Elections

Welcome to the City of Topeka Municipal Election page. The next scheduled city election is August 2025 (Primary) and November 2025 (General) for council districts 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9; and the Office of the Mayor. The term of office will run 4 years: January 2026 to January 2029.

The following information is provided to guide potential candidates through the election process.

Elected Officials

The City of Topeka Governing Body consists of the Mayor and nine members of the City Council. All City of Topeka elected officials serve four-year terms, including the Mayor. Elections for City Council members are staggered, with five Council members elected at one time and four Council members elected two years later. There is no limit on the number of terms for elected officials. The annual salary for a member of the Council is $20,000 and the annual salary for Office of the Mayor is $40,000.

The Mayor is the chief elected officer of the city, responsible for providing leadership and taking issues to the people and marshalling public interest in and support for municipal activity. For more information on the responsibilities of the Mayor, visit the Mayor’s webpage or call 785-368-3895.

The City Council has a number of standing committees to review items of business and hear from interested parties. These committees are the Social Service Grants Committee, Policy & Finance Committee, Public Health & Safety Committee, Public Infrastructure Committee and Transient Guest Tax Committee. All members of the Governing Body serve on the Joint Economic Development Organization (JEDO) Board. For more information on the responsibilities of the City Council, please visit the City Council webpage or contact the City Council office at etoyne@topeka.org or 785-368-3710.

Applying For Office

The next scheduled city election is August 2025 (Primary) and November 2025 (General).

For additional information on filing requirements, you may:

As a reminder:

  • All candidates are required to file applicable forms at the Shawnee County Election Office, 3420 SW Van Buren Street, Topeka, Kansas.
  • Except for petitions being filed in lieu of paying the $20 filing fee; DO NOT SIGN Candidate forms before you submit them to the Shawnee County Election Commission Office.  Some forms require applicant signatures to be attested by a Shawnee County Election Officer.
  • The Shawnee County Election Office only accepts cash or checks (no credit cards)

File Declaration of Intent With Fee

Submit $70 (payable to Shawnee County Election Office) along with a completed Declaration of Intent form to the Shawnee County Election Office. The total fee consists of a $20 Shawnee County Elections filing fee and a $50 Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission fee.

File by Nomination Petition

In lieu of paying the $20 Shawnee County Elections fee, candidates may choose to complete the Nomination Petition Form and file it with the Shawnee County Election Commissioner along with the $50 Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission fee. Petition must be signed by 50 qualified electors of the council district.

Placement of Political Signs

View information pertaining to the City of Topeka sign regulations for upcoming elections.

Ballot Measures

There are no ballot measures to be considered at this time.