Category: Election 2019

Five contests to be on primary election ballot

Five contests will be on the primary election ballot on Aug. 6 in Wyandotte County, according to Election Commissioner Bruce Newby.

The filing deadline was Monday at noon, and several candidates filed on Friday and Monday.

Some current and former state legislators filed for municipal offices, including Mark Gilstrap, a former state senator who filed for UG Commission, at-large District 1; State Sen. David Haley, who filed for BPU at-large, position 3; and State Rep. Stan Frownfelter, who filed for BPU board member, 3rd District. State Rep. Valdenia Winn, currently also a member of the Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education, has filed for re-election.

Contests that will require a primary include:

• Unified Government Commissioner at-large, District 1, incumbent Commissioner Melissa Brune Bynum, former State Sen. Mark Gilstrap and Steven James.


• UG Commissioner, District 3, incumbent Commissioner Ann Murguia, Mary V. Gerlt and Christian A. Ramirez.

• UG Commissioner, District 4, incumbent Commissioner Harold Johnson, Jorge Luis Flores and former 4th District Commissioner Tarence L. Maddox.

• BPU at-large, position 3, incumbent Norman D. Scott, Chiquita C. Coggs, David Haley, Rose Mulvany Henry, Melissa Oropeza-Vail, Faith L. Rivera and Ken Snyder.

• BPU, District 3, incumbent Jeff Bryant, Aaron Coleman, Dustin K. Dye and Stan S. Frownfelter.

Filing on Monday, June 3, were Tarence L. Maddox, for the 4th District Commission; Diana J. Aguirre, for the 6th District Commission; Christian A. Ramirez for 3rd District Commission; Chiquita C. Coggs for BPU at-large, position 3; David Haley for BPU at-large, position 3; Ken Snyder for BPU at-large, position 3; LaRon Thompson, BPU board member, 1st District; Patricia L. Brune, KCKCC Board of Trustees; LaMar Lynch, Piper Board of Education; Yolanda S. Clark, Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education; Randy Lopez, Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education; Karen French, Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education; and Hattie L. Smith, Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education.

Filing on Friday, May 31, were Mark Gilstrap, for the 1st District at-large, Commission; Mary V. Gerlt for the 3rd District Commission; Kim Brown, Piper Board of Education; Ashley Razak, Bonner Springs Board of Education; Frieda Tresvan, Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education; and Chuck Adams, Edwardsville City Council.

The official filing list included these candidates:

• UG Commissioner at-large, 1st District, incumbent Melissa Brune Bynum; Mark Gilstrap and Steven James.
• UG Commissioner, 2nd District, incumbent Brian McKiernan.
• UG Commissioner, 3rd District, incumbent Ann Murguia, Mary V. Gerlt and Christian A. Ramirez.
• UG Commissioner, 4th District, incumbent Harold Johnson, Jorge Luis Flores and Tarence L. Maddox.
• UG Commissioner, 6th District, incumbent Angela Markley and Diana J. Aguirre.
• Register of Deeds, incumbent Nancy Burns and Tscher Manck.
• BPU at-large, position 3, incumbent Norman D. Scott, Chiquita C. Coggs, David Haley, Rose Mulvany Henry, Melissa Oropeza-Vail, Faith L. Rivera and Ken Snyder.
• BPU board member, 1st District, incumbent Robert “Bob” Milan and LaRon Thompson.
• BPU board member, 3rd District, incumbent Jeff Bryant, Aaron Coleman, Dustin K. Dye and Stan S. Frownfelter.
• KCKCC Board of Trustees, incumbent Donald Ash, incumbent Rosalyn Brown, Patricia L. Brune, incumbent Ray Daniels, Jammie A. Johnson and Paul P.J. Jones.
• Turner Board of Education, incumbent Becky Billigmeier, Bryan Fishbaugh, incumbent Daniel Soptic and incumbent Theresa Tillery.
• Piper Board of Education, Larry K. Beashore, incumbent Ashley Biondi, Kim Brown, LaMar Lynch and incumbent Jeb Vader.
• Bonner Springs Board of Education, John H. Claxton, Pam Lawson, Jennifer McConico, incumbent David L. Pierce and Ashley Razak.
• Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education, Gary E. Bradley-Lopez, Yolanda S. Clark, Monica Crowe, Karen French, incumbent Janey Humphries, incumbent Brenda C. Jones, Randy Lopez, Hattie L. Smith, Joseph A. Straws III, Frieda Tresvan and incumbent Valdenia C. Winn.
• Bonner Springs mayor, incumbent Jeff W. Harrington and Jordan M. Mackey.
• Bonner Springs City Council, Mike Thompson, 1st District; Dani Gurley, 2nd District; Robert W. (Bob) Reeves, 3rd District; Mark Kipp, 4th District.
• Edwardsville City Council, Chuck Adams, Garrett Mellott and Charles E. Stites.

Some of these contests did not require a primary and will be on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.

Filing for municipal elections closes at noon today

The city, county and school elections now have more contests on the primary ballot, with the filing deadline at noon today at the election commission office, 850 State Ave.

The Wyandotte County Election Office has posted the names of candidates on its website, at https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56606b47e4b0b9403ad6ff96/t/5cf530df3b168c000121b89f/1559572704395/2019+Candidate+Filings+-+Website++6-3-19.pdf.

Positions where there are more than one opponent so far include the Unified Government Commissioner at large, District 1; BPU at large, position 3; and BPU board member, 3rd District.

There were seven candidates filed for the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools board.

Candidates for UG Commissioner at large, District 1, included incumbent Commissioner Melissa Brune Bynum, Mark Gilstrap and Steven James.

Candidates for BPU at large, position 3, included incumbent Norman D. Scott, Rose Mulvany Henry, Melissa Oropeza-Vail and Faith L. Rivera.

Candidates for BPU board member, district 3, included incumbent Jeff Bryant, Aaron Coleman, Dustin K. Dye and Stan S. Frownfelter.

Candidates for the Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education included incumbents Janey Humphries, Brenda C. Jones and Valdenia C. Winn. Also running were Gary E. Bradley-Lopez, Monica Crowe, Joseph A. Straws III and Frieda Tresvan.

The primary election is Aug. 6 and the general election is Nov. 5.

Primary could be required for BPU elections, not enough candidates yet to require a primary in other offices

by Mary Rupert

Wyandotte County Election Commissioner Bruce Newby stated that based on the current candidate filings, there is a possibility of a primary being required for the Board of Public Utilities positions.

All the other city and school offices currently have fewer than the number of candidates that would necessitate a primary, Newby stated.

The primary election, if required, will be Aug. 6 and the general election will be Nov. 5. The filing deadline is at noon June 3.

There are four candidates for BPU District 3, according to the election office’s candidate list. They include Jeff Bryant, incumbent; Aaron Coleman, Dustin K. Dye and Stan S. Frownfelter. Frownfelter also is a state legislator.

There are three candidates for BPU at large, position 3. They are Norman D. Scott, incumbent; Melissa Oropeza-Vail and Faith L. Rivera.

Newby stated the primary election ballot does not have any questions, but there is a constitutional amendment question on the November general election ballot.

A Senate Concurrent Resolution has placed a constitutional amendment question on the November ballot concerning the census.

The amendment proposes eliminating the adjustment of the census taken by the U.S. Census Bureau regarding nonresident military personnel and nonresident students when reapportioning the Kansas Senate and House of Representatives, Newby stated.

Currently, the state constitution requires a census adjustment that excludes nonresident military personnel and students. A vote for the amendment will eliminate the exclusion, according to Newby. Other states do not exclude nonresident military and students.

Several candidates have filed for office in the municipal elections in 2019, according to the Wyandotte County election office list.

Candidates for city, BPU and school elections include:

Unified Government

Melissa A. Brune Bynum, incumbent, UG commissioner at large, District 1.
Steven James, UG commissioner at large, District 1.
Ann Murguia, incumbent, UG Commissioner, District 3.
Christian A. Ramirez, UG Commissioner, District 3.
Jorge Luis Flores, UG Commissioner, District 4.
Harold Johnson, incumbent, UG Commissioner, District 4.
Angela Markley, incumbent, UG Commissioner, District 6.

Register of Deeds

Tscher Manck.
Nancy Burns, incumbent.

Board of Public Utilities

Melissa Oropeza-Vail, BPU at large, position 3.
Faith L. Rivera, BPU at large, position 3.
Norman D. Scott, incumbent, BPU at large, position 3.
Robert “Bob” Milan, incumbent, BPU board member, District 1.
Aaron Coleman, BPU board member, District 3.
Dustin K. Dye, BPU board member, District 3.
Jeff Bryant, incumbent, BPU board member, District 3.
Stan S. Frownfelter, BPU board member, District 3.

Bonner Springs

Jeff W. Harrington, incumbent, mayor.
Mike Thompson, City Council, District 1.
Dani Gurley, City Council, District 2.

Kansas City Kansas Community College Board of Trustees

Donald Ash, incumbent.
Jammie A. Johnson.
Paul P.J. Jones.
Ray Daniels, incumbent.
Rosalyn Brown, incumbent.

Turner Board of Education

Daniel Soptic, incumbent.
Becky Billigmeier, incumbent.

Bonner Springs Board of Education
 Jennifer McConico.

Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education
 Brenda C. Jones, incumbent.
Janey Humphries, incumbent.
Joseph A. Straws III.
Valdenia C. Winn, incumbent.
Gary E. Bradley-Lopez.