Municipal primary elections in Johnson County are nearly eights months away, but candidates have already starting lining up to run.
Most notably, candidates who filed this week include those seeking mayor’s offices in two large north Johnson County cities.
Meanwhile, a handful of candidates filed for city council seats across the area and one sitting Shawnee Mission school board member officially began her bid for reelection.
Candidates file for Lenexa, Shawnee mayor
- In Lenexa, city councilmembers Julie Sayers and Joe Karlin have each filed their intention to run for the spot that will be vacated by Mike Boehm, who announced Tuesday that he will not run again after 20 years in that job.
- Meanwhile, in Shawnee, former councilmember Mickey Sandifer told his Facebook followers that he would run and has since put his name in to county election officials for mayor in that city.
- Current Shawnee Mayor Michelle Distler has not yet indicated whether she will run for a third term.
Distler is thinking about it
- Distler, who was sworn into the mayor’s office in 2015 and elected to a second term in 2019 said in a voicemail in response to questions from the Post that she will make a decision in the coming months.
- She said: “It has been an incredible honor to serve the amazing city of Shawnee as mayor these past two terms. I look forward to continuing to contribute to our city in every possible way. My focus is to continue the good work that the citizens of Shawnee expect of me as their mayor.”
Sandifer looks to get back into elected office
- Sandifer was first elected to represent Shawnee’s Ward 4 in the southern part of the city in 2004 and continued until 2020.
- His Facebook message announcing his candidacy said he decided not to run again in 2019, after losing his wife, Dona, following 39 years of marriage. But he has stayed active on boards and committees, remarried in 2022 and decided the time is now right to run for another term, he said.
- His post said he and his wife Kathy reached the decision to run because, “I have the right experience at the right time to make a positive impact as mayor.”
- Sandifer said in a phone call he is semi-retired from the family building management business.
In Lenexa, Sayers has served one term on council
- Sayers, whose Ward 4 district includes southeastern Lenexa and Old Town, made her announcement Wednesday.
- She said the city’s growth and development have made it one of the most desirable communities in the county.
- “The vision and implementation it took to get us to this point required a culture of collaboration, prudent financial management, and active engagement with the public that we serve,” Sayers said in a press release. “I have the experience to guide the continuation of responsible community development as our city keeps growing, and the resolve to maintain and revitalize our historic neighborhoods for the next generation.”
- Sayers was elected in 2019 and her term will expire this year, meaning that her Ward 4 seat will become open this election as well.
Karlin has served on council, planning commission
- Karlin was first elected in 2009 and has served continuously on the council since then. He filed his intention to run, but has so far not issued a release or created a campaign website.
- Karlin represents Ward 1, which is made up of the northern part of Lenexa west of Pflumm Road.
- He is a banking consultant and owns a small business and served on the city planning commission for four years before gaining a seat on the council.
- “I am running for the office of mayor because I believe I can bring my vast and varied experience to serve Lenexa as mayor,” he said in reply to an email. “My family and I love Lenexa, and we want to keep Lenexa the amazing place that it is to live, work and play!”
- Karlin won his most recent re-election in 2021, with his current term ending in 2025.
Other JoCo candidates filed this week
Several other candidates have begun to sign up for other municipal races:
- Merriam: City Councilmembers Whitney Yadrich, Ward 2, and Staci Chivetta, Ward 4, are running for reelection.
- Overland Park: Jameia Haines filed to fill the Ward 2 seat of Paul Lyons, who has said he is not running for reelection; Gregg Riess filed for Ward 4; and former Councilmember Chris Newlin has filed to run in Ward 6 again.
- Prairie Village: Councilmembers Bonnie Limbird and Ian Graves filed for reelection to Ward 3 and Ward 6, respectively.
- Shawnee: Councilmember Eric Jenkins filed for reelection to Ward 2
- Shawnee Mission School District: South-area board member Jessica Hembree filed for reelection.
Final thought: City and school board elections are non-partisan, meaning no party identification will appear next to the candidates’ names on the ballot.
Roxie Hammill is a freelance journalist who reports frequently for the Post and other Kansas City area publications. You can reach her at roxieham@gmail.com.
