hay Jr. faces Republican challenger Wayne Norman. District 5 includes Salina precincts 5, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 31, along with the Glendale, Ohio, Pleasant Valley, Smoky Hill and Spring Creek townships.

Lori Blake is the only Republican listed for County Commission District 4. No Democratic candidates are listed in the county’s official June 1 filing report for the three commission districts appearing in this election. The deadline for independent candidates to file is noon Monday, August 3.

County commissioners serve four-year terms and oversee the county budget, contracts, policies, resolutions and regulations. Each of the five commissioners represents a separate district.

District 71 Republican Primary

The Republican primary for Kansas House District 71 features incumbent Rep. Steven Howe and challenger Jay Vanier.

Howe has represented the district since 2021. The winner will advance to the November general election, where Democrat Jerry Lonergan is currently the only Democratic candidate listed for the seat.

District 71 includes portions of Salina and rural areas east and northeast of the city.

District 69 Democratic Primary

Two Democrats are competing for the nomination in Kansas House District 69:

-Miranda Bachman

-Meagan Rico

Republican Rep. Clarke Sanders is the only Republican listed for the District 69 seat. The Democratic primary winner is expected to face Sanders in November.

District 69 includes portions of Salina and several communities and rural areas in southern and western Saline County.

District 107 Republican Primary

Republicans Dawn Wolf and Jordan Budreau are seeking their party’s nomination for Kansas House District 107.

Cheri Koochel is the only Democrat listed for that district. District 107 includes portions of western and northwestern Saline County along with areas outside the county.

Because legislative boundaries divide Saline County among House Districts 69, 71 and 107, voters will see only the race assigned to their home address.

Other State and Federal Races

Saline County ballots also include party primaries for several state and federal offices.

Those include:

United States Senate,  Kansas First Congressional District,  Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Kansas Secretary of State,

Attorney General,

State Treasurer,

Commissioner of Insurance,

State Board of Education District 7,  Kansas Senate District 24 unexpired term

The Republican First Congressional District primary includes incumbent Rep. Tracey Mann and Craig Musser. Democrats Lauren Reinhold and Colin McRoberts are seeking their party’s nomination for the same seat.

The United States Senate and governor races include multiple candidates on the Democratic and Republican ballots. The nominees selected Tuesday will advance to the November 3 general election.

Constitutional Amendment Open to All Voters

Every eligible Saline County voter may cast a ballot on a proposed amendment concerning how Kansas Supreme Court justices are selected.

A yes vote would end the current nominating-commission and retention-election system. Supreme Court justices would instead be chosen through statewide elections for six-year terms, beginning with three court positions in 2028. The existing Supreme Court Nominating Commission would be abolished.

A no vote would preserve the current system. Under that process, the nominating commission provides the governor with three candidates for a vacancy. The governor selects one, and the justice later appears on the ballot in a retention election without an opposing candidate.

The amendment appears on the primary ballot regardless of whether a voter is registered as a Republican, Democrat or unaffiliated voter.

Final Advance-Voting Opportunity

Saline County’s final in-person advance-voting period will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Monday, August 3, at the Salina City-County Building, 300 W. Ash St.

Advance mail ballots may also be returned through the ballot drop box at the City-County Building.

Because litigation has created uncertainty over the legal deadline for mailed ballots, Saline County is urging voters to return their ballots by the close of polls at 7 p.m. Tuesday to ensure they are counted.

Voters can check their registration, view a sample ballot, and locate their polling place through the Kansas VoterView system. Questions may also be directed to the Saline County Election Office at 785-309-5820.

Unofficial results are expected after polls close Tuesday evening. The winning party nominees will move forward to the November 3 general election.