2025 Voter Research Guide
Your one-stop hub for researching Overland Park's local elections
Quick Facts
Election Day
November 4, 2025
Polls close at 7:00 PM
Voter Registration Deadline
October 14, 2025
Find Your Polling Location
Johnson County Election OfficeLast updated: October 17, 2025
OP Voice is brand new and (for now) very small. We don't have the capacity to cover every forum or race this cycle—but we can make it easy for you (and your neighbors) to find reliable info fast.
Below is a 15-minute research checklist for any local race, plus a living link hub we'll keep updated through election day.
We're committed to expanding this work in future elections to cover every forum we can. If you want that too, jump to Help us grow at the bottom.
How to Use This Page
- • Bookmark this page — we add new forums, candidate links, and resources regularly
- • Use your browser's search (Ctrl+F / Cmd+F) to find candidates by name
- • Start with the checklist below if you're new to local races
- • Submit new forums or links using the form at the bottom
15-Minute Local Race Checklist
Find the candidates
- • Check the Johnson County ballot guide and civic hubs (e.g., VoteJoCo)
- • Grab official campaign sites from Google or candidate social profiles
Watch or skim a forum
- • Search YouTube for:
"[City/Race] forum [Year]"and"[Candidate Name] town hall" - • Pro tip: Use playback speed 1.25× or 1.5× to skim faster; note timestamps for key topics
Scan news & endorsements
- • Try:
"[Candidate Name]" site:johnsoncountypost.com(or another trusted local outlet) - • Note endorsements and, where available, who's funding them
Compare on five essentials
- • Housing & land use
- • Budget, taxes, & incentives (TIF/abatements)
- • Public safety & civil liberties
- • Transportation & infrastructure
- • Transparency & ethics (disclosure, open data, meeting conduct)
Record your sources
- • Save links + timestamps
- • Screenshots help when posts disappear
What to Watch For
As you compare candidates, keep an eye out for:
Specific vs. vague answers
Do they explain how they'd do something, or just say they would?
Consistency
Do their stated priorities match their voting record (for incumbents) or funding sources?
Who's funding them
Follow the money. Endorsements and donations can reveal alignments. Check OpenSecrets.org for federal races.
Tone and conduct
How do they handle tough questions? Do they listen to opposing views?
Link Hub (Living List)
We're collecting race pages, forums, and official sites in one place so you don't have to hunt.
Mayor
Read our full analysis →Mayor Curt Skoog
Dr. Faris Farassati
Council Member — Ward 2
Council Member — Ward 3
Council Member — Ward 4
Council Member — Ward 5
Johnson County Community College — Board of Trustees
Carlton Abner
Chad Carroll
Dawn J. Rattan
Jerry Charlton
Kenneth Stokes
Campaign siteLee Cross
Campaign siteMark Hamill
USD 229 — Blue Valley
- Member 4: Sonya Evans
- Member 5: Gina Knapp; Steve Roberts
- Member 6: David Benson; Jim McMullen
USD 512 — Shawnee Mission
- Member 2: Mary Sinclair
- Member 4: April Boyd-Noronha
- Member 6 (At-Large): Heather M. F. Ousley
Water District
- Board Member 3: Kay Heley
- Board Member 4: Bob Reese; Jennifer Gunby
- Board Member 5: Jill Westra
Help Us Grow
Our Promise for Future Elections
- • Coverage goal: Every forum we can verify, with side-by-side summaries
- • Standards: Source-first citations, full-length videos where possible, and clear topic tables so you can compare positions in minutes
- • Timeline: We'll recruit and train volunteers between cycles to scale responsibly
Volunteer
Note-takers, timestampers, and fact-checkers welcome—no experience needed
Submit Links
If you attend a forum or spot a new video, send it our way
Share the Hub
The more neighbors use it, the better our collective research gets