KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Three Kansas City metro mayoral races are clear following Tuesday’s primary election, and several area school boards and municipalities could have a new makeup with several incumbents set to defend their posts.
OVERLAND PARK
In Overland Park, Mike Czinege garnered 8,989 votes, or 39%, followed by Ward 2 Councilman Curt Skoog, who received 5,459 votes, or 23%, according to unofficial final results. They will advance to the Nov. 2 general election.
At the city council level, Overland Park residents overwhelmingly voted for Ward 1 incumbent Logan Heley (1,742 votes, or 59%) to face off against Ryan Spencer (668 votes, or 23%). In Ward 2, Melissa Cheatham (2,393 votes, or 55%) and Roger Tarbutton (1,424 votes, or 33%). In Ward 4, Scott Mosher – father of fallen OPPD officer Mike Mosher – (1,842 votes, or 44%) and incumbent Stacie Gram (1,322 votes, or 32%) move on to the Nov. 2 general election. Ward 5 will see Sam Passer (47%, or 1,700 votes) and Sheila Rodriguez (39%, or 1,409 votes) on the ballot in November.
KANSAS CITY, KANSAS
Meanwhile, in his reelection bid, Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor David Alvey is set to face Tyrone Garner, an Army veteran and retired KCKPD deputy chief. Garner received 3,465 votes, or 28%, followed closely by Alvey, who has been in office since 2018 and earned 3,405 votes, also 28%.
The Unified Government of Wyandotte County also had several commission seats on the ballot. The At-Large District 2 seat will be held between incumbent Tom Burroughs, who received 2,247 votes (55%), and Claudine Sanders, who received 1,218 votes (30%).
The District 1 seat will be contested between incumbent councilmember Gayle Townsend (707 votes, or 52%) and Melvin Williams (390 votes, or 28%).
District 5 incumbent Mike Kane (2,085 votes, or 61%) will attempt to retain his seat against Eleanor Morales Clark (697 votes, or 20%).
Andrew Davis received 31% of the vote (535 votes) to take on District 8 incumbent Jane Philbrook, who garnered 443 votes, or 26%.
Additionally, Daniel Soptic (5,815 votes, or 50%) and Celisha Towers (4,137 votes, or 35%) are set to face off in the Wyandotte County sheriff race.
The KCK Board of Public Utilities had two at-large positions on the ballot. Incumbent Mary Gonzalez (5,567 votes, or 54%) and Gwendolyn Bass (2,943 votes, or 28%) are on the ballot for the first at-large seat, while David Haley (3,925 votes, or 36%) and Mark Gilstrap (2,074 votes, or 19%) defeated incumbent Ryan Eidson (1,839 votes, or 17%) to vie for the second at-large seat.
EDGERGTON
The Edgerton mayoral race puts incumbent Donald Roberts against Brent Carroll with 67% and 32% percent of the vote, respectively.
OLATHE
Two Olathe City Council seats were up for election – Ward 3 and at-large. Dean Vakas (46%, or 4,588) and Kevin Gilmore (44%, or 4,406 votes) will compete for the at-large seat. In Ward 3, Wayne Janner captured 847 votes, or 34%, and will be on the November ballot alongside LeEtta Felter (748 votes, or 30%).
Also in Olathe, the district’s Board of Education had its District 3 seat available, which saw Julie Steele (2,378 votes, or 45%) and Jennifer Gilmore (1,629 votes, or 31%) advance to the general election.
LENEXA
With 473 votes (48%), Ward 3 incumbent councilmember Corey Hunt is set to face Melanie Arroyo (426 votes, or 43%). And with a majority vote of 60% (461 votes), Craig Denny heads to the general election for Ward 4, followed by Scott Callaway, who earned 197 votes, or 26%.
MERRIAM
In Merriam, Amy Rider (118 votes, or 57%) and Nancy Hammond (62 votes, or 30%) move on in their bids to represent Ward 2.
BLUE SPRINGS
Residents who live within the Blue Springs R-IV School District voted on an operating property tax levy and a bond issue that would allow the district to issue $107 million in general obligation bonds.
The levy was approved by a large margin at 82%, along with the bond issue at 72%.
HARRISONVILLE
In Harrisonville, voters narrowly approved an emergency services sales tax, with a 75-vote difference.
PECULIAR
Peculiar residents overwhelmingly voted down a public parks tax with 74% of voters, or 248, opposed.
Editor's note: A previous version of this article incorrectly spelled Melissa Cheatham's last name. It has since been corrected.
