Ron Thornburgh is the 29th Kansas Secretary of State. He was elected to his first four-year term in 1994 and re-elected in 1998, 2002 and 2006. Under his guidance, the office has played a vital role in making state government more accessible to all Kansas citizens, particularly by generating higher voter turnout and creating more opportunities for the public to use and access government electronically.
Secretary Thornburgh is the recipient of numerous awards for his service to the state. He received The Mike Harder Public Administrator of the Year award in 2006 from the American Society for Public Administration Kansas Chapter for his service to the citizens of Kansas. Ron also was awarded the 2005 Cable’s Leaders in Learning Award in the Policymaker category for increasing voter turnout among 18-to 24-year-olds through the Kids Voting Kansas program. In February of 2004, he was awarded the Lee Ann Elliott Election Excellence award by Kids Voting USA for promoting the importance of democracy in action to Kansas youth. Kids Voting Kansas has become the largest of its kind in the nation.
Ron is a graduate of the Leadership Kansas Class of 1993 and in May of 2005 received the Jim Edwards Leadership Kansas Alumnus of the Year Award. In 2006, he was chosen to be a part of the Aspen Institute’s Aspen-Rodel Fellowship in Public Service. He was also recognized by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2002 Digital Government “Agent of Change” award presented after he led Kansas to national prominence in electronic service.
At the national level, Ron is a former president of the National Association of Secretaries of State and currently serves as Co-Chairman of the Voter Participation Committee. He also belongs to the executive committee of the Council of State Governments, which chose him to participate in its prestigious Toll Fellow Program in 1995. In addition, he serves on the Election Assistance Commission Standards Board.
Ron was involved in drafting the Help America Vote Act of 2002. This landmark election reform bill, the most significant federal election legislation in more than 20 years, outlines provisions to improve the voting process, including mandates for new voting machines, expanded training for poll workers, and greater accessibility for disabled, senior, military and minority language voters.
Ron is active in his community and holds several local and state memberships, including the Association of the United States Army State Board, the Kids Voting Kansas Board, and the Sons of American Legion. Ron served as the honorary chairman of the Law Enforcement Special Olympics Torch Run in 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004 and 2005. He has also served as the honorary chairman of the March of Dimes WalkAmerica in 2002, 2003 and 2006. Ron serves as the vice-chairman of marketing for the executive council for the Jayhawk Area Council of Boy Scouts of America.
Ron is a native of Burlingame. He graduated from Washburn University in 1985 with a degree in criminal justice and also played basketball for the Ichabods. Ron, his wife Annette and sons Grey and Tanner reside in Topeka, where they are members of the First United Methodist Church.
Rev. 2/5/07 srw