Kansas › Douglas County › Commissioner District 4
2 candidates are tracked for Commissioner District 4 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Gene Dorsey and Ethan Spurling. Candidate information follows official Douglas County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
A contested August 4 Democratic ballot with no Republican filed, per the certified list and the Lawrence Times. Appears only on District 4 ballots.
A retired corporate controller with 35 years managing multimillion dollar budgets, currently serving on the commission, per his campaign site. He served on the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center governing board from 2018 to 2025, per his site.
2026 priorities
- Easing property taxes for residents over 65 on fixed incomes, per his campaign site
- Directing mental-health sales tax funds to the Treatment and Recovery Center, per his site
- Preserving open space while growing the commercial tax base, per his site
Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-08-29.
Campaign site →
Works in public policy and government relations for a Lawrence-based education nonprofit, after four years on the Frontenac City Council and nearly four years in Gov. Laura Kelly's administration, per the Lawrence Times questionnaire.
2026 priorities
- Affordable housing through partnerships with cities and nonprofits, per the Lawrence Times questionnaire
- Opposing large-scale data centers while supporting job-creating businesses, per the questionnaire
- Scrutinizing tax abatements to ease the burden on homeowners, per the questionnaire
Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-08-29.
Campaign site →
