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VOTE411 Voter Guide

Kansas Senate, District 23

The Kansas Senate is the upper house of the Kansas Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Kansas. It is composed of 40 senators representing an equal amount of districts, each with a population of at least 60,000 inhabitants. Members of the Senate are elected to a four-year term. There is no limit to the number of terms that a senator may serve.

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  • Candidate picture

    Stacey B. Knoell
    (Dem)

  • Candidate picture

    Adam Thomas
    (Rep)

Biographical Information

What makes you the best candidate for this position? What skills, expertise, or competencies qualify you?

What are Kansas's three most important issues, and how do you intend to address them?

How would you make it easier for Kansas citizens to follow bills as they flow through the legislature? What, if any, changes would you propose in the “Gut and Go” process?

Would you support changes to Kansas election laws and voting systems? Why?

Campaign Web Site http://staceyknoell.com
Campaign Phone 913-210-0779
Mailing Address PO Box 4196
Olathe, KS 66063
Personal Biography Stacey Knoell is the Executive Director of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission (KAAAC).
Education Stacey earned her bachelor’s degree in Art History from the University of Iowa and a degree in Deaf Communications and Interpreter Training from St. Louis Community College.
Community/Public Service Stacey sits on the Johnson County Fine Arts Commission, is president of the Board of Directors of the Kansas Black Leadership Council, and is the vice-chair of the Kansas 250 Commission.
I am proud to serve as the Executive Director of Gov. Laura Kelly’s Kansas African American Affairs Commission. That means I spend my days in Topeka and am plugged in to the state legislature. My job is to bridge the gap between the community and their government. Through my professional work and community involvement, I have come to deeply understand that Kansans cherish and are connected by certain values. But despite these shared values, there remains a clear disconnect between the will of our voters and the work of our State Legislature. You might even call it a blatant undermining of voters' explicitly expressed needs. It's evident that to reform this system, we must reform the individuals within it.
Creating a Thriving Economy for Kansans: Kansas must be ready for the large-scale economic development projects that are coming our way. We need policies that support small and large businesses, protect workers, and keep Kansas an affordable place to live.

Protecting Bodily Autonomy and Personal Integrity: On August 2nd, 2022, Kansans spoke loud and clear in support of reproductive freedom. I agree with the majority of Kansans that women can make healthcare decisions without government input.

Investing in High-Quality Public Education: Strong public schools are a building block of our community and a vital component of our economic ecosystem. Public education is the best investment we can make for the future of our economy and our state.
There are quite a few resources available to follow bills through the legislature. The problem is that Kansans do not know how to use what is there, or that the tools even exist. We need to better publicize these resources and educate the public on how to better follow along in the process.

I have done some of this for KAAAC by conducting Lunch & Learns - one specifically covered this topic: "Navigating the KS Legislature: How to Get Involved."

Regarding the second question, I would support any proposal to not change, but do away with the "Gut and Go" process.

Our Democracy depends on participation in free and fair elections. I believe we should all have a goal to make it easier for all eligible voters to cast a ballot. I would only support changes that lower the barrier of entry and seek to enfranchise more eligible people.
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