78 days until the primaries. What's your plan?

In 78 days, we hit the polls for the start of what will likely be the most consequential midterm election cycle in our lifetimes. We must send a referendum to the Trump regime on Aug. 4 primaries with mass showings at the polls. That gives us 78 days.

They know they’re vulnerable. That’s why they’re trying to make it hard for everyone to vote, especially Black and minority voters. Last week, the Supreme Court killed part of the Voting Rights Act that required states to draw districts where Black and minority voters could elect representatives of their choice, a protection that’s been law since 1965.

🚨🚨Now Republican legislatures are racing to eliminate majority-Black congressional districts. (This could wipe out up to 19 Dem House seats currently held by Black reps.)

🚨🚨It gets worse: The same ruling applies to state legislatures, city councils, school boards and judgeships. So, any minority political power built over the last 60 years – at every level of government – is being systematically dismantled.

We’ve got work to do, but we’re here to connect you to opportunities that will make a difference.

• How and why you should make sure you’re still registered to vote.

• What’s at stake in the Kansas and Missouri Aug. 4th primaries.

• Have a voting plan. Do you know how many people DO NOT vote in the midterms? It’s dismal.

• Come to the BOTG Midterm Kickoff Meeting — and learn how to make an impact.

Make sure you’re still registered to vote. (Yes, you read that right.)

Missouri removed some 240,000 voters from the state’s voter rolls last year. To be fair, about 72,000 were deceased. However, that leaves about 168,000 removals because people have been inactive voters, moved or just purged because of a technical error. Kansas isn’t being as forthright with numbers but, trust us, they’re purging.

Tell everyone you know to check theirs as well.

🗳️🗳️Kansas voter lookup

🗳️🗳️Missouri voter registration lookup

Here’s what’s at stake in the Kansas Aug. 4th primary:

• The integrity of the Kansas Supreme Court. Extremists and billionaire donors want to influence who serves on the Kansas Supreme Court, which is why it’s critical we VOTE NO on August 4.

  • Our current system works! A nominating commission selects candidates based on merit, sending three nominees to the Governor, who then makes the final selection. Kansans then vote in retention elections to hold justices accountable.

  • Billionaires and outsiders want to overhaul our courts so justices are elected. Why? So they can use money to influence campaigns – and their agenda.(In Wisconsin, they spent $100 million last year to buy judges!)

  • If we elect our Supreme Court justices, we’re letting outsiders with the deepest pockets pick our court. Kansans:. Keep billionaires out of our business!

• An opportunity to dump Roger. Will Floridian Roger Marshall win the Republican primary Aug. 4? Yes. BUT, the more people show up to vote in the Democratic primary, the more vulnerable he’ll seem to Republican party leaders and big-dollar donors who will have to decide where to spend their resources in the general election. Let’s show them that supporting Roger is a waste of time.

Here’s what’s at stake in the Missouri Aug. 4th primary:

Gov. Kehoe gets to decide which measures go to the low-turnout August primary — where fewer than 2 in 10 eligible adults vote — versus the higher-turnout November general election. That choice alone can determine whether something passes or fails.

So far, here’s what folks are saying may be on the Aug. 4th ballot:

• Income Tax Elimination / Sales Tax Expansion Amendment. Far-right legislators want to direct future legislatures to cut rates as revenue grows, with the long-term goal of elimination.

  • The stakes are massive. Missouri currently gets about 65% of its state revenue from income tax and about 22% from sales tax. To replace income tax revenue without expanding the sales tax coverage would require raising the sales tax rate by as much as 8.5%.

  • Guess who this benefits? NOT workers. NOT seniors. NOT people eyeing their bank balance every day. It’s Kehoe’s top legislative priority so that tells you all you need to know.

They’re counting on apathy in August. Help prove them wrong.

Across the country, an estimated average of 18 - 25% of eligible adults vote in the midterm primaries. That means, in a room of 10 people, maybe two are showing up to weigh in on whether we have access to abortion, fair wages, healthcare and more.

Two out of 10. At most.

That’s why our state legislatures hide important amendments in the August primaries.

In Kansas, about 18 to 22% of eligible adults show up in the primaries in a typical year. (For hot-button years like the abortion vote in 2022, we saw closer to 36%)

In Missouri, the number is lower — about 10 - 14% of eligible adults vote in the August primary.

THIS is the year to annoy everyone you know about getting registered to vote and showing up at the polls in August.

• Change party affiliation by June 1, 2026 ⚠️

• Register to vote by July 14, 2026

• Early/advance voting begins July 15, 2026

• Request mail ballot now - through July 28⚠️⚠️

• Primary Election Day August 4, 2026

⚠️ Kansas has closed primary elections, meaning you can only vote in the primary that aligns with your declared party. So, if you’re still a RINO, you have until June 1 to change. Unaffiliated voters CAN vote in the Democratic primary, no questions asked. You can vote in the Republican primary IF you declare party affiliation on the spot.

⚠️⚠️ In Kansas, all mail-in ballots MUST be received by 7 p.m. on election day, so Aug. 4. The legislature eliminated the three-day grace period for mail-in ballots. Ballots won’t be mailed until about July 15 so the turn-around time is TIGHT. Drop your ballot at the election office or drop box near you! Contact your county election office here.

Register to vote by July 8, 2026

Early/absentee voting begins June 23, 2026 (6 weeks before election)

“No excuse” in-person absentee July 21 – Aug. 3, 2026

Primary Election Day: August 4, 2026

IF you live on either side of state line in the KC metro area and typically get a mail-in ballot because you don’t have access to transportation or have mobility issues, please reach out to info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org. Put Election Ride in the subject line and we’ll get in touch.

Want to do something to make a huge impact in August? (Yes, you do!) We’ve got you covered. Join us for a working meeting on how we can WIN at the polls this August, whether you live in Kansas or Missouri.

✅ Thursday | Aug. 28 | 6 - 7:30 p.m. | Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church | 9400 Pflumm, Lenexa | RSVP here.

This is an action-focused meeting. We’ll break into different working groups and start mapping out plans to get people to tune in, show up and VOTE this August. Grab a friend, come alone — but either way and join us!

Plus, we’ll have snacks!

Every month Boots hosts a great speaker, talks about community and gives action items to help you make a difference. If you haven’t attended a Monthly Meet-Up, join us! This month we’ll hear from Laurel Burchfield from Mainstream. She’ll talk about the rise of Christian Nationalism and the erosion of our separation between church and state.

✅ Monday | May 18 | 6 p.m. | Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church | 9400 Pflumm | Lenexa, KS | RSVP here.

We’ll also learn about the recently launched metro-wide Mutual Aid effort.

✅ Snacks for the Boys and Girls Club! We will be collecting individually, pre-packaged, kid-friendly snacks for Center of Grace, which runs the Olathe Boys and Girls Club. (Examples: apple sauce pouches, granola bars, fruit snacks, trail mix, chips, etc.)

If you haven’t received community defense training, now is your time! We expect INCREASED ICE presence during the World Cup. This 90-minute training will teach you how to keep your neighborhood safe from ICE.

Thursday, May 21 | 6 - 7:30 p.m. | Lenexa | RSVP here.

Make your voice heard and meet your neighbors!

Get involved in your community by becoming a precinct committee person for your political party. It’s a great way to rally your neighbors and impact the system. As a Committee Person you can shape the party from the inside. Register here.

Choose an action, grab a friend and get out there.

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

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