top of page
Writer's pictureStacey Knoell

Primary Elections 101: What You Need to Know

As we navigate through the political landscape, understanding the electoral process becomes crucial for effective participation. One key component of this process is the primary election. This blog aims to shed light on the intricacies of primary elections, the nuances of voter participation, and important considerations for the upcoming election season in Kansas.


What is a “Primary Election?” Primaries are held to reduce the number of candidates in a given race. In an even-year election, each political party can have one candidate in the General Election. If there is more than one candidate in a party, a Primary is held to determine who moves on to the General. Even year primaries are partisan. That means only Democrats can vote in the Democratic primary and only Republicans can vote in the Republican primary. Unaffiliated voters can still vote, but they would have to declare a party at the poll which will determine which ballot they receive.


Things to know: Not all races have primaries each time. Often (though not always) an

incumbent will not have a challenger of their same political party but the opposing party or

parties may have several people contending. This means at any given time, one, both, or

neither party may have a primary for a race.


Effectively this means any given voter in Kansas may or may not have a primary to vote on and unaffiliated voters normally do not have primary elections at all as most unaffiliated voters do not wish to affiliate with a political party. The best way to know if there are any primary races on your ballot is to go to your county election office and look up your ballot.


[This is the main reason the Republicans put the “Value Them Both” proposed Kansas

Constitutional Amendment on the August 2, 2022 primary ballot. Because there were no

Democratic primaries on that ballot and unaffiliated voters normally do not vote in Primaries,

they were counting on flying under the radar and having a low D/U voter turnout. ]


In Kansas, the Primary Election is held on the first Tuesday in August and the General Election is on the first Tuesday in November. This year that means August 6 and November 5 respectively.


The Kansas Black Leadership Council (KBLC) is dedicated to empowering and educating our community on critical civic matters. We believe that every vote counts and that informed voters are the cornerstone of a strong democracy. For more information and resources, visit our website and follow us on social media.


We also encourage you to participate in the #BlackVotesMatterKS Challenge. This initiative aims to empower the younger generation to get active in the electoral process and make their voices heard. Join us in making a difference and ensuring that every vote truly matters.


Stay engaged, stay informed, and let's work together to shape the future of our community.

9 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page