My wife was using the oven (all day) and heard some sort of low 'popping" nose, then found it was no longer getting above 240ish. She turned it off and used the lower oven, only to later realize that the top oven was still heating and the bake element had a spot in the back corner glowing red, despite all control indictors being off. I flipped off the breaker to eliminate this. Used the oven next day, same problem. Left it off (at breaker) for 2 days, and turned on today to diagnose. No more heat/red spot, but doesn't work at all. Broil on top works fine, so does clock and other timer controls. Is it simply the bake element? Or should I look elsewhere before ordering parts?
thanks adam

I don't recall the exact spot, but where I think it is looks the same as the rest, but there is an area shortly after that (from the back where it connects) that at first I though looked like soemthing just spilled over and was stuck to it, but upon closer inspection seem either very well attached, or appears as though that something "ate" the element and it's pretty rough in places for about 4 inches or so. The entire rest of the element looks perfect.

Here are your parts. Note that it is for a JKP26GV1BB and not a JKP26GOV1BB.
Replacement parts for General Electric JKP26GV1BB Electric range | AppliancePartsPros.com

Sounds like the oven element burned out.
Sometimes they can short to the frame and then they are on all the time but with 120 volts not the full 240 volts.

Remove power from the unit.
Undo the screw/s that hold the element bracket to the back of the element.
Carefully pull the element into the over re: you do not want to pull one of the connecting wires off in the back of the unit.
Remove both wires from the element. It is a good idea to clip something on the wires (clothes pin etc.) so that they do not disappear into the back of the oven.
Check the element with a meter, usually around 20 ohms.
Replace the element if blown.

With a little luck it will not have damaged any other parts in the oven re: the control board.

OK, finally remembered to bring my meter home! Anyway, I get no resistance in the lower element, so must be blown. But I also get 120V in the red wire feeding it when the bake is not on. I then get 8V from the yellow wire at the same time. When I turn bake on, I get 120V from each, but I gather that the red wire should not have this voltage all the time? A short to the frame was mentioned in an earlier response.

Sounds to me like the element broke, shorted to the oven cavity, and welded itself there. One side of electric oven elements is always hot.