Elections

With midterms finally upon us, KCUR’s Up To Date took a deeper look at the key races Kansas and Missouri voters will decide at the polls Tuesday, and answer questions submitted by listeners.

Affordability is looming over the coming midterm elections, with new research revealing that almost a quarter of Midwestern households report having trouble paying their bills, mortgage, or rent. Plus: Missourians said “no” in August to a proposed amendment that would have made it harder to change the state constitution. Now, a different amendment could make it lawmakers to reverse voter-approved initiatives.

Election Day is Tuesday. Voters in Kansas and Missouri will weigh in on important ballot issues such as abortion and redistricting, and decide competitive races for U.S. Senate, governor and more.

Former Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, who served under President Barack Obama, and Republican strategist Annie Kelly Kuhle joined KCUR’s Up To Date to discuss next week’s midterm elections.

If approved, General Obligation Bond Question No. 1 would fund deferred maintenance and restoration at five of the city’s historic landmarks. The proposal comes after Independence voters rejected a $12 million bond for historical sites last year.

In some areas of the Kansas City metro, election officials say early voting numbers are on track to outpace the 2024 election. Ballot measures on abortion and redistricting appear to be driving turnout in Missouri, while the Kansas side is being energized by close races for governor and U.S. Senate.

Wages in the region, already lower than other parts of the country, have stagnated. Like everywhere else, prices for essentials continue to rise. Polls show most voters blame the Trump administration.

Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall is blaming his Democratic opponent, Adam Hamilton, for a "split" in the United Methodist Church. But the reality is much more complex. Plus: Missouri voters will once again decide whether to restrict abortion access in the state. How is it different from the last ban?

While Republican Sen. Roger Marshall has blamed Hamilton for one-fourth of churches leaving the denomination, church members and experts say the answer is more complex.

Kansas is just over one week away from the 2026 midterm election. Pastor Adam Hamilton, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas, spoke to KCUR's Up To Date about his focus on “leading from the middle” and his frustration with the Trump administration’s foreign policy.

People who don’t typically vote in midterm elections were the target audience during the Wednesday night debate between Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall and Democrat Adam Hamilton. The outcome of the race could help flip the balance of power in the Senate.

In the Nov. 3 election, Missouri voters will decide whether 15 judges, including a supreme court justice and appellate court justice, will keep their seats. Here's what to know about the retention process and the judges up for a vote around Kansas City.