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Salina sets mail‑ballot election Feb. 24, 2026 on petition to repeal pit‑bull ordinance
Summary
The commission voted to call a mail‑ballot election under KSA 12‑30‑13 on Feb. 24, 2026 to let city electors decide whether to repeal the breed‑specific language in city code chapter 7; the ordinance passed on a 4–1 roll call with one commissioner recorded as opposed.
The Salina City Commission voted to adopt ordinance 25‑11272 to call a mail‑ballot election for Feb. 24, 2026 on a citizen‑submitted initiative asking to repeal the city’s breed‑specific language in code chapter 7 (the pit‑bull ordinance).
City legal staff explained the options after the commission received an initiative petition: the body could enact the ordinance directly or submit the question to voters via an election at the polls or a mail‑ballot election under KSA 12‑30‑13. Staff provided an estimated cost and turnout data from the county clerk’s office (recent polling‑place turnout ~22%; a prior mail‑ballot school bond in 2016 saw ~40% turnout); the county estimated a total cost around $90,000 for a mail ballot election but the county and staff said the figure might be reduced using bulk mail options.
Commissioners debated timing (Feb. 24 vs. March 3, 2026), voter turnout, and the mail‑ballot process (postmark/drop‑box deadlines and county clerk timelines). Public commenters raised questions about mail reliability and ballot verification; staff said voters who do not receive a ballot can contact the election office and that drop‑off options will be available.
When the ordinance was called for a full roll, the vote was recorded with one commissioner (Commissioner Longwein) voting Nay and the remaining votes recorded as Aye, resulting in the ordinance passing and the election scheduled for Feb. 24, 2026.
