Politics is local, it is said, but that does not mean most people participate. For instance, just more than 26 percent of registered voters in Mission took the time to vote last week in a mayoral election that offered some decidedly different views on city issues.
Of the 6,525 registered voters in the city, only 1,737 went to the polls. But that was a higher percentage than the city-wide turnout in any of the other Johnson County municipal elections last week. Mission’s Ward 4, with more than a 40 percent turnout, had the highest turnout of any area. That ward featured a contested council race between Suzie Gibbs and Bill Nichols and is home to the losing mayor candidate, Dave Shepard.
In Prairie Village, where only ward council races were at stake, Ward 1 turned out 26.8 percent of the registered voters where Jori Nelson defeated incumbent Dale Warman. The only other double digit turnout was the 16.75 percent in Ward 5. Overall, just more than 11 percent of Prairie Village registered voters showed up.
Westwood’s council race, which saw four candidates going after three seats, drew 15 percent of the city’s voters. In Leawood, with hardly any contested races, less than four percent of voters turned out.
Complete precinct voting breakdowns have been posted by the Johnson County Election Office.
