Month: August 2018

Three candidates, Tony Martinez, Mike Nichols and Jane Sieve Wilson, are running for the open seat, position 5, on the Wyandotte County District Court.

The three are Democrats and the primary on Aug. 7 will decide this election. No Republicans filed.

At a July 18 forum at Kansas City Kansas Community College, sponsored by Business West and KCKCC, the candidates emphasized their years of experience in practicing law and discussed issues such as minority representation on the district court.

Martinez said there were currently no Hispanic judges on the district court, even though the population here is about one-third Hispanic. He said he worked his way through law school, and he could serve as a role model for youth here. He talked about his 27 years of practicing law and his wide experience in handling many different types of cases. Martinez said in an earlier story that he has always worked to help individuals, not corporations.

Mike Nichols also talked about his experience, including three years of prosecuting criminal cases in the district attorney’s office and about seven years of experience in private practice. He has served as a judge pro tem. He is a member of the Wyandotte County Juvenile Corrections Advisory Board, and has worked with criminal, divorce, child custody, juvenile, probate and guardianship cases.

Sieve Wilson told the audience at the forum that she has the correct judicial temperament, and she had experience in many areas of the law that would help at the district court judge level. Much of her work in the past has focused on civil litigation. She has been a judge pro tem. She has served as the legal adviser for the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Department. Wilson, a past president of the Wyandotte County Bar Association, has degrees in accounting and law. Her father is a past judge of the Wyandotte County District Court.

This forum is being shown on cable television at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day through Aug. 6 on Spectrum Channel 17 and Google TV Channel 146. Remaining times are at 7 p.m. Aug. 5, at 10 a.m. Aug. 6 and at 7 p.m. Aug. 6.

More information about the judicial candidates is available in these earlier stories:

https://wyandotteonline.com/wilson-runs-for-wyandotte-county-district-court-judge-division-5/

https://wyandotteonline.com/nichols-runs-for-district-court-judge/

https://wyandotteonline.com/martinez-emphasizes-experience-and-diversity-in-his-campaign-for-judge/

See other election stories under the “Election 2018” tab at https://wyandotteonline.com/category/election-2018/.

by Mary Rupert

Former Gov. John Carlin visited Wyandotte County on Saturday to endorse John Svaty, a Democratic candidate for governor.

“The future of Kansas is on the ballot Tuesday and in November,” former Gov. Carlin said in a speech to a group of about 27 persons outdoors at the Eisenhower Park area near North 72nd Street and Yecker Avenue. “If this doesn’t come out right, we’re screwed.”

Those attending the event had the opportunity to vote early afterward at the Eisenhower Recreation Center, which was more than 250 feet away from the rally.

Carlin asked campaign volunteers to make every contact with voters positive.

“It’s going to be close,” Carlin said. “It’s one of those elections where every vote does count.”

Svaty can win in November, Carlin said, and he can deliver in January. He said Svaty is a leader who can get things done in office.

During a speech, Svaty said those who win the primary election Aug. 7 would be starting over because the candidates have spent their money in the primary.

“It’s been a long time, since 2008, since we’ve had a statewide race or a Congressional victory for Democrats,” Svaty said. The young Democrats who want to be on a staff have no options other than leaving the state or serving as unpaid interns to legislators.

“It is time we help build the bench,” he said.

Svaty said his campaign workers, some of whom are former Gov. Carlin’s campaign team, are extremely dedicated, know the state well and worked for a governor “who got a ton of stuff done.”

Svaty said Wyandotte County holds great potential, especially eastern Wyandotte County, in the next 10 years, but it will take the right person to make sure it is done right, and make sure that everyone works toward opportunity together.

Svaty said that turning out as many voters as possible is his challenge now, and making sure people know who they are.

He said his campaign feels good about Wyandotte County, with the endorsements of Rep. Tom Burroughs, Rep. Louis Ruiz and Rep. Pam Curtis recently, and with Gov. Carlin’s endorsement.

Svaty was confident about winning and said he felt good about the votes here, in Johnson County and Wichita.