Leonardville, Kansas Public Records

Residents can register to vote online through the Kansas Secretary of State's portal at https://www.kdor.ks.gov/apps/voterreg/default.aspx using a valid Kansas driver's license or state ID card. Registration closes 21 days before any election, and first-time registrants must provide identification verification. Registered voters need to update their information when moving. Kansas requires photo ID at the polls, accepting driver's licenses, state ID cards, concealed carry permits, military IDs, and certain other government-issued identification. Municipal elections in Leonardville occur in odd-numbered years, typically in April or November depending on the local charter, to elect the mayor and city council members. The next city elections are scheduled for 2025, when voters will select council members for staggered four-year terms. The mayor also serves four years. Candidates file for city offices through the Riley County Election Office, usually 90 days before the election date. City council meetings happen monthly at City Hall, with agendas covering street improvements, utility rates, zoning questions, and municipal budgets. Given the town's size, some elections feature unopposed candidates, though contested races draw considerable local attention. Even-numbered years bring federal and state elections, with county voters participating in congressional, gubernatorial, and state legislative contests. Residents can locate their assigned polling place using the Kansas Voter View system at https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView/, which allows searches by name and date of birth to display registration status, polling location, sample ballot, and election history. The town typically votes at a single location - often the Leonardville Community Center or similar public facility - due to its small population. In the November 2024 presidential election, Riley County recorded approximately 54% turnout with roughly 25,000 ballots cast from approximately 46,000 registered voters, reflecting typical presidential-year participation. The county tends to lean Republican in most elections, though Manhattan's university community creates greater political diversity than surrounding rural Kansas counties. On November 3, 2026, voters here and throughout Riley County will participate in the Kansas gubernatorial election, as Governor Laura Kelly's current term expires that year. The ballot will also include statewide races for Kansas Attorney General, Kansas Secretary of State, and State Treasurer, all elected in midterm years. Kansas's U.S. Senate seats are not up in 2026 - Senator Jerry Moran is up in 2028 and Senator Roger Marshall in 2026. Local voters will elect their Kansas State Senator representing District 24 and Kansas State Representative for District 69, with exact districts subject to redistricting. County-level positions on the 2026 ballot may include Riley County Commissioner seats - three commissioners elected county-wide to staggered four-year terms - plus Riley County Sheriff, Riley County Clerk, County Treasurer, Register of Deeds, and County Attorney, depending on which terms expire. School board positions for Riley County USD 378 will also appear. Kansas offers advance voting beginning 20 days before any election at the Riley County Clerk's Office during regular business hours. No excuse is required. The state also provides absentee voting by mail for any registered voter. To request an absentee ballot, voters must submit an application - available at https://www.rileycountyks.gov/296/County-Clerk or through the Kansas Secretary of State - to the Riley County Clerk. Applications must arrive by the Tuesday before the election, and completed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within three days after to be counted. Military and overseas voters have extended deadlines under federal UOCAVA provisions. Public election records in Kansas include voter registration lists, available for purchase by political parties, candidates, and other authorized requesters under K.S. 25-2320. Precinct-level election results are published on the Riley County website after certification. Candidate filings and financial disclosure statements are available at the Riley County Clerk's office and the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission at https://www.kansas.gov/ethics/ for state-level candidates. Campaign finance reports showing contributions and expenditures are filed with Riley County Clerk for local candidates and the Ethics Commission for state candidates. These records are public and available for inspection during regular business hours. Precinct results from Riley County are posted at https://www.rileycountyks.gov/296/County-Clerk after each election and include turnout statistics and vote totals by precinct.