By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Alicia Straub is now in her sixth year in Topeka, first serving in the House of Representatives, and now entering a fourth year as a state senator for District 33 which includes all or part of 12 counties, including Barton, Pawnee, and Stafford. Before Topeka, she served four years on the Barton County Commission. She's now turning her attention back to county politics as a Republican candidate in the Barton County Clerk's race.
"I think my political experience, and the fact that I'm studious, meticulous, and I'm dedicated to serving the people of Barton County and Kansas," she said. "Now understanding government the way I do, I believe this is one of the most underrated positions. It is extremely important that we get ahold of our elections to secure them."
A Barton County native, Straub went on to earn a marketing degree from Kansas State University with a minor in business. She's well familiar with the many roles performed by county clerks, including managing election equipment and voter rolls.
"Voter registration and voter rolls are the key to making sure we have secure, accurate elections to start with," she said. "We have no process of auditing voter rolls other than cross-checking them with death records, driver's license registration, but there really is no process for auditing voter rolls. That's concerning. I believe we're starting with an inaccurate list from the get-go."
Straub joins current Barton County Clerk Bev Schmeidler on the Republican ballot for the office ahead of the Aug. 6 primary. The winner of the primary will advance to the General Election on Nov. 5.