Kansas Elects New Secretary of State Nov. 3
Three candidates are competing to replace Scott Schwab, who chose not to seek reelection, as the state's chief elections officer.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections
Live Poll
Should Kansas expand advance voting beyond the current 20-day period?
Kansas voters will choose a new secretary of state on November 3, 2026, filling the office that serves as the state's chief elections officer and handles business regulations and filings. Republican Pat Proctor, Democrat Jennifer Day, and Scott Morgan of United Kansas are the three candidates on the ballot.
Why it matters
The secretary of state oversees elections and business filings, so the outcome will shape how voting and business registration are administered statewide. The candidates offer differing approaches to audits, advance voting and voter roll maintenance.
The current advance voting period is 20 days, and Jennifer Day proposes extending it to 30 days. Scott Morgan advocates a risk-based audit method calling for more ballots audited in close elections.
The players
Pat Proctor
Pat Proctor is the Republican candidate for Kansas secretary of state and chairs the Kansas House Elections Committee.
Jennifer Day
Jennifer Day is the Democratic candidate for Kansas secretary of state who proposes a 30-day advance voting window.
Scott Morgan
Scott Morgan is the United Kansas candidate for secretary of state who advocates a risk-based election audit method.
Scott Schwab
Scott Schwab is the current Kansas secretary of state who did not seek reelection and made an unsuccessful Republican bid for governor.
The details
Pat Proctor, who chairs the House Elections Committee, has made a citizens-only voting constitutional amendment central to his campaign and proposes using banks, credit card companies and other third-party data to verify deaths and remove voters from rolls. He also wants a one-stop shop using artificial intelligence to identify business regulations.
Timeline
November 3, 2026: Kansas voters elect a new secretary of state.
Political Context
Day's 30-day advance voting proposal would lengthen the current 20-day window set by Kansas statute. Proctor's citizens-only amendment and third-party death-verification plan represent a push to tighten voter roll requirements under existing state election law.
The winner will determine how Kansas advance voting periods, voter roll maintenance and business filings are administered. Voters should check candidate positions on audits and advance voting before casting ballots.
The takeaway
The secretary of state oversees both elections and business filings, so candidate positions on voting rules carry direct consequences for Kansas residents. Comparing the three platforms on advance voting length and audit methods offers a clear way to evaluate the race.
Further reading
Explore more on Elections coverage for Kansas candidates and voting rules.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Topeka Capital-Journal.
Live Poll
Should Kansas expand advance voting beyond the current 20-day period?
