The Great Bend Chamber of Commerce is teaming up with the Barton County Clerk’s Office in encouraging residents to consider giving back to their communities by running for local governing bodies in the upcoming elections. Candidates seeking office in the 2026 primary and general elections have until noon June 1 to file their paperwork.
There are three commission districts up for election this year, as well as numerous city council and township clerk positions for all townships in Barton County, Ellinwood Hospital District, and Republican and Democratic precinct committee people, said County Clerk Bev Schmeidler, who also serves as the county’s election officer.
Those interested can file in her Courthouse office, Room 202. The filing fees are: County Commission - $450; city councils and special districts - $20; township clerk - $1; and precinct committee openings – no fee.
The deadline also applies to state and national offices. But Schmeidler said these candidates must file with the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office in Topeka.
A lot of attention is paid to politics on the state and national levels. But, while these are important, “local offices impact our everyday lives and are important to all of us,” she said.
And this is vital, said Chamber President Megan Barfield.
“Civic engagement is crucial to our communities’ survival,” she said. “Stepping up to serve in these important roles is a great way to get involved.”
These all fit nicely into the Chamber’s ongoing five-year Elevate GBK strategic plan, she said. The plan focuses on community-wide collaboration on workforce development, business/people retention, membership development/support, business/community marketing and business advocacy.
“Serving in these roles only strengthens this place we call home,” Barfield said. “By heightening the involvement and diversity of our governing bodies, there are more opportunities for new ideas to flow, inviting progress.”
Other election deadlines include voter registration for the Aug. 4 primary, which closes at the end of the business day on July 14, with early voting options beginning July 15.
For more information, call the Clerk’s Office at 620-793-1835 or visit bartoncounty.org under the “Departments” and “Elections” tabs. The site also has up-to-date lists of those who have filed for the offices.
