Who is running for Kansas State Board of Education, District 5 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for Kansas State Board of Education, District 5 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in State Board of Education District 5.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Lorie WoodDemocrat | Jean CliffordRepublican |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum and books | Locally elected school boardsSaid · medium | No public position |
| DEI programs | Keep them and let each school or agency decideSaid · low | Keep support open to all, but end race or sex preferences and required statementsSaid · low |
Lorie Wood
DemocratRetired teacher; chair, Decatur County Democratic Party (Dresden)
Lorie Wood of Dresden is a Democrat and a retired K-12 and university teacher with more than 30 years of classroom experience in rural and urban communities12. She moved to Kansas in 2019 and chairs the Decatur County Democratic Party12. She faces Republican Jean Clifford in an open seat for District 523.
Where they stand 2 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Curriculum and booksLocally elected school boardsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign site says the people closest to a classroom, teachers, principals, school boards and parents, are best placed to make decisions about it, and that the State Board should protect districts' ability to make those calls. (2026) source
DEI programsKeep them and let each school or agency decidelow
Said · low confidence- She told Kansas Reflector schools should not avoid inclusive programs and that inclusivity in Kansas schools needs to improve, pointing to accessibility for students who use wheelchairs. (2026-07-17) source
No public position found on: School choice, Religion in schools.
Jean Clifford
RepublicanRetired Air Force attorney; former state board member (Garden City)
Jean Clifford of Garden City is a Republican and a retired U.S. Air Force attorney who served on the Kansas State Board of Education from 2019 to 2023 and on her local school board1. She lost the 2022 Republican primary to Cathy Hopkins and won the August 4, 2026 primary with 51 percent23. She is the spouse of Republican state Sen. Bill Clifford and faces Democrat Lorie Wood in an open seat for District 524.
Where they stand 1 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
DEI programsKeep support open to all, but end race or sex preferences and required statementslow
Said · low confidence- She told Kansas Reflector that schools in the 5th District are compliant with the state DEI ban but are still inclusive, and that DEI "has been used as a catchphrase for a lot of things that are really not going on in schools." (2026-07-17) source
No public position found on: Curriculum and books, School choice, Religion in schools.
Last reviewed 2026-10-07. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.