Thomas J. Drees, Ellis County Attorney, announced Thursday he has filed by petition to run for re-election. Drees has served five terms as Ellis County Attorney, beginning in 1997.

Drees has served as a prosecutor in Ellis County for 27 years, having served as an Assistant Ellis County Attorney from 1989 through 1996. Drees also served as Trego County Attorney from 1997 through 2000.

He currently serves as an appointed Special Assistant Attorney General on the Prosecutor Review Committee of the Kansas Sexual Violent Predator Commitment Act, having been appointed by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt in January 2011. Drees served four years (2007 to 2011) as the appointed prosecutor on the Kansas Sentencing Commission.

“With the consent of the Ellis County voters, I will continue to devote my full time, energy and attention to the duties of County Attorney,” Drees said.

Drees lives in Hays with his wife, Patricia, and children, Anne and John. Drees is a graduate of Thomas More-Prep Marian High School, Fort Hays State University and Kansas University School of Law.