City, school races would have been lost amid election noise

With its unprecedented avalanche of robocalls, TV ads and mailers, the election demonstrated why it would be a mistake to move Kansas municipal and school board elections to the fall – at least of even-numbered years. In an attempt to increase turnout, some legislators have pushed to put these important local elections on the same ballots with the state and federal contests and, worse, to make them partisan. But the candidates and issues would have been lost amid the noise this fall. A similar proposal to move these local elections to November in odd-numbered years also is opposed by local officials. Lawmakers should leave local elections alone. – Rhonda Holman

This story was originally published November 4, 2014 at 6:03 PM.