Flipse wins county commission primary; canvass confirms 1,723 ballots

August 12, 2026

2026 Thomas County Primary Election Results

Brad Flipse won the Republican nomination for Thomas County Commission District 1 as Thomas County commissioners completed the official canvass of the Aug. 4 primary election.

Flipse received 284 votes, or nearly 62% of the 460 votes cast in the race. Andrew T. Strange received 176 votes.

Because Flipse appeared on the ballot, Paul Steele replaced him on the Board of County Canvassers. The canvassers reviewed each of the election's 31 provisional ballots individually.

County Clerk Keesa Mariman recommended accepting 19 provisional ballots and rejecting 12 cast by people who had not registered before the deadline. The accepted ballots increased the countywide total from 1,704 to 1,723.

The provisional ballots included 10 involving address changes, two involving name changes, four attributed to clerical errors and two from voters who did not receive requested mail ballots and instead voted at the polls. One person requested a ballot for a party different from the voter's registration; only the nonpartisan constitutional amendment portion of that ballot could be counted.

The county reported 5,438 registered voters and turnout of approximately 31.68%, which officials described as relatively high for a primary. Of the ballots cast in person, 430 were submitted during early voting at the courthouse and 981 were cast on Election Day at the event center.

Mariman praised her staff's preparation in the weeks leading up to the election. Workers repeatedly tested 54 ballot styles covering 119 races. With the different party, precinct and ballot combinations, voters could receive one of 1,854 possible ballot configurations.

Thomas County voters supported the constitutional amendment 908 to 750, with 1,658 voters answering the question.

One of the closest races was the Republican primary for the State Board of Education. Kelly Ancar received 649 Thomas County votes, edging Jean Clifford's 643 by six.

In the Republican 120th District Kansas House race, Thomas County voters favored Adam Smith with 1,092 votes over Paul Simoneau with 303.

Ty Masterson and running mate Jeffrey Klemp led the Republican gubernatorial field locally with 586 votes. Roger Marshall received 1,157 votes in the Republican U.S. Senate race, while Tracey Mann collected 1,191 in the Republican U.S. House contest.

Among Democratic voters, Ethan Corson and Renee Duxler led the gubernatorial field with 96 Thomas County votes. Adam Hamilton led the Democratic U.S. Senate field locally with 60, while Lauren Reinhold received 116 in the Democratic U.S. House race.

The totals for statewide and multicounty contests reflect Thomas County voting only; winners of those races were determined by results across the full state or district.

Thomas County Primary Results

For statewide and multicounty races, the names below are the top finishers in Thomas County, not necessarily the overall race winners.

County and ballot question

County Commissioner District 1 — Republican: Brad Flipse — 284 votes
Constitutional amendment: Yes — 908 votes

State and federal contests — Republican

Governor and lieutenant governor: Ty Masterson and Jeffrey Klemp — 586 votes
U.S. Senate: Roger Marshall — 1,157 votes
U.S. House: Tracey Mann — 1,191 votes
Kansas House District 120: Adam Smith — 1,092 votes
Secretary of State: Pat Proctor — 1,127 votes
Attorney General: Kris Kobach — 1,196 votes
State Treasurer: Steven Johnson — 1,137 votes
Commissioner of Insurance: Daniel Hawkins — 1,155 votes
State Board of Education: Kelly Ancar — 649 votes

State and federal contests — Democratic

Governor and lieutenant governor: Ethan Corson and Renee Duxler — 96 votes
U.S. Senate: Adam Hamilton — 60 votes
U.S. House: Lauren Reinhold — 116 votes
Secretary of State: Jennifer Day — 136 votes
Attorney General: Chris Mann — 178 votes
State Treasurer: Juan C. Luengo — 171 votes
Commissioner of Insurance: Dinah Sykes — 173 votes
State Board of Education: Lorie Wood — 180 votes

Township Clerk — Republican

Brewster City/West Hale Township: Jesse Crumrine — 56 votes
Gem City/Lacey Township: Pete Ziegelmeier II — 30 votes
Menlo City/Menlo Township: James J. Steiger — 8 votes
Oakley City/South Randall Township: Gary Ostmeyer — 58 votes
Rexford City/Smith Township: Kyle Spresser — 24 votes
Barrett Township: Jarrett L. Carpenter — 29 votes
East Hale Township: Jessica L. McCoy — 26 votes
Kingery Township: Wayne Luckert — 17 votes
Morgan Township: Becky L. Dempewolf — 142 votes
North Randall Township: George Schippers — 22 votes
Rovohl Township: Norman Shull — 32 votes
Summers Township: Shannon Hopson — 3 write-in votes
Wendell Township: Amanda Focke — 5 write-in votes

Township Clerk — Democratic

Brewster City/West Hale Township: Brian Eicher — 1 write-in vote
Gem City/Lacey Township: Pete Ziegelmeier — 2 write-in votes
North Randall Township: Lonnie Wilson — 1 write-in vote

Precinct Committeeman — Republican

Colby Ward 1: Andy Leavitt — 92 votes
Colby Ward 2: Brad Flipse — 93 votes
Colby Ward 3: Mark A. Wood — 128 votes
Colby Ward 4: Bryce T. Mariman — 221 votes
West Hale Township: Mike Baughn — 57 votes
Lacey Township: Jonathan Higerd — 24 votes
Menlo Township: Robert Louis Dible — 2 write-in votes
South Randall Township: Will Clark — 60 votes
Smith Township: Dwight Williams and Travis Smith — tied with 1 write-in vote each
Barrett Township: Jordan Reid — 1 write-in vote
East Hale Township: Mark Schneider, Thomas Rundel, Scott Collett and Troy Siebert — tied with 1 write-in vote each
Kingery Township: Wayne Luckert and David Bixenman — tied with 1 write-in vote each
East Morgan Township: Andrew T. Strange — 41 votes
West Morgan Township: D. Kriss Schroeder — 18 write-in votes
North Randall Township: Lonnie Wilson — 11 write-in votes
Rovohl Township: Stephen Shull — 3 write-in votes
Summers Township: Mike Schmeiser and Bill Adams — tied with 2 write-in votes each
Wendell Township: Keneth Johnston — 2 write-in votes

Precinct Committeewoman — Republican

Colby Ward 1: Melissa “Missy” Leavitt — 128 votes
Colby Ward 2: Michelle Morris — 161 votes
Colby Ward 3: Lucy Wood — 114 votes
Colby Ward 4: Keesa Mariman — 223 votes
West Hale Township: Marla Crumrine and Heather McDonald — tied with 1 write-in vote each
Lacey Township: Nathalie Higerd — 26 votes
Menlo Township: Dana Steiger — 1 write-in vote
South Randall Township: Jeanette Douglas and Gail Eberle — tied with 1 write-in vote each
Smith Township: Victoria L. Wark — 1 write-in vote
Barrett Township: Amanda Reid — 1 write-in vote
East Hale Township: Lisa Jackson and Audrey Siebert — tied with 1 write-in vote each
Kingery Township: Lindy Kvasnicka — 1 write-in vote
East Morgan Township: Laura Schwarz and Tamara Ziegelmeier — tied with 1 write-in vote each
West Morgan Township: Marilyn F. Bailey — 19 write-in votes
North Randall Township: Lori Wilson — 12 write-in votes
Rovohl Township: Tracy Shull — 1 write-in vote
Summers Township: Amy Hopson and Becky Adams — tied with 2 write-in votes each
Wendell Township: Teeva Johnston — 2 write-in votes

Precinct Committeeman — Democratic

Colby Ward 1: Jason Munk — 2 write-in votes
Colby Ward 2: Erik Fields — 1 write-in vote
Colby Ward 3: Chris Davis — 34 votes
Colby Ward 4: Stanley Niermeier — 34 votes
West Hale Township: Brian Eicher — 1 write-in vote
East Hale Township: Jeff Finley — 1 write-in vote
West Morgan Township: Kriss Schroeder — 2 write-in votes
North Randall Township: Vernon Roemer — 1 write-in vote

Precinct Committeewoman — Democratic

Colby Ward 1: Debbie Staton — 27 votes
Colby Ward 2: Judy Kleinsorge — 32 votes
Colby Ward 3: Constance J. Davis — 35 votes
Colby Ward 4: Maradith Molstad — 1 write-in vote
West Morgan Township: Marilyn F. Bailey — 2 write-in votes

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