Shawn Linenberger

Local voters are assembling a grassroots write-in campaign in hopes of keeping a local legislator serving in Topeka.

State Rep. Jim Karleskint, R-Tonganoxie, has represented the 42nd District for nearly four years. But the incumbent lost in the primary to Republican challenger Lance W. Neely in August.

With no Democratic opponents running in the general election, Neely doesn’t have any opposition from other parties.

But local resident Linda Sturgeon said Tuesday that a group of voters has been encouraging the electorate in the 42nd District to write in Karleskint’s name when they vote in the general election, whether in advance or on Election Day at the polls Nov. 3.

Sturgeon said the group has been sending out emails and posting on personal Facebook pages to encourage voters to write in Karleskint’s name.

“It’s really been word of mouth,” she said.

The write-in effort is happening, Sturgeon said, because she thought Karleskint has stood up for local residents, especially when Tonganoxie drew considerable attention when it was announced the Tyson planned to build a more than $300 million state-of-the-art chicken facility just south of Tonganoxie. Public opposition, along with efforts from Karleskint and other local elected officials, led to the company later announcing it would look to build the facility elsewhere.

“Jim stood up for Tonganoxie during the Tyson thing,” Sturgeon said. “He made some enemies in his party by doing that. He is a smart guy who thinks for himself.”

She said Karleskint still has voted often along with the party at the Statehouse.

“His primary focus is his district,” she said. “That’s his primary focus and not big money, not party politics, but what he thinks is right for the district and I think that’s exactly what type of representation we need in Topeka.”

Sturgeon encouraged voters interested in casting a write-in vote for Karleskint to write his name down on a piece of paper and take it with them when they cast their votes.

“It’s not a Smith or a Jones,” Sturgeon said, explaining that Karleskint isn’t a common spelling as others might be.

Neelly won the primary with nearly 52% of the vote. He had 1,764 votes to Karleskint’s 1,642. Karleskint is a former public school teacher, principal and superintendent; Neely works in security and corrections. Both are from Tonganoxie. But while Karleskint has supported some of moderate Republicans’ biggest priorities during his time in the Legislature, Neelly has billed himself as a staunch conservative.

Karleskint has served two terms in the 42nd District, which includes Tonganoxie, Easton, and parts of Douglas County and Eudora.

Karleskint unseated incumbent Connie O’Brien in the 2016 primary before winning the general election against Democrat Kara Reed with nearly 58% of the vote. He retained his seat in 2018 by defeating Neelly in the primary by 167 votes (with about 53% of the vote) and then again winning against a Democratic challenger in the general election, that time against Thea Perry with 63% of the vote.

O’Brien had served four terms before losing to Karleskint.