Secretary of State of Kansas · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Kansas secretary of state race?
Pat Proctor has the strongest record in the Kansas secretary of state race. Pat Proctor scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Scott Morgan at 64, as of October 6, 2026. Pat Proctor's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Scott Morgan's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Jennifer Day (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Jennifer Day
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- NR
United Kansas
Scott Morgan
On the ballot as Scott E. Morgan
64 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 50
Republican
Strongest record
Pat Proctor
67 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 75
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Jennifer Day
- On the record2026
Proctor's campaign posted video of her remark on noncitizen voting in some local elections; her campaign said she does not support noncitizens voting in any Kansas election.
Source: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
- On the record2021
Resigned her Kansas House seat in 2021 after moving out of the district.
Source: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
- Credit2018 to 2026
Has served as a Johnson County election worker in every election since 2018.
Scott Morgan
- On the record2026-04
Co-founded the Free State Party, which merged with United Kansas in April 2026; he is United Kansas's executive director.
Source: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
- Credit2026
Former Republican Gov. Mike Hayden endorsed his United Kansas candidacy.
Source: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
Pat Proctor
- On the record2026
In a recorded speech said 'Democrats are stealing our elections, fair and square' through legal methods; he said circulated clips were edited out of context.
Source: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
- On the record2026
Sponsored the citizens-only voting constitutional amendment on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot.
Source: Ballotpedia, Pat Proctor
- On the record2025
Carried the law ending Kansas's three-day mail ballot grace period, enacted over the governor's veto; a court has blocked it.
Sources: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026, Ballotpedia, Pat Proctor
- Credit1989 to 2019
Served 30 years in the Army, rising from private to colonel, with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Source: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Jennifer Day. State campaign finance reports for 2025 and 2026 are on file with the Secretary of State. No Public Disclosure Commission finding found.
Source: Kansas Secretary of State, statewide campaign finance filings, 2026 cycle
Scott Morgan. State campaign finance report for 2026 is on file with the Secretary of State. No Public Disclosure Commission finding found.
Source: Kansas Secretary of State, statewide campaign finance filings, 2026 cycle
Pat Proctor. State campaign finance reports for 2025 and 2026 are on file with the Secretary of State. No Public Disclosure Commission finding found.
Source: Kansas Secretary of State, statewide campaign finance filings, 2026 cycle
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Jennifer Day. No public record found.
Scott Morgan. No public record found.
Pat Proctor. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Jennifer Day. No public record found.
Scott Morgan. No public record found.
Pat Proctor. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Jennifer Day. No public record found.
Scott Morgan. Two terms on the Lawrence school board, twice as president, and a legal career including chief counsel posts for Gov. Mike Hayden and Bob Dole's 1988 campaign, with no conduct finding found.
Pat Proctor. Thirty years of Army service to colonel and three House terms, with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Pat Proctor
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Jennifer Day. Took the oath as a state representative in 2020; no official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
Scott Morgan. Served two terms on the Lawrence school board; no official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
Pat Proctor. Took the oath as an Army officer (1989 to 2019) and state representative. No misuse-of-office finding and no recorded vote or filing to reject certified results found; his election statements are in the Record.
Source: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Jennifer Day. Served in the Kansas House from 2020 to 2021; has worked as a Johnson County election worker since 2018 and as a League of Women Voters chapter vice president.
Source: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
Scott Morgan. Two terms on the Lawrence school board; staff counsel to Sen. Bob Dole, chief counsel to Gov. Mike Hayden, and a Senate representative on the Federal Election Commission (non-voting).
Sources: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026, Ballotpedia, Scott Morgan (Kansas)
Pat Proctor. Three terms in the Kansas House since 2021, including chairing the House Elections Committee; retired Army colonel.
Sources: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026, Ballotpedia, Pat Proctor
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Jennifer Day. Priorities on voter education and confidence, secure and accessible elections, a longer advance voting period and business services, in general terms.
Source: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
Scott Morgan. Specific proposals that fit the office: making secretary of state an appointed, nonpartisan administrative post, reinstating the three-day mail ballot grace period, and opposing proof-of-citizenship registration requirements.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Oct. 2, 2026, KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
Pat Proctor. Chairs the House Elections Committee and the Joint Committee on Kansas Security; publishes specific election proposals, including restoring Election Day as the mail ballot deadline and stronger paper audits.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Pat Proctor, KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Jennifer Day. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey, answered the Johnson County Post's questions and publishes positions on her campaign site.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Jennifer Day (Kansas), KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
Scott Morgan. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey, holds public livestream events and gives interviews explaining his positions.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Scott Morgan (Kansas), Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Oct. 2, 2026
Pat Proctor. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey, publishes priorities on his campaign site and speaks publicly on election policy.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Pat Proctor, KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Jennifer Day. Has lived in Overland Park for 25 years.
Sources: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026, Johnson County Post, Aug. 5, 2026
Scott Morgan. Fifth-generation Kansan raised in Shawnee; lives in Lawrence.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Scott Morgan (Kansas), Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Oct. 2, 2026
Pat Proctor. Represents Leavenworth in the Kansas House; his family owns restaurants in Leavenworth and Manhattan.
Source: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Jennifer Day. Runs a real estate investment and interior design business; state campaign reports on file with no penalty found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Jennifer Day (Kansas), Kansas Secretary of State, statewide campaign finance filings, 2026 cycle
Scott Morgan. Co-founded and ran Morgan Quitno Press, sold to CQ Press in 2007; executive director of United Kansas.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Scott Morgan (Kansas), Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Oct. 2, 2026
Pat Proctor. Owns a business and has state campaign reports on file with no penalty found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Pat Proctor, Kansas Secretary of State, statewide campaign finance filings, 2026 cycle
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Jennifer Day. No public record found.
Scott Morgan. No public record found.
Pat Proctor. Carried the law ending the three-day grace period for mail ballots (enacted over a veto, then blocked in court) and the citizens-only voting amendment on the 2026 ballot.
Sources: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026, Ballotpedia, Pat Proctor
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Jennifer Day. No public record found.
Scott Morgan. No public record found.
Pat Proctor. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Jennifer Day. No public record found.
Scott Morgan. No public record found.
Pat Proctor. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Jennifer Day. No public record found.
Scott Morgan. Endorsed by former Republican Gov. Mike Hayden while running as the United Kansas nominee.
Source: KCUR, Aug. 3, 2026
Pat Proctor. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Jennifer Day. No public record found.
Scott Morgan. No public record found.
Pat Proctor. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in the Kansas secretary of state race?
Pat Proctor has the strongest record in the Kansas secretary of state race. Pat Proctor scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Scott Morgan at 64, as of October 6, 2026. Pat Proctor's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Scott Morgan's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Jennifer Day (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Kansas secretary of state race in 2026?
Jennifer Day (Democratic), Scott Morgan (United Kansas), Pat Proctor (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Jennifer Day a good candidate for Secretary of State?
Jennifer Day has public evidence on 7 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Scott Morgan a good candidate for Secretary of State?
Scott Morgan scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Pat Proctor a good candidate for Secretary of State?
Pat Proctor scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Kansas race scored, and the Kansas 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.