Month: August 2017

Holland easily wins mayoral primary; Alvey also to advance to general election

Mayor Mark Holland hugged Erick Jensen at the mayor’s watch party tonight at the Mason Jar restaurant on North 74th Drive. Holland received about 40 percent of the vote in a five-way race. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
David Alvey and his daughter celebrated at a watch party at his campaign headquarters on North 6th Street tonight. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
David Haley, second from left, talked with Rashane Hamby, left, Lacy Moore, second from right, and LaRon Thompson, right, at his campaign watch party tonight at Gates restaurant in Kansas City, Kansas. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

by Mary Rupert

Mayor Mark Holland was surrounded at his watch party tonight at the Mason Jar restaurant with a group of happy campaigners.

“We’re very excited about the outcome,” Mayor Holland said, who had about 40 percent of the five-way vote. “It’s a big win. We have our work cut out for us for the general election.”

Holland’s lead was big enough that he will almost certainly be declared the primary winner after an unknown number of mail-in ballots are counted on Friday. Then the votes will be certified on Monday. Holland, with 5,380 votes on Tuesday night, was more than 1,100 votes ahead of challenger David Alvey, who had 4,263 votes, and David Haley had another 2,474 votes.

Holland said it was his fourth time running county-wide – he won the first one by only 13 votes.

“So maybe we are getting better,” Holland said.

David Alvey, at his campaign headquarters on North 6th Street, said, “We are very excited to be moving on, and we look forward to bringing the debate.

“We intend to expose Mayor Holland’s narrative that everything is well and growing in the county,” Alvey said. “We have to take care of our residents all across the county, it’s not just about development out west.”

David Haley, at his campaign watch party at Gates restaurant at 10th and State Avenue, was still waiting for the final numbers to come in when he said that his campaign was all about shifting the focus to other parts of Wyandotte County.

“Whatever the outcome, we believe that either of the status quos, Mr. Holland or Mr. Alvey, should build small businesses in other parts of our county, and immediately. That is our focus,” Haley said.

The unofficial results on Tuesday night showed a 17.5 percent voter turnout, with 13,484 votes cast.

The general election is Nov. 7.

Primary election results, unofficial results
With 13,484 votes cast, 17.5 percent of registered voters
All precincts are in; some mail-in ballots have not yet been counted.

UG Mayor- Chief Executive Officer
David Alvey 4,263 votes, 31.76 percent
David Haley 2,474 votes, 18.43 percent
Mark R. Holland, incumbent 5,380 votes, 40.09 percent
D. Keith Jordan 319 votes, 2.38 percent
Janice Grant Witt 985 votes, 7.34 percent

UG Commissioner, 5th District
John T. Fotovich, 436 votes, 11.23 percent
Mike Kane, incumbent 2,276 votes, 58.60 percent
Sarah Kremer, 1,172 votes, 30.18 percent

UG Commissioner, 7th District
George Cooper, 453 votes, 28 percent
Jim A. Gibson, 410 votes, 25.34 percent
Jim Walters, incumbent 755 votes, 46.6 percent

UG Commissioner, 8th District
Brad Isnard, 279 votes, 14.79 percent
Kendon McClaine, 560 votes, 29.69 percent
Jane W. Philbrook, incumbent, 1,047 votes, 55.51 percent

Sheriff
Donald Ash, incumbent 6,507 votes, 50.21 percent
Charles W. Bunnell, 671 votes, 5.18 percent
Marvin L. Main, 1,220 votes, 9.41 percent
Celisha Towers, 2,806 votes, 21.65 percent
Victor Webb, 1,755 votes, 13.54 percent

BPU member, position 1, at-large
Kevin Braun, 1,994 votes, 17.13 percent
Mary Gonzales, incumbent, 5,738 votes, 49.29 percent
Bryan Messmer, 2,010 votes, 17.27 percent
Nikole C. Owens, 1,899 votes, 16.31 percent

Incumbents continue to do well; unofficial results in

Mayor Mark Holland had a commanding lead tonight in the Unified Government mayor’s contest.

Incumbents in general did very well in the primary election tonight.

The latest unofficial results showed Holland with 4,684 votes, or 41.5 percent of the vote, compared to David Alvey’s 3,273 or 29.06 percent and David Haley’s 2,170 or 19.27 percent. Janice Witt had 847 votes or 7.52 percent of the vote, with Keith Jordan 289, or 2.57 percent of the vote.

The results from the Election Commissioner’s office are not final because some mail-in votes still need to be counted on Friday. According to election officials, a state law was changed this year, allowing mail-in ballots to be postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day to count. The election commissioner said earlier today that there are fewer than 1,000 mail ballots still out.

For Unified Government Commission, 5th District, incumbent Mike Kane was leading 1,326 to Sarah Kremer’s 780, with John Fotovich garnering 292 votes.

In the 7th District, UG Commission, incumbent Jim Walters had 720 votes to George Cooper’s 429 votes and Jim Gibson’s 363 votes.

For UG Commissioner, 8th District, Jane Philbrook received 1,047 votes to Kendon McClaine’s 560 votes and Brad Isnard’s 279 votes.

For Sheriff, incumbent Don Ash received 5,290 votes to Celisha Towers, 2,489; Victor WEbb, 1,444; Marvin Main, 1,047; and Charles Bunnell, 603.

For the BPU, at-large, position 1, incumbent Mary Gonzales received 4,837 votes and Nikole Owens, 1,655; Kevin Braun, 1,594, and Bryan Messmer, 1,549.

No change in primary leaders in second group of votes

The second group of vote totals is in from the Wyandotte County Election Office, showing no change in the vote leaders from the first group.

Incumbents continue to do well so far in this election, with 6,737 votes cast, and a turnout of 8.74 percent.

Incumbent Mayor Mark Holland led with 42.54 percent of the mayoral contest vote to David Alvey’s 1,993, or 29.72 percent, and David Haley’s 1,237, or 18.44 percent. Janice Witt had 460 votes and D. Keith Jordan, 164.

For UG Commission, 5th District, incumbent Commissioner Mike Kane had 1,000 votes, or 56.82 percent of te vote, to Sarah Kremer’s 537 votes, 30.51 percent, and John Fotovich’s 223 votes, or 12.67 percent.

In District 7, UG Commission, Incumbent Commissioner Jim Walters led with 380 votes, or 45.78 percent, to Jim Gibson’s 235 votes, 28.31 percent, and George Cooper’s 215 votes, 25.90 percent.

For the UG Commission, 8th District, incumbent Commissioner Jane Philbrook led with 633 votes, or 59.77 percent, to Kendon McClaine’s 305 votes, or 28.80 percent, and Brad Isnard’s 121 votes, or 11.43 percent.

Incumbent Sheriff Donald Ash continued to lead the five-candidate contest with 3,297 votes, or 50.83 percent. Celisha Towers was second with 1,430 votes, 22.05 percent; Victor Webb, 828 votes, 12.77 percent; Marvin Main, 565 votes, 8.71 percent; and Charles Bunnell, 366 votes, 5.64 percent.

Incumbent BPU member, position 1 at-large, Mary Gonzales leads with 3,040 votes, 52.31 percent; and Bryan Messmer was second with 972 votes, 16.72 percent. Nikole Owens had 929 votes, 15.98 percent; and Kevin Braun had 871 votes, 14.99 percent.