I am writing out of my growing concern for local election honesty and integrity. Misinformation is running rampant during our national elections and now I see it seeping into our local elections. 

Karen Willey, who was appointed to her current position as Douglas County Commissioner (due to Commissioner Portillo’s mid-term resignation), claims in her advertisements that she is running for re-election. To run for re-election in my book, you had to have been previously elected by your constituents. She wasn’t. 

Shannon Reid, who is in fact running for re-election, won her primary against Lisa Larsen on Aug. 6, 2024. On Aug. 3, 2024, just three days prior to the election, a slimy postcard was mailed by a PAC called “Kansans for an Affordable Future” that contained three bald-faced lies about Larsen’s positions on key issues. Footnotes on the postcard led to news articles that disproved the those very lies. Reid’s photo and a phone number were prominently displayed on the flip side. I don’t know if Shannon Reid OKed this postcard, but she certainly didn’t publicly disclaim the lies about her opponent. She never has. Not a peep.

I have learned that, incredibly, there are no criminal laws against spreading disinformation and outright lies in election materials. The only remedy if a person is slandered is to file a civil lawsuit at their own expense. What we can do as voters is to vote false-truth enablers out of office. I am a registered Democrat who is supporting the candidacy of Reid’s opponent — Independent Brad Chun. I know Brad to be a smart, honest and kind person who would not allow lies to be promulgated in his name.

Rick Frydman,

Lawrence