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Session of 2025
SENATE BILL No. 118
By Senators Shallenburger, Argabright, Bowser, Clifford, Gossage, Holscher,
Klemp, Murphy, Owens, Peck, Rose, Shane, Starnes, Sykes and Thomas
1-30
AN ACT concerning members of the legislature; imposing conditional
term limits; requiring nomination by petition for any legislator seeking
reelection after having served the maximum number of terms;
amending K.S.A. 25-205 and repealing the existing section.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
New Section 1. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), on and after
January 11, 2027:
(1) No individual shall be elected as a member of the house of
representatives for more than six two-year terms; and
(2) no individual shall be elected as a member of the senate for more
than three four-year terms.
(b) An individual may serve more than the number of terms specified
in subsection (a) only if such individual is nominated for such office by
petition in accordance with K.S.A. 25-205, and amendments thereto, for
each election for such office after such individual has served such
specified number of terms.
(c) In determining the number of terms an individual has served:
(1) Only full terms shall be included;
(2) terms served in the house of representatives shall be determined
separately from terms served in the senate; and
(3) full terms shall be included whether such terms are served
consecutively or nonconsecutively.
Sec. 2. K.S.A. 25-205 is hereby amended to read as follows: 25-205.
(a) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the names of
candidates for national, state, county and township offices shall be printed
upon the official primary ballot when each shall have qualified to become
a candidate by one of the following methods and none other: (1) They(A)
Such individual shall have had filed in their on such individual's behalf,
not later than 12 noon, June 1, prior to such primary election, or if such
date falls on Saturday, Sunday or a holiday, then before 12 noon of the
next following day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or a holiday, nomination
petitions, as provided for in this act section; or (2) they(B) such individual
shall have filed not later than the time for filing nomination petitions, as
above provided, with the proper officer a declaration of intention to
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become a candidate, accompanied by the fee required by law. Such
declaration shall be prescribed by the secretary of state.
(2) For any candidate for state representative or state senator who
has served the number of terms for such office as specified in section 1,
and amendments thereto, such individual's name shall only be printed on
the official primary ballot if such individual is qualified to become a
candidate by having a nomination petition filed on such individual's behalf
in accordance with this section.
(b) (1) Nomination petitions shall be in substantially the following
form:
I, the undersigned, an elector of the county of ______________, and
state of Kansas, and a duly registered voter, and a member of
______________ party, hereby nominate ______________, who resides in
the township of ______________ (or at number ________ on
______________ street, city of ______________), in the county of
______________ and state of Kansas, as a candidate for the office of (here
specify the office) ______________, to be voted for at the primary
election to be held on the first Tuesday in August in ______________, as
representing the principles of such party; and I further declare that I intend
to support the candidate herein named and that I have not signed and will
not sign any nomination petition for any other person, for such office at
such primary election.
(HEADING)
Name of Street Number Name of Date of
Signers. or Rural Route City. Signing.
(as registered).
All nomination petitions shall have substantially the foregoing form,
written or printed at the top thereof. No signature shall be counted unless it
is upon a sheet having such written or printed form at the top thereof.
(2) If the nomination petition is for a candidate for office and such
candidate has served the number of terms specified for such office under
section 1, and amendments thereto, then such petition shall also include
the following statement: "I understand that the candidate has served the
total number of terms for such office as specified in section 1 but desires
to be elected to this office."
(c) Each signer of a nomination petition shall sign but one such
petition for the same office, and shall declare that such person intends to
support the candidate therein named, and shall add to such person's
signature and residence, if in a city, by street and number (if any); or,
otherwise by post-office address. No signature shall be counted unless the
place of residence of the signer is clearly indicated and the date of signing
given as herein required and if ditto marks are used to indicate address
they shall be continuous and clearly made. Such sheets shall not be cut or
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pasted together.
(d) All signers of each separate nomination petition shall reside in the
same county and election district of the office sought. The affidavit
described in this paragraph of a petition circulator as defined in K.S.A. 25-
3608, and amendments thereto, or of the candidate shall be appended to
each petition and shall contain, at the end of each set of documents carried
by each circulator, a verification, signed by the circulator or the candidate,
to the effect that such circulator or the candidate personally witnessed the
signing of the petition by each person whose name appears thereon.
(e) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (g), nomination
petitions shall be signed:
(1) If for a state officer elected on a statewide basis or for the office
of United States senator, by voters equal in number to not less than 1% of
the total of the current voter registration of the party designated in the state
as compiled by the office of the secretary of state;
(2) if for a state or national officer elected on less than a statewide
basis, by voters equal in number to not less than 2% of the total of the
current voter registration of the party designated in such district as
compiled by the office of the secretary of state, except that for the office of
district magistrate judge, by not less than 2% of the total of the current
voter registration of the party designated in the county in which such office
is to be filled as certified to the secretary of state in accordance with
K.S.A. 25-3302, and amendments thereto;
(3) if for a county office, by voters equal in number to not less than
3% of the total of the current voter registration of the party designated in
such district or county as compiled by the county election officer and
certified to the secretary of state in accordance with K.S.A. 25-3302, and
amendments thereto; and
(4) if for a township office, by voters equal in number to not less than
3% of the total of the current voter registration of the party designated in
such township as compiled by the county election officer and certified to
the secretary of state in accordance with K.S.A. 25-3302, and amendments
thereto.
(f) Subject to the requirements of K.S.A. 25-202, and amendments
thereto, any political organization filing nomination petitions for a
majority of the state or county offices, as provided in this act, shall have a
separate primary election ballot as a political party and, upon receipt of
such nomination petitions, the respective officers shall prepare a separate
state and county ballot for such new party in their respective counties or
districts thereof in the same manner as is provided for existing parties.
(g) In any year in which districts are reapportioned for the offices of
representative in the United States congress, senator and representative in
the legislature of the state of Kansas or member of the state board of
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education:
(1) If new boundary lines are defined and districts established in the
manner prescribed by law on or before May 10, nomination petitions for
nomination to such offices shall be signed by voters equal in number to not
less than 1% of the total of the current voter registration of the party
designated in the district as compiled by the office of the secretary of state.
(2) If new boundary lines are defined and districts established in the
manner prescribed by law on or after May 11, nomination petitions for
nomination to the following offices shall be signed by registered voters of
the party designated in the district equal in number to not less than the
following:
(A) For the office of representative in the United States congress
1,000 registered voters;
(B) for the office of member of the state board of education 300
registered voters;
(C) for the office of state senator 75 registered voters; and
(D) for the office of state representative 25 registered voters.
(h) In any year in which districts are reapportioned for the offices of
representative in the United States congress, senator and representative in
the legislature of the state of Kansas or member of the state board of
education:
(1) If new boundary lines are defined and districts established in the
manner prescribed by law on or before May 10, the deadline for filing
nomination petitions and declarations of intention to become a candidate
for such office, accompanied by the fee required by law, shall be 12 noon
on June 1, or if such date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or a holiday, then
before 12 noon of the next following day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or
holiday.
(2) If new boundary lines are defined and districts established in the
manner prescribed by law on or after May 11, the deadline for filing
nomination petitions and declarations of intention to become a candidate
for such office, accompanied by the fee required by law, shall be 12 noon
on June 10, or if such date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, then
before 12 noon of the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or holiday.
(i) Primary elections for candidates for municipal office shall be held
when otherwise required by law. The names of candidates for municipal
offices shall be printed upon the official primary ballot in odd-numbered
year elections and in even-numbered years when needed. Persons shall
become qualified to become a candidate by one of the following methods:
(1) TheySuch individual shall have filed, not later than 12 noon, on
June 1, prior to such primary election, or if such date falls on Saturday,
Sunday or a holiday, then before 12 noon of the next following day that is
not a Saturday, Sunday or a holiday, nomination petitions, as otherwise
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provided by law; or
(2) theysuch individual shall have filed, not later than the time for
filing nomination petitions, as above provided, with the proper officer a
declaration of intention to become a candidate, accompanied by the $20
fee required by law. Such declaration shall be prescribed by the secretary
of state as provided in K.S.A. 25-21a03, and amendments thereto.
Sec. 3. K.S.A. 25-205 is hereby repealed.
Sec. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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