Douglas County, Kansas

Commissioner District 4

One candidate is tracked for Commissioner District 4 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Ethan Spurling. Candidate information follows official Douglas County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

August 4 primary result: Ethan Spurling (55.5 percent) won the Democratic nomination over Gene Dorsey (44.5 percent) and advances to the November 3 ballot, per livevoterturnout.com reporting of the official results (re-verify against the certified canvass). A contested August 4 Democratic ballot with no Republican filed, per the certified list and the Lawrence Times. Appears only on District 4 ballots.

What this office does

County commissioner. The county board is the county's legislative and, in most states, executive body. Commissioners adopt the county budget and property tax rate, oversee roads, the jail, public health, planning and zoning in unincorporated areas, and appoint or confirm department heads. In counties with an elected county executive or judge, the board's role is mainly the budget and ordinances.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. One name is on the ballot for this seat.

Kansas › Douglas County › Commissioner District 4

Ethan Spurling

Democratic

Top priorities

Affordable housing through partnerships with cities and nonprofits
Opposing large-scale data centers while supporting job-creating businesses
Scrutinizing tax abatements to ease the burden on homeowners

Per the Lawrence Times questionnaire.

Biography

Works in public policy and government relations for a Lawrence-based education nonprofit, after four years on the Frontenac City Council and nearly four years in Gov. Laura Kelly's administration, per the Lawrence Times questionnaire.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotCommissioner District 5

See your full ballot

Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Commissioner District 4 in 2026?

When is the Commissioner District 4 election in Kansas?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Kansas are on the Kansas election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Douglas County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Douglas County and state election office filings, last verified October 2, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Kansas election office, or see the full Douglas County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Douglas County ballot

12 tracked races in Douglas County, Kansas. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Kansas House District 5 Kansas House District 10 Kansas House District 42 See all 12 Douglas County races

Candidate profiles

Ethan Spurling, full profile Official Kansas election office