Leawood residents chose Matt Peppes and Rachel Rubin to replace two retiring city councilmembers, according to unofficial results posted by the county election office Tuesday night.
Voters chose Peppes over Sarah Meuli 1,197 – 120 for the Ward 1 spot. Meuli did not run an active campaign.
In the three-way race for the Ward 3 position, Rachel Rubin emerged the apparent winner over Mitch Lohr and Daniel Taylor, with 1,168 votes for Rubin, 546 for Lohr and 324 for Taylor. Taylor had suspended his campaign, but too late to be removed from the ballot.
Candidates in wards 2 and 4 ran unopposed. They were incumbent Councilmember Mary Larson, Ward 2 with 1,162 votes and incumbent Councilmember Julie Cain, Ward 4, with 1,196.
All election results are unofficial until the vote canvass is completed at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13. After that, election results will be official. Here’s a city map showing the boundaries of all four wards.
Peppes thanked his supporters. “This campaign was always about listening and collaboration and keeping Leawood a place where families and businesses can thrive,” he said. “I’m ready to get to work and make sure our city continues to grow in a thoughtful and community-focused way.”
Peppes founded the digital marketing firm Cuvée KC to support small businesses and has been involved in several community committees.
Rubin, an attorney who has worked with Leawood city staff on several issues, was unavailable for comment Tuesday night.
Ward 1 voters were deciding on a replacement for Councilmember Debra Filla, who has been a Leawood councilmember for just shy of 22 years. In Ward 3, the winner will take the spot now occupied by Councilmember Chuck Sipple, a 12-year veteran of the city council.
