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.
Campaign Phone
281-728-7328
Personal Biography
Candace Ayars has been a Topeka resident for 18 years. Along with her husband, John Coleman, who founded his business in Topeka, she has formed strong community ties that inspire her commitment to the future of Kansas. A graduate of the University of Texas School of Public Health, Candace is a health professions educator, a researcher, and a public health practitioner. She recently retired from A. T. Still University, the oldest osteopathic medical school in the nation.
Education
Southern Methodist University (BS); University of Houston - Clear Lake (MS); University of Texas School of Public Health (PhD); Baylor College of Medicine (Research Fellowship)
Community/Public Service
Precinct Committeewoman; President, Kansas Federation of Democratic Women; Auditor, Capital Area Democratic Women; Board Member - Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition
I am the best candidate for this position because my academic and research training prepared me to examine all sides of an issue before making a decision. I am a long-time resident of my district and understand the issues important to its voters. In addition, my service on Institutional Review Boards has prepared me with a background in ethics that I bring to any decision-making process. I have published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and have acquired excellent communication skills. I value different perspectives when making decisions and my background as a qualitative researcher has prepared me to interview individuals and groups to better understand underlying reasons for those perspectives. I am a trained listener.
1. The tax structure, specifically with respect to property taxes, is important to the voters in my district. If elected, I will support a review and revision of the current tax legislation passed to ensure it is more balanced and equitable with respect to property tax relief.
2. Medicaid expansion is critical to ensure all Kansans have reasonable access to healthcare. This includes reproductive healthcare. I will support the reintroduction of the most recent bill and advocate for its inclusion on the Senate agenda.
3. Continuing to support quality public schools with adequate funding is essential. I will oppose any attempt to divert public education money to nonpublic schools while ensuring funding with necessary increases.
I believe using AI platforms that are free to users could be an effective way of speeding the bill tracking process. These platforms can search for legislative patterns such that end users do not need to waste time searching through legislation that is irrelevant to their interests. I do believe because we have a limited legislative session that "gut and go" is a necessity, although not optimal. I would propose limiting this process only to the end of the legislative session and imposing a 72-hour waiting period before the bill can proceed through the process once it is introduced. I also support relabeling the title of bills to more accurately reflect content.
I would support automatic voter registration as well as same-day registration. I also would support changing the voter education restrictions and the advance ballot mailing restrictions. Additionally, I believe there needs to be a more objective comparison method (e.g., digital recognition) for comparing signatures on absentee ballots. And finally, I am not in favor of delivery assistant bans. I would like to see election day as a paid holiday. I have these positions because I support measures that make it easier for citizens to vote and fully participate in the governing process. Further, I am not convinced based on evidence that voter fraud is a legitimate concern in Kansas that needs draconian voter restriction measures.
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