Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Angela Caudillo has resigned from her role, according to the Kansas Secretary of State’s office.
Caudillo served as election commissioner since the summer of 2021, when she replaced former commissioner Tabitha Lehman.
“Angela led the Election Office through challenging times, often with limited resources and funding from the county commission,” Secretary of State Scott Schwab said in a release.
“When resources and needs are not met, and the political environment toward election officials is hostile, we lose talent. It is hard to see a good public servant leave.”
County officials say Caudillo resigned due to personal reasons.
In response to the secretary of state's claims, the county said it consistently supported its elections office.
"Sedgwick County respects the integrity and trust of our elections and Election Office," a statement from the county communications office said.
The county also provided data on how much the elections office had received in its general fund since 2016.
That data showed that the county spent almost $2.5 million running elections this year, including the Aug. 2 special election for a state constitutional amendment about abortion, and the most recent gubernatorial election. During the last gubernatorial election in 2018, the county spent over $1.6 million.
Lehman, the former commissioner, was let go by the secretary of state’s office after she accessed the statewide voter registration database from her home, a violation of security protocols. Lehman was working from home during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as she underwent treatment for cancer.
A release from the secretary’s office says it will work with the county on selecting a replacement for Caudillo and release more details in coming days.
The secretary of state’s office selects an election commissioner for the state’s largest counties, including Sedgwick, Johnson, Wyandotte and Shawnee Counties.
