$71,000 for Gerrymandering? Johnson County, KS Deserves Better

Well, This Is Rich!

The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners (JoCo BOCC), under the leadership of Chairman Mike Kelly, decided it was necessary to hire a consultant, HAYSTAQDNA, to assist with redistricting the six commission districts. The cost? A staggering $71,000 of your tax dollars.

This is yet another example of unnecessary government spending. County staff could have easily handled the task — and likely did most, if not all, of the actual work on the redistricting plan anyway.

So why bring in an outside consultant? In my opinion, Chairman Mike Kelly needed a political hatchet man to weaken Commissioner Fast’s position in her district. Commissioner Fast’s so-called “offense”? She occasionally voted alongside Commissioner Ashcraft and me during my tenure on the commission. But under Chairman Kelly’s style of leadership — more absolute ruler than collaborative leader — you don’t dare vote against his wishes. The result? Commissioner Fast’s district was carved into a long, narrow strip in what looks suspiciously like political gerrymandering.

Who is HAYSTAQDNA?
According to its own website, the firm boasts an impressive list of left-leaning clients, including Bernie Sanders and Barack Obama. You can see for yourself here: https://haystaqdna.com

And yet, Democrats put on quite a show whenever Republicans propose legislation to make city, school board, community college, and county commission elections partisan. The reality is that Republican support for partisan local elections comes down to one simple word: Transparency. Voters have a right to know the party affiliation of the people they are voting for, because it is an important indicator of political philosophy and priorities.

In my view, the Democrats’ loud objections are nothing more than political theater, designed to keep electing Blue Democrats in a Red Kansas. The time for pretending these elections are “nonpartisan” is over.

The Bottom Line is Transparency
If politicians are going to play partisan games behind closed doors, voters deserve to see the scoreboard. It’s time to end the charade, call partisanship what it is, and give the people the full truth before they step into the voting booth.

Charlotte O’Hara
Republican for Kansas Governor, 2026