By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Two more people have filed to run in the Nov. 7 general election in Ellis County.

Ryan Lichter, Victoria, is seeking a seat on the Victoria City Council. Lance Bickle, Hays, a current Hays USD 489 school board member, is running for another term.

Hays city commission incumbents Shaun Musil and Sandy Jacobs filed for re-election in late April.

All candidate filings must now be made in Kansas county clerks’ offices.

“The deadline is Thu., June 1 at noon and all local filings have to be taken in the Ellis County Clerk’s Office at 718 Main,” advised Ellis County Clerk and Election Officer Donna Maskus.

“In the past they were able to go to their city offices but that law was changed last year and all filing fees went to $20,” she added. Candidates may also file at no cost with a petition signed by qualified voters.

Open seats in Ellis County are as follows.

CITY
ELLIS–Mayor, Treasurer, 3 council seats
HAYS–3 city commission seats (top 2 vote-getters elected to four-year terms; third highest vote-getter receives two-year term)
SCHOENCHEN–Mayor, 5 council seats
VICTORIA--Mayor, 3 council seats

SCHOOL DISTRICTS
ELLIS USD 388–3 seats
VICTORIA USD 432–3 seats
HAYS USD 489–3 seats

A Tue., Aug. 1 primary election would be triggered if there is one candidate more than double the number of open seats in any race. Voter books for the primary election will close Tue., July 11.

The final day to register to vote is Tue., Oct 17 for the Tue., Nov. 7 election.

This year for the first time in Ellis County, residents will also have the opportunity to vote for Ellis County Extension Council members.

“It’s the newly formed Cottonwood Extension District #17,” Maskus said, “a joint district with Ellis and Barton counties.”

There will be two extension council positions voted on in the November general election.

Extension council candidates will still file in the Ellis County Clerk’s office although they have an extended deadline of noon Fri., Sept. 1. “Since they’re only on the November ballot, the filing deadline is different,” Maskus explained.

The filing deadline is also Sept. 1 for residents in four Improvement Districts, again because they are only on the November ballot.

IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS
BIG CREEK
PRAIRIE ACRES
MUNJOR
SUBURBAN ESTATES

The names of candidates filing for office are available on the Ellis County website, www.ellisco.net, along with other information about the upcoming elections. If you have any questions, call the county clerk office at (785) 628-9410.