With time to review the election results of Kansas, little has changed from the state-level projections on Nov. 5. Kansas had a strong turnout, though it fell short of record-breaking numbers. Johnson County led with over 325,000 votes, followed by Sedgwick County with 200,000. Together, these counties accounted for more than 40% of the statewide vote.
Republicans will retain their supermajority in both the state House and Senate, expanding their lead with three additional seats in the House and two in the Senate. The Kansas Senate will have a four-seat supermajority advantage (31 Republicans to 9 Democrats), and the Kansas House will have a similar advantage (88 Republicans to 37 Democrats). These supermajorities will be pivotal as the legislature prepares for the final two years of Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s second term. With this advantage, legislative leaders are likely to push for more aggressive tax and regulatory reforms, including the potential for more constitutional amendments, knowing they have the buffer to override potential vetoes. This outcome may also pave the way for more policy discussions on issues like abortion, Second Amendment rights and other social topics. Conversely, it strengthens opposition to proposals like Medicaid expansion and medical marijuana.
Some takeaways from Nov. 5: Trump’s presence on the ballot (for the third consecutive presidential election) drove turnout, even as Johnson County voted against him, 53% to 45%. U.S. Representative Sharice Davids (KS-3) performed well, winning by 14 points against Dr. Prasanth Reddy. However, down-ballot Democrats generally underperformed by 3-4%, and two races remain close but are unlikely to change outcomes. Interestingly, some voters supported Kamala Harris, but, Republican state candidates or only voted in the presidential race. Overall, Democratic voter turnout was lower than in 2020.
State-level votes cast by party over the last three presidential cycles:
- 2016: Republicans: 671,000; Democrats: 427,000
- 2020: Republicans: 771,000 (+100,000); Democrats: 570,000 (+143,000)
- 2024: Republicans: 735,000 (-36,000); Democrats: 523,000 (-47,000)
In 2020, both parties saw turnout growth, with Democrats nearly doubling the growth rate of Republicans, likely influenced by Governor Laura Kelly’s 2018 win and support for mail-in voting during COVID-19. However, Democrats saw a decline in 2024, particularly in counties like Johnson, Wyandotte and Shawnee — a factor likely contributing to the stability of the Republican supermajority.
Kansas legislative leadership elections took place on Monday, Dec. 2, at the state capitol, where newly-elected members chose House and Senate leaders who will shape the legislative agenda.
