Member, State Board of Education District 5 in Statewide, Kansas

2026 Primary Election

• Lorie Wood — Special Education Teacher in Dresden, KS

  Lorie Wood is a lifelong educator and community leader running for the Kansas State Board of Education, District 5. With over 30 years of teaching experience, including as a special education teacher, and as a proud grandmother, she has a deep personal and professional connection to Kansas classrooms. Wood serves as Chair of the Decatur County Democratic Party, an organization she helped establish to strengthen community engagement in rural western Kansas. She advocates for strong rural schools, competitive teacher salaries, better pay for paraprofessionals, increased resources for students with special needs, and addressing aging school infrastructure. Wood is running to ensure rural Kansas has a champion on the board who understands educators and families, working to provide every child with opportunities to succeed.

• Kelly Ancar — Small business owner in Hays, KS

  Kelly Ancar, a Republican from Hays, Kansas, is campaigning for a seat on the State Board of Education for District 5. Drawing on decades of experience as a small business owner, she emphasizes the importance of wise resource management for the school board, akin to running a successful business. As a parent and grandparent with many grandchildren in public schools, Ancar advocates for thorough audits of school district expenses to identify and eliminate waste. She believes the board should provide robust oversight and intervene with policy adjustments when problems arise, aspiring to create an environment that attracts families to Hays and maximizes student enrollment.