Independence Daily Reporter

Earlier today it was made known that the 2025 general election ballots for cl Cherryvale were incorrect. On the original ballot, it listed council member Norman Johnson in the incorrect ward. The Reporter reached out to Montgomery County Clerk and election official Ami Standridge to ask for clarification and what would be done to rectify the situation. Emails to the County Clerk went unanswered.
Late this afternoon, Standridge released a memo about the situation:

To the citizens of Montgomery County and Cherryvale.

As the Montgomery County Clerk and County election officer, I want to provide clarification regarding a candidate filing issue that has arisen for the city of Cherryvale election.
During the filing period, a candidate submitted paperwork for a municipal office that appears to have been filed for the wrong position (the candidate resides in a different ward than the one shown on the application). The filing was accepted and processed in good faith according to Kansas statutes. All filings are handled based solely on the documents and fees submitted by the candidate.
Once the statutory filing requirements are met- including completion of a declaration of intent, payment of the filing fee, and compliance with the deadline- the County election officer is required to place the name on the ballot.
Under K.S.A. 25-21a01(1). "Any person who meets the qualifications for the office saught may become a candidate for municipal office by filing a declaration of intent to become a candidate with the county election officer, accompanied by a filing fee of $20."
At this point in the election cycle, the candidates name has already been certified and printed on the ballot. There is no statutory authority allowing the County Clerk to remove or alter a candidates name after certification, regardless of a filing error. The legal effect of this error is currently under review.
My office is responsible to insure that all filings, ballots, and election procedures comply with Kansas election law. We will continue to administer and certify this election according to those laws.
We appreciate the public's understanding and patience. Our goal remains to uphold a fair, transparent, and lawful election process for all Montgomery County residents."
We will update this post as more information becomes available.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FROM 7:00 P.M. THIS EVENING UNTIL 1:00 P.M. TOMORROW FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN OUR AREA:

Chautauqua, Elk, Labette and Montgomery Counties

Northwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph are expected.
Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.