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FORT SCOTT — Bourbon County Clerk Susan Walker submitted her resignation to Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday evening, clearing the way for the Bourbon County Republican Party to select her replacement. Walker also sent the resignation to party Chair Kaety Bowers and the Kansas secretary of state's election director, Bowers said in a statement.
The party has until Labor Day, Sept. 7, to name a successor, according to the statement. Bowers said the party will begin that process and release convention details when they are set.
"With Labor Day (9/7/26) as our deadline, the party will begin the process to find a replacement and will announce the convention details as soon as they are available," Bowers said.
Bowers invited residents to the party's meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Bailey Building at Fort Scott Community College. She said interested people may also email bourbon.county.republicans@gmail.com.
"I would like to personally invite any interested persons to attend our meeting this Thursday, 8/20 at 6pm in the Bailey Building at FSCC," Bowers said. "Public input is also essential and welcome."
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. She named Deputy Clerk Michael Hoyt acting clerk and said she would be out of the office from Aug. 17 until her resignation took effect.
The party halted an earlier attempt to begin the replacement process Aug. 14, after Walker told the secretary of state's office that her Aug. 10 statement was an "announcement" and that she had not notified the governor.
Election Director Bryan Caskey had told Bowers earlier that day that Walker's public statements met the statutory standard of notice, then instructed her to stop, Bowers said.
Also on Aug. 14, County Attorney James Crux's office 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 state law allows the county election officer to cancel a recall election if the office becomes vacant first.
Separately, the county's Aug. 4 primary results became final after the county canvass Aug. 17. In the Republican primary for County Commission District 1, Mike Hueston defeated Lyle K. "Pete" Owenby by five votes, 165-160, with Lisa Dillon receiving 60.
Owenby did not request a recount by the 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline, so none will be held. Countywide turnout was 23.09%, with 2,939 of 12,731 registered voters casting ballots.
The full results from the 2026 Primary Election are linked below.
