August 3 election - my friends
The Sharp Record – July 2010, Part Deux. Since many of you have asked, I thought it might be helpful to provide some guidance on who my friends are that are running for election on AUGUST 3. Many of them are listed in this week’s Sun article: http://www.sunpublications.com/201007144602/steve-rose-memo-archives/predictions-for-the-upcoming-primary.html
- You can vote NOW! Visit www.jocoelection.org for polling locations and to see your exact ballot – do your research and make Kansas even better!
- Remember – Bad elected officials are elected by good people who don’t vote!
U.S. Senate
The ONLY reason I’m listing this race ahead of Jill Quigley’s is because if you don’t vote for any other race (besides Jill’s) this year, I hope you will turn out for this race. It is a SIX year term, so you’d better darn well like who’s elected, and if you don’t vote, well, you know what I say – bad elected officials are elected by good people who don’t vote!
- To be very honest, Rep. Jerry Moran (www.jerrymoran.house.gov and www.moranforkansas.com) and Rep. Todd Tiahrt have almost identical voting records. The only thing I can say is that growing up in western Kansas, I feel like I’ve known Jerry for as long as I can remember. He has represented the western 2/3rds of Kansas extraordinarily well, while taking advantage of his weekly commute from DC to KCI to Hays, Kansas to familiarize himself with Johnson and Wyandotte County business and community leaders and institutions, as well as those of other key communities along that route. Jerry’s wife, Robba, is originally from here, so we know we have a strong voice in that household! And as you likely know, if Momma ain’t happy…
The Fightin’ 17th District – can you tell I’m a little possessive?
This is my old seat, where many of you live, and I’m quite passionate about it – if a bit possessive! My friend Rep. Jill Quigley (www.jillquigley.com) has a difficult re-election campaign in that her opponent was recruited and is being financed by a Wichita company and soft money that is not reportable (527 organizations that the legislature has tried to change for years).
- Rep. Jill Quigley received a 100% score from the Overland Park Chamber and the Kansas Economic Progress Council (KEPC: http://www.ksepc.org/) in her support of maintaining quality schools and roads, which make Johnson County a better environment to create and grow businesses which translate into jobs and economic growth.
- You know that Jill is well-qualified and has worked hard to respond to your concerns and keep you updated through her newsletter and town hall meetings. She is a nurse by training and she and her husband, Jim, have three grown children.
- Yard Signs: I have a number of yard signs and can drop one in your yard – just reply to me with your address!
Kansas Secretary of State (KSSOS)
The KSSOS runs the election process for the entire state, manages the Notary Public, election filing and oversees ethics and campaign finance reporting, business and uniform commercial code filings, as well as charitable organization filings. It might be helpful if you had someone in that job who has actually conducted an election – wouldn’t you think?
· My friend Elizabeth “Libby” Ensley (www.votelibby.com) currently serves as the election commissioner for Shawnee County (Topeka), a position she was appointed to by then-Governor Bill Graves in 1992. Prior to that, she worked in the Secretary of State’s office for 11 years. She has personally helped prosecute 13 election crimes cases. Libby is a widower with two children – one of whom is a medical student at the KU School of Medicine (good choice!).
· Yard Signs: I also have signs for Libby – reply with your address if you would like one, I’ll drop it in your yard.
7th Senate District
This is a weird election because my good friend Sen. Terrie Huntingon (http://www.terriehuntington.com/) is fulfilling the remainder of a term vacated by former Sen. David Wysong, so she must run to complete the last two years of the term, then run AGAIN in 2012 for a full term! The district contains northeast Johnson County – Westwood, Westwood Hills, Mission, Mission Hills, Fairway Roeland Park, parts of Prairie Village, Merriam, Old Overland Park, and Old Leawood. OH MY!
· In a very short amount of time, Terrie’s district has swelled from a House seat of 22K constituents to a Senate seat of 66K and now she has to run a much bigger race, without the time to fundraise and expand her grassroots base in the areas outside of her old House seat.
· Terrie is by far the most thorough and prepared legislator I have ever worked with. She reads bills, proactively contacts constituents who would be affected by the bill and learns the specifics of how it will impact their industry or family. She truly knows her stuff and understands how each bill and amendment will impact the people she represents, and votes accordingly. That is a rare find and northeast Johnson County is extremely blessed to have her representing them.
20th District
This is the district Kevin Yoder is vacating to run for Congress, which runs along Nall from just south of the Sprint campus to about 95th. My friend Stephanie Sawyer-Clayton (http://stephaniesawyerclayton.com/) is running and is heavily endorsed by pro-education and pro-business groups. She is a married mother of two and works for the Johnson County Museum. As an added bonus, her dad, Neal Sawyer, has been a Shawnee City Councilman since 2002.
29th District
If you’ve followed politics at all, you’re probably aware of a favorite pastime for some “volunteers” – sign stealing. Turns out, a previous campaign manager for a current KS Senator in Olathe was busted for stealing her opponent’s signs in 2008. Now he’s running for office against my friend Rep. Sheryl Spalding in Overland Park (http://www.sherylspalding.com/). Sheryl will need your support, if only to keep her yard signs in yards and out of the trash can!
- While I highly recommend picking up illegal signs you don’t want in your yard, or that are in public rights-of-way as a tax-saving measure that helps out our local Public Works Departments, it’s a bad idea for candidates, their relatives, and campaign managers.
- As an aside – it’s truly amazing what you can find on www.jococourts.org. Have fun with that one!
U.S. Congress 3rd District
I have already discussed this race in a previous newsletter. Rep. Kevin Yoder (www.kevinyoder.com) and I were elected to the KS House together in 2002. I only know one of the other 6 candidates, so I can’t really speak to their qualifications. Kevin is by far the most qualified!
If you have questions about other races or candidates, please drop me an email, I would be happy to help you navigate this election cycle!
Stephanie Sharp
Trustee
Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd
Overland Park, KS 66210
www.twitter.com/4stephaniesharp
www.facebook.com/4stephaniesharp
913-256-5862
Resources
JCCC Board of Trustees meetings on video: http://video.jccc.edu/board.htm
JCCC Carlsen Center shows: http://www.jccc.edu/home/depts.php/001440/site/toc_events
KS Legislative Research: http://skyways.lib.ks.us/ksleg/KLRD/klrd.html
Johnson County Election Office - www.jocoelection.org
Upcoming Board of Trustees meetings: http://www.jccc.edu/home/depts.php/000001/site/BoardMeetingInfo/Board_Meeting_Dates
Find your long lost CASH!!! http://www.kansascash.com/prodweb/up/disclaimer_page.php
Please do not hesitate to contact me about these or any other issues of interest to you. I appreciate the opportunity to represent you on the Board of Trustees.
Privacy Policy
I respect your time and the volume of your Inbox. I appreciate the opportunity to communicate with you in a timely and economical fashion. This is a privilege I take very seriously. You have entrusted me with your email address and I vow to you it will not be sold or lent for any purpose other than for the strict use of my email updates. If you wish to unsubscribe from the Sharp Record, simply reply to this email with "Unsubscribe" in the Subject line.