A message from the Chair before Election Day
Hello Riley County Democrats,
The 2008 presidential election was the first election I remember participating in. Like many Kansas elementary schools at the time, mine held a mock election between then-Senators Barack Obama and John McCain. I proudly cast my vote for Obama, who, as we learned at the end of the school day, won overwhelmingly.
I was five years old. I had never heard the terms ‘pre-existing conditions,’ ‘recession,’ ‘Wall Street,’ or ‘dark money.’ I certainly didn't understand the constitutional, regulatory, and fiscal responsibilities of our local, state, and federal governments. All I knew came from my mom and grandparents: Elections have consequences. That lesson would become increasingly apparent in the years that followed.
For most of the Sam Brownback administration, I was a blissfully ignorant elementary and middle school student. It wasn't until high school and college that I began to understand the impact of his leadership, and the Republican-controlled Legislature that enabled his agenda, on my peers and our communities.
Ms. O'Hara was our school art teacher until she unexpectedly didn't return for the fall semester of my third-grade year, much to the dismay of her students. I wasn't a very good artist, but our biweekly art class was a welcome break from studying Common Core math. Years later, I learned she had been let go because of budget cuts. This happened during the initial years of the Brownback tax experiment, before the situation became even more severe.
By my seventh-grade year, teachers were discussing, in hushed but frantic tones, the possibility of shortened school weeks and cuts to elective courses. I was fortunate enough to attend a district that weathered the storm and maintained a five-day school week, but numerous others across Kansas weren't so lucky. For students who rely on school as one of the few dependable places to find food, mentorship, safety, and comfort, losing even one day in the classroom each week has implications that extend far beyond academics.
The disinvestment was visible throughout our schools. Textbooks were outdated and falling apart. Annual field trips were cancelled. Teachers left the profession, classrooms became overcrowded, and academic performance suffered. These weren't abstract budget figures or political talking points. They were the everyday experiences of Kansas students, families, and educators.
Brownback and his allies in the Statehouse failed to use their elected positions to serve the people they represented.
But Kansans eventually course-corrected. In 2018, they elected Governor Laura Kelly, and the difference was just as apparent. General education funding was restored, the state's budget deficit was addressed, and schools began rebuilding services that had been cut or neglected for years. More counselors, career certification programs, and modern classroom technology became possible. After years of disinvestment, Kansas schools finally had an opportunity to move forward, and we're beginning to see improvements in academic performance.
Two gubernatorial administrations, separated by just one election, produced vastly different outcomes for Kansas students. The difference wasn't abstract political ideology. It was the quality of their education, the resources available to their teachers, and the opportunities afforded to an entire generation of Kansans.
Elections have consequences.
When you cast your ballot on Tuesday, November 3, remember that the decisions made by elected officials don't stay confined to the Statehouse or Washington, D.C. They follow us into our classrooms, our communities, our workplaces, and our homes. Some effects are immediate. Others take years to fully appreciate.
Kansans and Americans are already feeling the effects of the policies and priorities of those elected in 2024. We have an opportunity this year to change course.
2026 is our chance to stop the cruelty, suffering, incompetence, greed, and corruption, and choose a better path forward. The stakes are high, but the choice is clear. Vote for decency. Vote for compassion. Vote for integrity. Vote for democracy. Vote for Democrats!
On Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Make a plan to vote, encourage your friends and family to do the same, and vote for the future you'd be proud of.
Best,
Kelm Lear
Chair
