Kelly Arnold is an American politician serving as the Sedgwick County Clerk. He is in his third term, having first been elected in 2008.[1] From January 2013 to February 2019, Kelly served as the chairman of the Kansas Republican Party.

Kelly Arnold
66th Chairman of the Kansas Republican Party
In office
January 26, 2013 – February 16, 2019
Preceded byAmanda Adkins
Succeeded byMike Kuckelman
Personal details
Born (1978-04-12) April 12, 1978 (age 46)
McPherson, Kansas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationTabor College, Kansas (BS)
Wichita State University (MPA)
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life and education

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Kelly Arnold was born and raised in McPherson, Kansas. After he graduated from McPherson High School, he earned bachelor degrees in Business Management and Finance from Tabor College in Hillsboro.[2] He later graduated from Wichita State University's Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs as Certified Master County Clerk.[3]

Career

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Arnold worked in the finance industry before his 2008 election to the office of Sedgwick County Clerk. He ran unopposed in 2012 and 2016.[4] He is responsible for private and commercial filings.[5] He is a member of the Executive Committee for South Central Kansas of the County Clerks & Election Officials.[3]

Arnold is former chairman of the board of trustees of the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System[6] and the Board of Directors at Hillsboro State Bank.[5]

Political career

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From January 2013 to February 2019, Arnold served as Chairman of the Kansas Republican Party (KSGOP). In February 2017, Arnold won a third term to chair the KSGOP.[7] Previously, Arnold had been state vice chairman[8] and Finance Director of the KSGOP. Prior to that he had chaired the Sedgwick County Republican Party between 2006 and 2010.[9]

Arnold served for over ten years in the Young Republican National Federation, two years of which as treasurer of the Federation and is also a co-founder of the Republican Men's Leadership Series.[2]

In 2016, Arnold was part of the Convention Rules Committee[10] and the Committee on Arrangements[11] for the 2016 Republican National Convention. Later in the year, he was also one of the state's presidential electors[12] receiving over 20,000 emails from anti-Trump activists.[13]

In June 2017, Arnold weighed a run for the office of Secretary of State of Kansas.[5] In early 2018, opted to focus on his role as party chairman and did not launch a primary campaign.[14]

Personal life

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Arnold lives in Wichita, Kansas.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Election Results 2008 General Election Sedgwick Co KS". www.sedgwickcounty.org. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  2. ^ a b ""About Kelly"". Kelly Arnold for County Clerk. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  3. ^ a b "About Kelly Arnold". Kelly Arnold for Sedgwick County Clerk.
  4. ^ "2016 primary election results for Sedgwick County". The Wichita Eagle. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  5. ^ a b c "Sedgwick County Clerk Kelly Arnold weighing run for secretary of state". The Wichita Eagle. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  6. ^ "Tabor grad re-elected chairman of board". Peabody Gazette-Bulletin. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  7. ^ "Republicans give Arnold third term as state party chair". The Wichita Eagle. 11 February 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Kelly Arnold to run for chairman of state Republican Party". The Wichita Eagle. 24 November 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  9. ^ "LinkedIn | Kelly Arnold". Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  10. ^ "Never Trump movement gets little help from convention rules panel roster". Politico. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  11. ^ "Will Trump's convention be safe?". Politico. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Anti-Trump supporters continue to harass, threaten Kansas electors". Nexstar Broadcasting. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  13. ^ "Kansas elector on 20,000 requests to vote Clinton: 'It's not going to happen'". CBS17.com. 2016-11-23. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  14. ^ Carpenter, Tim. "Kelly Arnold, Kansas GOP chairman, withdraws from secretary of state primary race". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  15. ^ "Updated: Van crashes into home, causes gas leak". The Wichita Eagle. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
Party political offices
Preceded by Chairman of the Kansas Republican Party
2013–2019
Succeeded by