Judges included on Nov. 8 ballot

In addition to candidates for local, state and federal offices, Jackson County voters will be asked whether to retain Second Judicial District court judges Jeffrey Elder, Norbert C. Marek Jr. and Chris Etzel during the Nov. 8 general election. 

The Second Judicial District includes Jackson, Jefferson, Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties.

Elder serves as the chief judge of the district out of Pottawatomie County while Marek serves as the district court judge in Jackson County and Etzel serves as the district court judge in Jefferson County. 

Registered voters in all four of these counties will be asked whether to retain the three judges, it was reported. The combined votes from all four counties will determine if the individual judges are retained. 

 If a candidate receives a majority of “yes” votes, that person is retained for another term. If not, that position will be vacated upon the term’s expiration and another judge will be appointed to fill it.

Elder of Wamego received a bachelor’s degree from The University of Kansas and received his law degree from the KU School of Law. He served as county attorney for Pottawatomie County from 1989 to 2001 and was in private practice before becoming a judge.

He was appointed as district court judge in July 2008 by then Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Elder was appointed as the chief judge of the judicial district in January 2021. He succeeded Chief Judge Gary Nafziger, who retired. 

Marek of Holton was appointed as the Second District Court Judge for Jackson County in December 2015. Marek replaced Judge Micheal A. Ireland, who died.

Marek served as Wabaunsee County Attorney and maintained a private practice. He also served as the city attorney for 11 communities, including Goff, Havensville and St. George, and a municipal judge for several north central Kansas communities and was a member of the Westmoreland City Council. 

A native of Westmoreland, Marek is a 1990 graduate of Kansas State University and a 1995 graduate of Washburn University School of Law. Prior to being appointed Wabaunsee County Attorney in 2007, he worked for the Manhattan law firm of Myers, Pottroff and Ball.

Etzel of Havensville was appointed the district court judge in Jefferson County following Judge Nafziger’s retirement in January 2021.

Etzel graduated from Kansas State University in 2000 and earned his law degree from Washburn University School of Law in 2004. 

Before his appointment, Etzel was in private practice since 2004, handling a variety of civil and criminal cases. He also served as the city attorney for Onaga, Havensville and Wheaton. 

The Holton Recorder

109 W. Fourth St.
Holton, KS 66436
Phone: 785-364-3141
 

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