Kay O'Connor

Kay O'Connor (November 28, 1941 – October 10, 2018) was a member of the Kansas Senate and the Kansas House of Representatives.

Born in Everett, Washington, Early in her state senate tenure, she drew national attention for views which opponents characterized as opposing women's suffrage. At an event organized by the League of Women Voters, O'Connor said that: "We have a society that does tear families apart...I think the 19th Amendment, while it's not evil in and of itself, is a symptom of something I don't approve of." O'Connor disputed the interpretation of her remarks as opposing women's suffrage. and more easily defeated Democrat Mike Boatright in the general election, with 60% of the vote.

In 2005, she announced that she would run for Kansas Secretary of State, setting off another wave of national attention due to the controversy over her views on suffrage. O'Connor did not win the November 2006 primary, losing to incumbent Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh by a substantial margin (O'Connor took 27% of the vote to Thornburgh's 73%). In October 2006, O'Connor resigned her seat in the State Senate; she was replaced by Julia Lynn.

O'Connor died in 2018 after a lengthy illness.