2026Still countingUnofficial results
2026 election for Kansas House District 96
Kansas House of Representatives · Kansas
Jessica Maldonado leads Tom Kessler by 11.5 points with 100% of the expected vote counted. The race has not been called.
Jessica MaldonadoDemocrat · leading
54.2%2,596
Tom KesslerRepublican · incumbent
42.7%2,047
LibertarianLibertarian
3.1%147
100% of the expected vote counted · 4,790 votes
Source: civicAPI unofficial results and race callsUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
The seat over time
D − R margin in this seat's races around 2026
The seat's recent races
Source: Past results: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Money in this race
Each line compares the two campaigns on one scale.
Jessica MaldonadoTom Kessler
$6.1K
Raised by the campaign
$67.4K
$4.9K
Spent by the campaign
$19.1K
$1.1K
Cash on hand
$68K
Campaign money: Kansas Public Disclosure Commission, through Oct 22, 2026.
Source: Kansas Public Disclosure Commission campaign filingsUpdated Oct 22, 2026
Pre-election forecast (final, Nov 3)
Our model's last run before Election Day, Nov 3, 2026. It no longer updates.
- Jessica Maldonado
- 35%
- Tom Kessler
- 65%
- Projected margin
- R+2.8
The candidates
Jessica Maldonado (D)Tom Kessler (R)
Incumbent, Kansas House of Representatives, first elected 2020
Incumbent, Kansas House of Representatives, first elected 2020
Also on the ballot: Libertarian (Libertarian), 3.1%