Miranda Allen, Independent candidate for the 4th Congressional District, and her volunteers are traveling throughout the district talking to voters and asking them to sign her petition. “The best part of this process is meeting the voters and discussing one-on-one the issues which are important to the people in Kansas,” said Allen. “Several volunteers and I have hit the pavement asking for signatures for our petition.”
To get on the ballot as an Independent candidate requires a variety of complex, Kansas-specific filing requirements and deadlines. Miranda Allen must gather 5,000 verified signatures from registered voters in the 4th District by August 1. However, Miranda Allen’s name will only be on the ballot during the General Election on November 8. These regulations are known as ballot access laws. Kansas’ lawmakers have developed these procedures in an effort to prevent non-serious candidates from appearing on the ballot; meanwhile, critics contend that stringent ballot access requirements discourage candidates and voter participation in the electoral process. Republican and Democrat candidates are not required to file by petition; they simply pay a statutory filing fee.
A signer of the petition does not mean they are voting for that particular candidate, instead the signature allows for another option to be on the ballot in November. Any registered voter in the district may sign an Independent candidate petition, regardless of party affiliation or lack thereof. “We want everyone to have the opportunity to sign the petition so the people of Kansas can have a choice in November,” said Allen. There are several locations throughout the 4th District where you can sign the petition. These are listed and updated on the events page at www.allenforkansas.com.
Allen is a mom, breast cancer survivor, wife, and a successful business owner. She is a sixth-generation Kansan with a family ranch and farm in Barber County. Allen is a graduate of South Barber High School, has a B.A. from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and an MBA from the University of Colorado. Allen and her husband, Stephen, an Air Force Veteran, returned to settle in Kiowa after his tours of duty in Korea and Colorado, to raise their four children. Allen is currently the CEO of Radiofrequency Safety International (RSI), a company that she has grown into one of South Barber County’s largest private sector employers. Additionally, her leadership as President of the Barber County Economic Development Inc. brought more than 500 energy-related jobs into the district and represents more than $1 billion in investment for Kansas. Visit www.allenforkansas.com for more information.
