An overview of local government
Hays is governed by a commissioner-manager form of government. Five commissioners are elected at large, serving staggered terms of four or two years, depending on how they ranked in number of votes received.
The city manager is hired by the commission and runs day-to-day activities of the city.
Toby Dougherty was hired in March 2005 as assistant city manager and hired June 28, 2007, as city manager.
The current commission is comprised of Mayor Barbara Wasinger, Vice Mayor Troy Hickman and commissioners Kent Steward, Ron Mellick and Henry Schwaller IV.
Ellis County is governed by a commissioner-administrator form of government. Three commissioners represent three districts in the county and serve four-year terms.
The county's first administrator, Greg Sund, was hired in June 2010 to help oversee the operations of the county.
Current commissioners are Chairman Glenn Diehl, Dean Haselhorst and Swede Holmgren.
The three other incorporated cities in Ellis County include Ellis, Victoria and Schoenchen, which have mayor-city council forms of government.
The Ellis City Council includes Mayor David McDaniel and councilpersons Jolene Niernberger, Brian Raub, John F. Leiker, Lyle Johnston, Glenn Kohl and John Douglas.
The Victoria City Council includes Mayor Curt Unrein and councilpersons Jerry Brungardt, Jeff Crawford, Kenneth Pfeifer, Jan Piesker and Leroy Schmidtberger.
The Schoenchen City Council includes Mayor Dick Klaus and councilmen Kevin Bieker, James Dinges, Doug Kreutzer, Ron Sauer and Jason Schneider.
Ellis County is represented in the Kansas Legislature by two members of the House of Representatives and one senator.
The 111th House District includes the city of Hays and North Big Creek, West Big Creek, East Big Creek, North Lookout, South Lookout, Wheatland and Freedom townships. Its representative is Eber Phelps, D-Hays.
The 110th House District includes the rest of Ellis County and Rooks, Osborne and Russell counties. Its representative is Dan Collins, R-Plainville.
The 36th Senate District includes Ellis, Hodgeman, Mitchell, Osborne, Pawnee, Phillips, Rush, Russell and Smith counties, plus the townships of Athens, Burr Oak, Erving, Esbon, Highland, Ionia, Limestone, Odessa, Walnut and White Mound; and the cities of Burr Oak and Esbon, all in Jewell County. Allen Schmidt, D-Hays, represents the district.
Ellis County is one of 41 counties making up the State Board of Education 5th District. Its representative is Sally Cauble, R-Liberal.
Ellis County is part of the 69-county 1st Congressional District represented by Republican Tim Huelskamp.
The state of Kansas is represented by Pat Roberts and Hays resident Jerry Moran in the U.S. Senate. Roberts' term expires in 2015. Moran's term expires in 2017.