By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Local elections will not officially be decided until November, but the primary races in August often determine which candidates will take office the following year. Changes are coming to the Barton County Attorney's Office as Levi Morris, the sitting county attorney, defeated Donald Anderson II in the Republican primary for 20th Judicial District Judge.
"It was a relief because you never know what turnout is going to be," Morris said. "If someone was paying attention to turnout four years ago, it was a lot higher. That's because of the U.S. Senate race. Turnout was lower than we expected this time and you never know what's important to what voters."
Just 20.26 percent of total registered voters in Barton County voted in last week's primary election, down from nearly 40 percent four years ago. Morris collected nearly 58 percent of the vote in the five counties of the 20th Judicial District, including 66 percent of the vote in Barton County. Morris will be uncontested on November's general election ballot. Regardless of that result, Morris' time in the county attorney's office will come to a close in January.
"I am looking forward to making sure I close out my time in the county attorney's office on a high note," he said, "and making sure I do a good job of handing the baton off to the incoming county attorney."
Current Miami County Attorney J. Colin Reynolds, a former assistant under Morris in Barton County, will be the lone candidate for Barton County Attorney in the November general election.