11 candidates are tracked across 7 Riley County races for the 2026 election, led by the Riley County Commissioner, District 1 contest. Preview your Riley County, Kansas sample ballot for 2026: browse tracked local races, then enter your ZIP code to confirm which districts and offices appear on your exact ballot.
These race previews show candidates we’re tracking now. A ZIP code shows your statewide and congressional races; a street address adds county and city contests.
Candidate roster last updated Sep 6, 2026 from official election sources. Enter your ZIP code at theballotbrief.com to see your exact 2026 ballot.
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Local Snapshot
Election DayNov. 3, 2026
StateKansas
Races Listed7
Profiles11
Riley County Sample Ballot 2026: Races We’re Tracking
Local races are address-specific. This guide previews tracked contests, while the lookup tool narrows the list to a voter’s exact address. Tap any name to see the race, full candidate profiles, and everything else on your exact ballot. Kansas nominees were set by the August 4 primary, one per party, and meet on the November 3 ballot; all 125 state House seats are up, the state Senate is not, and county row officers (clerk, treasurer, register of deeds, county attorney, sheriff) are on the 2024/2028 cycle, so county pages carry commission seats, retention questions and local questions, per the Secretary of State.
August 4 primary result: incumbent John Ford won the Republican nomination with 58 percent (721 votes) over Gary Bennington (42 percent, 521 votes), per News Radio KMAN and the Riley County board of canvassers' certification. Democrat Rob Voelker ran unopposed in his primary, so Ford and Voelker meet on the November 3 ballot.
John Ford · RepublicanIncumbent▾
John Ford is the incumbent Riley County commissioner for the 1st District, first elected in 2018. He works for Florence Corporation in Manhattan and is a Kansas State University graduate in construction science, per News Radio KMAN. Ford filed in April 2026 for a third term, saying property taxes are the county's main issue, per KMAN. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026.
Rob Voelker is a Democratic candidate for the Riley County Commission's 1st District seat and a former broadcaster, per News Radio KMAN. He filed in February 2026 to challenge incumbent Republican John Ford, describing himself on his campaign site as a collaborator focused on strong leadership for the county.
Priorities: Collaborative, listening-focused leadership on the commission · Strong leadership for Riley County (per the campaign site)
August 4 primary result: no Democratic candidate filed; Megan D. Steele was unopposed for the Republican nomination. Megan D. Steele is the only nominee on the November 3 ballot, per the Kansas Secretary of State's official primary results. The field matches the Kansas Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list as of September 6, 2026. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Megan D. Steele · RepublicanIncumbent▾
Megan D. Steele is the Republican nominee for Kansas House District 51 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Kansas Secretary of State's official August 4 primary results.
August 4 primary result: no Democratic candidate filed; Francis Awerkamp won the Republican nomination with 60.9 percent over Robert Thomas. Francis Awerkamp is the only nominee on the November 3 ballot, per the Kansas Secretary of State's official primary results. The field matches the Kansas Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list as of September 6, 2026. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Francis Awerkamp · RepublicanIncumbent▾
Francis Awerkamp is the Republican nominee for Kansas House District 61 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Kansas Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 6, 2026.
August 4 primary result: no Democratic candidate filed; Lewis (Bill) Bloom was unopposed for the Republican nomination. Lewis (Bill) Bloom is the only nominee on the November 3 ballot, per the Kansas Secretary of State's official primary results. The field matches the Kansas Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list as of September 6, 2026. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Lewis (Bill) Bloom · RepublicanIncumbent▾
Lewis (Bill) Bloom is the sitting Kansas House member for District 64 and works as farmer, per the Kansas Legislature member page. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 6, 2026.
August 4 primary result: Sydney Carlin was unopposed for the Democratic nomination; Noah Perry was unopposed for the Republican nomination. The nominees meet on the November 3 ballot, per the Kansas Secretary of State's official primary results. Andrew Frey (Libertarian) is also on the November ballot, per the Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list. The field matches the Kansas Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list as of September 6, 2026. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Sydney Carlin · DemocraticIncumbent▾
Sydney Carlin is the sitting Kansas House member for District 66, per the Kansas Legislature member page. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 6, 2026.
Noah Perry is a 19-year-old Republican running for Kansas House District 66, per his campaign site, which highlights education reform, child advocacy, and mental health as priorities.
Priorities: Education reform · Child advocacy · Mental health policy (per the campaign site)
Andrew Frey is the Libertarian nominee for Kansas House District 66 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Kansas Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 6, 2026.
August 4 primary result: Brenda Bandy was unopposed for the Democratic nomination; Stacy Kohlmeier won the Republican nomination with 63.8 percent over Kaleb James. The nominees meet on the November 3 ballot, per the Kansas Secretary of State's official primary results. The field matches the Kansas Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list as of September 6, 2026. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Brenda Bandy · Democratic▾
Brenda Bandy is a public health advocate and 43-year resident of Manhattan running as the Democratic nominee for Kansas House District 67, per her candidate page.
Stacy Kohlmeier is a recently retired business leader from Manhattan who spent her career in senior leadership at Florence Corporation, per News Radio KMAN, and is the Republican nominee for Kansas House District 67. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 6, 2026.
August 4 primary result: no Democratic candidate filed; Nathan (Nate) Butler won the Republican nomination with 79.7 percent over Desree Pettera. Nathan (Nate) Butler is the only nominee on the November 3 ballot, per the Kansas Secretary of State's official primary results. The field matches the Kansas Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list as of September 6, 2026. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Nathan (Nate) Butler · RepublicanIncumbent▾
Nathan (Nate) Butler is the sitting Kansas House member for District 68 and works as realtor/ministry, per the Kansas Legislature member page.
Note: Use address lookup for your exact ballot; local pages preview tracked races.Profiles: Hand-verified profiles are added race by race; always confirm with the official election office linked above.
