There’s only one local election in Johnson County on this August’s primary ballot.
We’re looking at you, Lenexa.
Specifically, voters in the city’s Ward 1 will be the only ones in Johnson County with a choice on Aug. 5. (Dozens of other local races for municipal offices, school boards and more will be on the November general election ballot.)
Lenexa’s Ward 1 covers much of the northern part of the city, from its western boundary east to Pflumm Road. Check out a more exact map here.
The race in Ward 1 includes current Councilmember John Michael Handley — appointed to the seat in January to fill a vacancy created by the death of Joe Karlin — as well as challengers Trevor Keegan and Joe Shull.
We want voters in Lenexa to tell us what issues and priorities they want to hear city council candidates talking about in the lead up to the August primary and beyond to November.
The Post’s “Citizens Agenda” approach to election coverage
As we’ve done for more than a decade now, the Post will be asking the candidates seeking to represent Johnson Countians in office about the issues YOU want to hear them discuss as they compete for your vote.
This is part of our “Citizens Agenda” approach to campaign coverage, a philosophy of local election coverage used by media outlets across the U.S. that seeks to center the interests of everyday voters — not political parties, power brokers or journalists.
“When we ask people about what they want to hear candidates talking about, we find it’s almost never the kinds of things that dominate discussion on cable news or talk radio,” said Post publisher Jay Senter. “These candidates want the job of representing you, of being your voice in the rooms where big decisions get made. We think it’s our job to get the candidates talking about the things people say matter most to them.”
What do you want the candidates talking about as they compete for your vote?
How to tell us your priorities or questions
📬 Email us stories@johnsoncountypost.com
🐦 Post on our X page (formerly Twitter)
➡️ Send us a message on Facebook here.
We’ll use your input to develop questionnaires for the candidates in this Lenexa city council race, which we’ll publish ahead of the start of advanced voting next month.
