Overview:
That may seem like six months away, but the election cycle is already underway. Potential candidates have been pondering their runs for months or for years, for some of the candidates.
If the 2022 midterm elections have you worn out on politics, get ready. If you live in Missouri, you won’t get much of a break from election politicking. The next round of elections – for municipal positions – is April 6.
That may seem like six months away, but the election cycle is already underway. Potential candidates have been pondering their runs for months or for years, for some of the candidates. The official campaign season gets underway on Dec. 6 when candidate filing opens. The deadline for filing ends on Dec. 27, and with the holidays behind, the races are on.
Kansas City
The Kansas City Council is composed of 12 members and the mayor with all of the seats up for election. The seats are divided into six geographical districts, with two council members representing each of the districts. One of the representatives from the district is voted on by members of the district only. The other district representative is an at-large position with all residents of the city voting in each of the six at-large district races.
With terms limited to two, four year terms for members of the Kansas City Council, half of the 12 current members will not be able to seek reelection. This opens the path for a set a fresh new faces and perspectives on the City Council.
Representatives from the 3rd and 5th districts and the mayor are African American.
Not able to run again due to term limits are:
Heather Hall – 1st District
Dan Fowler – 2nd
Teresa Loar – 2nd At-Large
Lee Barnes – 5th At-Large
Kevin McManus — 6th District
Andrea Bough – 6th At-Large
Able to run again are:
Kevin O’Neill – 1st District
Melissa Robinson – 3rd District
Brandon Ellington – 3rd At-Large
Katheryn Shields – 4th At-Large
Eric Bunch – 4th District
Ryana Parks – 5th District
Quinton Lucas – Mayor
Grandview
Grandview
In Grandview, there are six aldermen, elected from wards, and the mayor. They’re all elected to two-year terms, without limits on the number of terms they can serve. This year half of the aldermen, one from each ward, and the mayor are up for election. In Grandview three aldermen (one is a woman) and the mayor is African-American.
Up for election are:
Damon Randolph – Ward 1
Dan Hartman – Ward 2
John Maloney – Ward 3
Leonard Jones – Mayor
Raytown
Raytown has 12 aldermen/women with two elected from each district for four-year terms, and a mayor. The terms for alderman expire on staggered years, with the city’s elections held on even-numbered years.
So half of the districts and the mayor are up for election this year.
With growing diversity in the City, there is more opportunity for increasing diversity and representation on the council. Bonnaye Mims, who is Black, has been served as an alderman since 2017 and her seat isn’t up until 2015. In 2021, Loretha Hayden, also Black, further increased the diversity of the city’s elected body. Her position doesn’t expire until 2025.
Lee’s Summit
Lee’s Summits has eight council members elected by districts and a mayor. Two members are elected from each of four different geographical districts. They serve a maximum of two, four-year terms with the terms staggered to expire every two years.
The next Lee’s Summit council election isn’t until 2024, but with the changing demographics of the city, there may be an opportunity to increase the diversity and representation on the council that does not currently have any African-American members.