Kansas elected agency officeholders use websites as campaign billboards

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Kansas state government agencies are headed by a mix of elected and appointed officials. After looking at the websites for agencies headed by elected officials, Kansans would be justified in asking if all are using their agency websites for campaign purposes.

Of the four agencies (other than the governor and lieutenant governor) that are headed by officials who must seek statewide election, all use their agency’s website to get their name and photograph exposed to the public.

While it is important for Kansans to know who is heading state government agencies and how to contact them, there is a distinct difference between the website prominence of agency heads who are elected and those who are appointed. Based on research from earlier this year, only about one-third of the websites for agencies with appointed chief executives feature that person on the front page of the website. For agencies with elected chiefs, all feature the elected official, often prominently.

While adding a photograph or even a video to a website doesn’t appreciably increase the cost of providing the service, this type of self-promotion must be considered a form of campaigning.

Elected offices

The page for the Kansas Secretary of State features a large photo of incumbent Chris Biggs, along with a reproduction of his signature. Under the heading “About Us,” the page promotes his “vision and leadership.” Biggs faces a Republican opponent in the general election.

At the website for Kansas Attorney General, visitors are greeted by the headline “Attorney General Steve Six.” The font page holds a video message from Six and a welcome message. The site carries the message “Copyright 2007 – 2009 Attorney General Steve Six,” which raises the question as to who the website and its content belongs to: Six or the people of Kansas. Six faces a Republican opponent in the general election.

The office of the Kansas Insurance Commission features the large headline “Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger” and her photograph. Praeger is running for re-election this year and defeated her Republican opponent in the primary election. She faces no major party challenger in the general election.

The website for the Kansas State Treasurer features the large headline “Dennis McKinney Kansas State Treasurer” and his photograph. McKinney faces a Republican challenger in the general election.

Appointed cabinet posts

The Kansas Governor’s office identifies 15 cabinet posts. Some of these agencies, like the Department of Revenue and Department of Transportation are quite visible, while some are obscure. With one exception, the heads of these agencies are appointed by the governor. They do not run for re-election.

Each of the 15 cabinet offices has a website. Of these, six have the agency’s commissioner or secretary featured on its front page. One of these six is the lieutenant governor, which differs from the others in that the lieutenant governor is not the head of an agency, and must run for office on a ticket with the gubernatorial candidate.

At the Kansas Department of Revenue, there is no mention of Secretary Joan Wagnon on the agency’s front page. To find a page about her, readers must click on “About” and then on “Secretary of Revenue.”

At the Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner, there is no mention of Commissioner Marc Wilson on the agency’s front page except his mention in a list of news stories. Wilson was appointed to this office on May 25, with an effective date of June 7.

The Kansas Department of Transportation is one of the state’s most visible agencies. Secretary Deb Miller’s name is not on the agency’s front page except for a mention in a list of news headlines. To get her page, readers must click on “About KDOT,” then “KDOT Leaders,” and then on “Deb Miller.”

At the Kansas Department of Corrections there is a photograph of Secretary Roger Werholtz with a link to his biography page.

At the Kansas Department of Health and Environment there is a photograph of Secretary Roderick L. Bremby near a welcome message at the top of the main page for the agency.

The Kansas Department of Labor agency site makes no mention of Secretary Jim Garner except in a news story near the bottom of the page. Readers must click on the “About Us” link to find a link to Garner’s biography page.

The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) agency website has no mention of Secretary Don Jordan on its front page. Readers muct click on “Agency Information,” the “Find out more,” and then “Executive Staff” to find mention of Jordan. That page contains just his name and telephone number. Using the agency’s search feature found no biography page for Jordan.

The front page for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks makes no mention of Secretary Mike Hayden. Clicking on “Site map,” then “About KDWP,” and then on “Executive Services” found no mention of Hayden. Using the agency’s search function for “Hayden” found a welcome message from him.

The Adjutant General’s departmental site has a photograph of Maj Gen Tod M. Bunting along with a welcome message on its front page.

The Kansas Department of Aging makes no mention of Secretary Martin Kennedy on its from page. Readrs must click on “About KDOA” and then on “Meet the Secretary” before finding Kennedy’s biography.

At the Kansas Department of Commerce, Secretary Bill Thornton is mentioned on the agency’s front page. Users must click on “About us” before finding a link to Thornton’s biography page.

The Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority agency website features a large photograph of Commissioner J. Russell “Russ” Jennings along with a link to his biography page.

The Kansas Highway Patrol has no mention of Superintendent Colonel Terry Maple on its front page. Users must click on “About the KHP” and then on “Colonel’s Welcome” to find Maple’s photograph along with a welcome message, but no biography.

Lieutenant Governor Troy Findley‘s front page holds his photograph and biography.

The front page for the Kansas Department of Administration makes no mention of Secretary of Administration Duane Goossen. The “Contact Info” page lists many divisions of the agency with contact information and links. The “A – Z Subject Index” does not mention his name.

Comments

3 responses to “Kansas elected agency officeholders use websites as campaign billboards”

  1. Wichitator

    What do you mean a mix of elected and appointed officials? Kansas is an appointed oligarchy at the moment. Five of the six statewide officers were never elected to the positions that they currently hold.

    Governor Parkinson succeeded to the governorship after his predecessor decided to join the Obama administration. He appointed the Lt. Governor.

    The current Democrat attorney general was appointed after his Democratic predecessor resigned in disgrace. The appointed treasurer took office when his predecessor got elected to congress in 2008.

    The current secretary of state got appointed when the elected secretary of state suddenly decided to bail out for a private sector job. This turned the office over from a Republican to a Democrat.

    The only elected official hold office in Kansas at the moment statewide is the very liberal insurance commissioner. She’s running for reelection unopposed.

    In addition, our state supreme court consists of a bunch of lawyers who were selected by a closed door committee dominated (5 of 9) by more lawyers. This state is an oligarchy that is masquerading as a “democracy” or a “democratic republic”.

    Needless to say, the soporific and liberal KS news media doesn’t have a problem with any of this. At least a few citizens are fighting back with the closed door judicial appointments by a lawsuit, but the liberal KS AG is fighting them while refusing to defend the Constition from Obamacontrolled health edicts from our former governor, HHS Secretary Sebelius.

    What a disgrace! KS, where oligarchies rule.

  2. Melanie

    What about the Kansas Secretary of Agriculture? I checked the website and Josh Svaty is a member of the Governor’s cabinet. Please include the Ag Secretary because agriculture, if you didn’t know, is the state’s largest industry. As a fourth generation farmer, I’m proud to be passing that legacy on to my kids!

  3. Melanie, I’m sorry I left out the Secretary of Agriculture. He’s not an elected official, however, so he’s not really the subject of this article.

    By the way, agriculture accounts for only 3% of Kansas income. Manufacturing is 15.1%, for example. Government is 14.3%. The finance and insurance industry earns almost twice as much as does agriculture in Kansas.

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