By: NICOLAS FIERRO
Salina Post
Word has recently been going around Salina amidst the City Commission and USD 305 Board general election, regarding on what it seems "endorsed" Kansas GOP mailers for the support of candidates.
Throughout the week of October 27 - October 30, 2025, Salina residents have been receiving mailers from as it perceives, the Kansas GOP. The mailers from what it seems like, is that the KS GOP are "endorsing" these candidates through the mailers amidst the general election.
However, this is not the case according to Jay Vanier.
Vanier, a Salina resident, who is in the process of reactivating his law license and a graduate from Washburn University School of Law, told Salina Post why there has been some "confusion" among these mailers.
According to Vanier, the confusion comes as the Kansas Republican Party Constitution is designed to prevent the Party from endorsing multiple candidates during Republican primary elections, not general elections.
However, the same language is sometimes "misunderstood" for the general election, especially in nonpartisan races such as local city commission and school board elections.
Vanier added, this year is the first time that city commission and school board candidates were allowed to use the Party’s postal "indicia", which is the printed marking that replaces a stamp on bulk mail.
"No one anticipated a scenario where eight Republicans would be running for three city commission seats in a general election," said Vanier.
Not a means of endorsement
As a result of the indicia and the mailer's phrase, “Paid for by the Kansas Republican Party,” created the appearance that the Republican Party was "endorsing" some candidates and not others.
Vanier stated that’s not what the indicia means.
"When you see that printed postage mark, all it means is that the Kansas Republican Party holds a bulk mailing permit with the U.S. Postal Service," said Vanier. "Candidates can use that permit to send mail at a lower postage rate. The law requires that the permit holder’s name and the Party treasurer’s name appear on the mailer."
For the example of the mailer Salinans have been receiving, the statement "Paid for by the Kansas Republican Party, Roger Lomshek, Treasurer" does not personally mean Lomshek "endorses" the mailer, but the name is only used to note who the "permit holder" is.
It is important to consider, the KS GOP may have had no rule in reviewing or approving the content of the mailer before it was sent.
Furthermore, when a campaign or organization uses the indicia, they pay the Kansas Republican Party "three cents per mailer."
"That small fee both covers administrative costs and serves as a modest contribution back to the Party," said Vanier. "So even though the Party’s indicia is being used, the candidate is still responsible for the content and for the full cost of producing and sending the mail."
On the City Commission meeting on Monday, October 27, Mayor Greg Lenkiewicz stated he is not responsible for the mailers.
Overall, the indicia is simply a "postal compliance requirement" indicating who legally owns the permit, not who endorses the candidates.
"Now, I understand why this created confusion. When only some Republican candidates are using mail pieces that have the Party’s name on them, it can look like an endorsement even when there wasn’t one. So this becomes a perception issue, not a legal endorsement issue," said Vanier.
KS GOP looking into the distribution of the mailer
According to Vanier, the Kansas GOP has confirmed they are currently looking into the matter.
Salina Post will provide updates once received.