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FORT SCOTT - The Bourbon County Republican Party has halted its effort to replace County Clerk Susan Walker after Walker told the Kansas Secretary of State's office Friday that her Aug. 10 resignation was an "announcement" and that she had not notified the governor, according to party Chair Kaety Bowers.
Bowers said the state's election director had told her earlier Friday that Walker's public statements already met the legal standard of notice. The process stopped only after Walker recharacterized them, Bowers said.
Walker told county commissioners at their Aug. 10 meeting that she would step down effective Aug. 31, ending what she described as 24 years of public service. Her written statement was later published online on FortScott.biz.
In a news release early Friday evening, Bowers said the party had been cleared earlier in the week to begin the statutory replacement process under K.S.A. 19-303 and 25-3902. After Walker spoke with the Secretary of State's office Friday, the election director instructed the party to stop, Bowers said.
According to the release, the party retracted its statement of intent to begin the replacement process and does not hold the election director at fault. Bowers wrote that it remains unclear when, or if, a formal resignation letter will be submitted.
Earlier Friday, the office of County Attorney James Crux verified that signatures collected for a petition to recall Walker met the statutory minimum. The recall question would appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot, though under state law the county election officer may cancel a recall election if the office becomes vacant first.
"The people of Bourbon County deserve clarity, not shifting statements depending on the audience," Bowers said in the release. "If the resignation is genuine, the letter should be filed where the law requires."
"If it is not, the public announcements should stop as this uncertainty serves no one," she said.
Speaking to the Monitor on Sunday, Bowers said she initially believed she had to wait until Aug. 31 to begin the process. After reviewing the statutes, she said, she confirmed the timeline with two people at the Secretary of State's office, a contact at the Attorney General's office and two 2nd Congressional District chairs, all of whom told her she could proceed.
When questions arose about whether a convention would be legally proper without a letter to the governor, Bowers said, she sought guidance a second time.
Election Director Bryan Caskey called her mid-morning Friday and confirmed she should begin, Bowers said. According to Bowers, Caskey told her Walker's statement to commissioners, combined with the published article, met the statutory standard of notice regardless of whether the governor had been formally notified.
Later Friday, Walker contacted Caskey and characterized her earlier statements as an "announcement" rather than an official resignation, Bowers said. Caskey then called Bowers back and instructed her to stop the process, she said.
Bowers said any vacancy would place a new clerk directly into preparation for the November general election, making every day of transition time valuable.
Asked Friday night for a response to Bowers' statement, Walker told the Monitor she wished the party chair had contacted her directly.
"It's unfortunate that the Republican party chair could not reach out to me and ask questions," Walker said.
Bowers responded that same evening:
"It's unfortunate that the Clerk's first public comment is to chastise me for not privately double-checking her own resignation announcement. I wish her well in her new position and pray for peace and happiness for her and her family."
Walker told the Monitor on Sunday that she had not yet filed the letter because she was preparing for the Aug. 17 canvass of the primary election. She said she attempted to call Bowers on the evening of Aug. 14 after the statement was released.
Bowers confirmed the attempted call and said she was in Overland Park with her daughter at the time.
Walker also told the Monitor on Friday that clerk's office employee Leslie Herrin has transferred to the County Attorney's office and that Amber Page will transfer to the Treasurer's office after the canvass.
Walker said at the Aug. 10 meeting that she would be out of the office from Aug. 17 through Aug. 31 and had named Deputy Clerk Michael Hoyt as acting clerk until the party appoints a replacement.
Hoyt appears to be the only clerk's office employee who will remain after Aug. 17.
Bowers' original statement is linked below, as is Walker's full resignation statement from the Aug. 10 meeting.
