Cindy Holscher is the Democratic nominee for governor of Kansas and a state senator from Overland Park, first elected to the Senate in 2020 after serving in the Kansas House. Her campaign centers on school funding, health care access, cutting property taxes by lowering assessment rates, a pause on new data centers, and legalizing cannabis.[1][2][3]
Holscher was born in Slater, Missouri, and grew up on a farm, the daughter of a union construction worker and an elementary school employee.[2][3][5]She was a first-generation college graduate, earning degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Missouri in 1992.[2][5]
She spent most of her career before office at Sprint and also worked as a substitute teacher; her campaign says it was concern for Kansas schools that led her into public service.[2][3]She and her husband, Greg, have lived in Kansas for over 25 years and have three children.[3]
Holscher served in the Kansas House from 2017 to 2020, where she co-founded the Women's Bipartisan Caucus.[3][4]She won a seat in the Kansas Senate in 2020 and has represented District 8 since 2021.[3][4]She won the 2026 Democratic primary for governor over fellow state Sen. Ethan Corson and chose Rep. KC Ohaebosim as her running mate.[2][3]
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned
›Rights & public safety120 with · 10 against131 votes
On the version voted Mar 19, 2026: Bars people unlawfully present in the U.S. from state or local public benefits, except those federal law requires. Requires applicants 18 or older to prove lawful presence, agencies to verify through the federal SAVE program, and bars reduced in-state tuition for them.
On the version voted Apr 9, 2026: Requires a city, county or other local government to hold a noticed open meeting before approving a contingent-fee contract for legal services, and requires Attorney General approval of the contract. The Attorney General must report to the Governor and Legislature on contracts not approved.
On the version voted Mar 26, 2025: Requires special elections to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March or on the same day as a general or primary election, and makes conforming changes to other election laws.
Sets state agency spending for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including about $27.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $26.8 billion in fiscal year 2027 from all funds, and funds a new Office of Early Childhood.
On the version voted Apr 11, 2025: Overrides a governor's line-item veto in the state budget bill, which provides $25.60 billion in fiscal 2026 spending, including $10.64 billion from the State General Fund, plus supplemental fiscal 2025 spending, capital projects, fees, fund transfers and claims payments.
As amended, widens eligibility for the Tax Credit for Low Income Students Scholarship program to students meeting any one of several criteria, adds foster care, military and first-responder-parent criteria, and raises the credit cap from $10 million to $15 million.
As amended, requires school districts to post board members' names and email addresses online, requires public comment time at regular meetings and budget hearings, and lets board members enter district buildings during school hours and activities.
Requires school districts to verify each year the household income of at-risk students who are not directly certified through other benefit programs, and to get legislative approval before using the Community Eligibility Provision.
Lets nonpublic schools allow students from nonaccredited private schools to take part in Kansas State High School Activities Association activities, and sets a moratorium on interscholastic competitions and practices during certain time periods.
Requires public schools to give grades K-8 at least 30 minutes of daily organized recess starting in 2027-28, bars withholding recess as discipline except for immediate threats, and directs the State Board to set a state fitness test.
On the version voted Mar 28, 2026: Requires driver's licenses to show the holder's citizenship status, and requires a provisional ballot for a person who shows a license listing them as a noncitizen at a polling place and claims to be a citizen.
Sets data-matching and eligibility verification requirements for public assistance programs, requires quarterly and annual legislative reports, and directs KDHE to seek federal approval for continuous Medicaid eligibility for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities on home and community based waivers.
Proposes a constitutional amendment, from tax year 2028, taxing residential, commercial, industrial and farm-building property at the lesser of fair market value or average fair market value, and letting the Legislature set valuation limits for property classes.
On the version voted Apr 10, 2026: Bars cities and counties from adopting or enforcing local rules that stop landlords from refusing housing-voucher payments, restrict tenant screening criteria, cap security deposits, or require a right of first refusal for tenants; voids such rules adopted before July 1, 2026.
On the version voted Feb 20, 2025: Bars cities and counties from adopting or enforcing guaranteed income programs, meaning regular cash payments funded by tax revenue, unless the Legislature approves them. Voids such ordinances or resolutions adopted before July 1, 2025.
On the version voted Apr 10, 2026: Bars cities and counties from enforcing building codes, ordinances, or permit and license requirements against non-public registered agritourism locations: working farms of 160 acres or less with an agricultural education facility, open to the public by invitation only.
On the version voted Mar 26, 2025: Requires local governments to approve or deny single-family building permits within 60 days of a complete application or the permit is deemed approved, and requires the health department to act on construction stormwater notices within 45 days.
As amended, changes Wildlife and Parks Commission appointments to four regional seats appointed by the governor, one at-large member each from the House speaker and Senate president, keeps the attorney general's at-large member, and changes how proposed rules are developed.
On the version voted Mar 13, 2025: Authorizes a Hunter Nation license plate starting January 1, 2026, for passenger vehicles and trucks up to 20,000 pounds. Hunter Nation, Inc. sets a royalty of $25 to $100, paid at issuance and renewal.
On the version voted Mar 20, 2025: Requires the Division of Vehicles to give the Secretary of State a quarterly list of noncitizens with driver's licenses, checked against voter rolls; county officials must remove matching noncitizens within five business days and notify them they can be reinstated with proof of citizenship.
Exempts qualified firms' purchases for building and operating a qualified data center from sales tax, including land, buildings, equipment, lease payments, installation labor and contractor purchases.
Creates the App Store Accountability Act: requires app stores to verify the age category of Kansas account holders, and applies requirements to app stores and developers regarding minors, enforced through the Consumer Protection Act and a private right to sue.
On the version voted Mar 18, 2026: Lets the state's executive branch chief information technology officer set IT strategy and standards and contract with local governments and certain hospitals to provide IT and cybersecurity services, with fees going to the state treasury. Lets the state cybersecurity office receive IT audit reports.
On the version voted Mar 27, 2025: Bars state agencies from letting employees access designated foreign-adversary AI platforms such as DeepSeek on state devices and networks, and bars medical and research facilities from using genetic sequencers and software made by foreign adversaries.
On the version voted Apr 9, 2026: Expands veteran's preference in government hiring to certain National Guard and reserve members and eligible spouses, creates a Capitol kiosk listing Kansas military members killed in service, creates a Kansas Military Affairs Commission, and limits fees for help with veterans benefits claims.
On the version voted Mar 27, 2025: Bars state agencies from letting employees access designated foreign-adversary AI platforms such as DeepSeek on state devices and networks, and bars medical and research facilities from using genetic sequencers and software made by foreign adversaries.
Bars foreign principals of countries of concern from acquiring real property within 100 miles of military installations (the Governor may approve expansions), requires registration of holdings, and bars agencies from buying drones with components from those countries.
Voted against most of their party on 1 of 189 party-divided votes on file.
Substitute for SB 45 by Committee on Education - Requiring the state board of education to calculate graduation rates for all school districts for purposes of accreditation using an alternative calculation.
What it does: On the version voted Mar 26, 2025: Sets a statutory four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate calculation for school accreditation, excluding certain students who transferred in or out, and repeals the separate calcul…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 3–6, Republicans 29–2
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
HCR 5008 · KS SENATE
Proposing to amend section 1 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to value residential real, commercial and industrial real property and mobile homes property based on the fair market value or average fair market value of the residential portion and providing the legislature the authority to establish valuation limits for any classes or subclasses of property.
NoVOTED
Motion: Emergency Final Action - Adopted as amended by Required 2/3 Majority
Proposes a constitutional amendment, from tax year 2028, taxing residential, commercial, industrial and farm-building property at the lesser of fair market value or average fair market value, and letting the Legislature set valuation limits for property classes.
Providing tax credits for expenditures for lockable gun and ammunition storage and the retail sale of higher ethanol blends of fuel, discontinuing the tax credit for qualified alternative-fueled motor vehicle property or fueling station expenditures, repealing the agritourism liability insurance, assistive technology contributions, declared disaster capital investment, owners promoting employment across Kansas and swine facility improvement tax credits and expanding the eligibility for applicable expenses under the child day care services assistance tax credit.
YesVOTED
Motion: Conference Committee Report was adopted
On the version voted Apr 10, 2026: Revises employer child care tax credits, creates credits for higher-ethanol fuel sales (five cents per gallon) and lockable gun and ammunition storage purchases for 2026 through 2028, and ends or repeals several other tax credits.
Providing that certain portions of the crime of cruelty to animals do not apply to any person who catches a feral cat to provide vaccination, spaying or neutering and returns such cat back to the location where such cat is caught.
NoVOTED
Motion: Conference Committee Report was adopted
As rewritten by the conference report voted on, lets Butler, Labette and Leavenworth counties ask voters to approve extra countywide sales taxes for property tax relief, fire departments and emergency management, and keeps the current city-county sales tax sharing formula through 2027.
Senate Substitute for HB 2111 by Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources - Exempting certain registered agritourism operations from local code and regulation enforcement.
NoVOTED
Motion: Conference Committee Report was adopted
Bars cities and counties from enforcing building codes, ordinances, or permit and license requirements against non-public registered agritourism locations: working farms of 160 acres or less with an agricultural education facility, open to the public by invitation only.
Establishing the Kansas legal tender act and providing for an income tax subtraction modification for sales of specie.
NoVOTED
Motion: Conference Committee Report was adopted
Creates the Kansas Legal Tender Act, treating U.S.-issued gold and silver coin as legal tender not taxed as personal property, and lets taxpayers subtract net gains from selling gold and silver coin or bullion from Kansas taxable income from tax year 2025.
Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 for various state agencies, authorizing certain capital improvement projects and fees, authorizing certain transfers.
NoVOTED
Motion: Motion to override line item veto failed; Line item veto 87(f), portion 88(a)
A yes vote sought to pass, over the governor's line-item veto, HB 2513 provisions requiring Education to report 2026 and 2027 test results using pre-July 1, 2025 cut scores and to end its University of Kansas assessment contract. (AI-written)
Sets state agency spending for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including about $27.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $26.8 billion in fiscal year 2027 from all funds, and funds a new Office of Early Childhood.
Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 for various state agencies, authorizing certain capital improvement projects and fees, authorizing certain transfers.
NoVOTED
Motion: Motion to override line item veto failed; Line item veto 87(g), portion 88(a) 88(l)
A yes vote sought to pass, over the governor's line-item veto, HB 2513 provisions for a state innovative assessment pilot in six school districts and a new contract of up to $5,057,590 with the University of Kansas assessment center. (AI-written)
Sets state agency spending for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including about $27.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $26.8 billion in fiscal year 2027 from all funds, and funds a new Office of Early Childhood.
Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 for various state agencies, authorizing certain capital improvement projects and fees, authorizing certain transfers.
NoVOTED
Motion: Motion to override line item veto prevailed; Line item veto 88(m) overridden
A yes vote passed, over the governor's line-item veto, the HB 2513 provision creating a complaint process and a per-school-day penalty equal to a superintendent's contract salary for districts with student walkouts lacking parental consent. (AI-written)
Sets state agency spending for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including about $27.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $26.8 billion in fiscal year 2027 from all funds, and funds a new Office of Early Childhood.
Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 for various state agencies, authorizing certain capital improvement projects and fees, authorizing certain transfers.
NoVOTED
Motion: Motion to override line item veto failed; Line item veto 15(b), 15(c)
Sets state agency spending for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including about $27.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $26.8 billion in fiscal year 2027 from all funds, and funds a new Office of Early Childhood.
Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 for various state agencies, authorizing certain capital improvement projects and fees, authorizing certain transfers.
NoVOTED
Motion: Motion to override line item veto failed; Line item veto 54(y)
A yes vote sought to pass, over the governor's line-item veto, the HB 2513 provision giving House and Senate fiscal integrity auditors unlimited access to the state's accounting, payroll and budgeting systems. (AI-written)
Sets state agency spending for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including about $27.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $26.8 billion in fiscal year 2027 from all funds, and funds a new Office of Early Childhood.
