Category: Election 2021

Name and office sought: Tyrone A. Garner, U.G. of WYCO KCK Mayor – CEO

Age: 52

Occupation and experience: Public Service, over 32 years

Education: Master’s Degree in Human Resources

Organizations, clubs, groups to which you belong:
FBI-NA, NOBLE, N.E. Optimist, NAACP

Reasons for running:
Issues involving investing in the disinvested, fair taxes, streamlining government, public safety reforms, transparent strategic COVID-19 recovery plan, engaged community driven leadership, jobs that pay a livable wage to WYCO residents.

What are the three most important issues facing this position and how would you handle them?

Engaged Leadership – Improve communication, engagement, education, and transparency to the public with enhanced access to the Mayor, increased town halls, listening tours and meeting residents where they are.
Investing in the disinvested – Working with stakeholders, we will seek systems changes in staff administration that will involve a top-down audit of the U.G and BPU as a means to streamline government, stamp out fraud, waste and abuse, with an emphasis of locating and removing bureaucracy, as well as finding real tax relief. Collaborating with stakeholders to revitalize disinvested neighborhoods with the goal of anchoring people in WYCO, as well as embracing responsible developments that will deliver livable wage jobs; a commitment to promoting small businesses and entrepreneurs is key, with a focus on the equitable delivery of goods and services to the people places and programs where investments are needed most.
Public Safety Reforms – Working with stakeholders to ensure that public safety is appropriately funded, better reflects the communities values, equitably staffed, and provided the resources necessary to keep WYCO safe.

If you are an incumbent, list your top accomplishments in office. If you are not an incumbent, what would you change if elected?
Bring community driven leadership to the office – ensuring that the reasonable expectations of residents is better reflected in the delivery of goods and services, increased engagement in all four corners of WYCO, build a network for improved communication with stakeholder and elected officials, a commitment to bring WYCO together in unity, enhance transparency and improved access to the office.

Have you run for elected office previously? When, results?
Yes, 11-7-17, elected KCKCC Board of Trustees.

Garner’s campaign website is at www.garnerformayor.com/.

Office sought: Mayor

My name is Daran Duffy. I am a servant of Jesus Christ. I confess I do not have any experience in oppressing an entire county of people.

The corruption that has plagued the BPU and the UG for years is no longer hidden under a cloud of uncertainty. The bureaucrats and politicians are literally flaunting their disregard for me and my fellow Dottes. I am grieved by what I am witnessing. Evil prevails when good men do nothing; this is why I am running for office.

The biggest issue facing the mayor’s office and the UG is the complete lack of trust from the people. I would encourage my fellow Dottes to vote out all of the incumbents in this election cycle. If we keep doing what we’ve done, we’ll keep getting what we’ve got.

My intended actions:

1. I will immediately advocate to halt all special interest efforts to entice tourism to the county. My fellow Dottes need drivable roads county wide, not a bridge to nowhere. My fellow Dottes need and want activities for our own families like community pools, not a glorified baseball camp for tourists. Our money needs to work for our interests first.
2. Speaking of our money, I will advocate for lowering the mill levy and a full, transparent, independent audit of the BPU.
3. As far as special interest projects and job creation are concerned, I welcome private investors and small businesses. This is how communities develop and last! I love it when people are dedicated to their dreams and are willing to work to see them through.

I am not a politician. I am just a person who loves Jesus and people. I want to see our Wyandotte community free to thrive.

The candidate’s Facebook page is at www.facebook.com/daregreatly2021. His website is at https://duffyformayor.com/.

The primary election will be Tuesday, Aug. 3, and advance voting in person begins today.

Offices on the primary ballot include UG mayor, Unified Government commissioner at large, District 2; UG Commissioner, District 5; UG Commissioner, District 8; Wyandotte County Sheriff; Board of Public Utilities, member at large, position 1; and BPU member at large, position 2.

Three early voting centers are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today, July 24, in Wyandotte County.

They are at the Wyandotte County Election Office, 850 State Ave.; the Joe Amayo-Argentine Recreation Center, 2810 Metropolitan Ave.; and Eisenhower Recreation Center, 2901 N. 72nd St., all in Kansas City, Kansas.

The three voting centers also will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 31.

In addition, the Election Office at 850 State has additional days for early voting in person: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, July 26, through Friday, July 30.

The last day for early voting in person will be 8 a.m. to noon Monday, Aug. 2, at the Election Office, 850 State.

Voting by mail available

Voting by mail also is available for the primary election. Those who sign up to get a ballot by mail will receive the ballot in the mail, then they will receive a ballot and return it.

The application for a mail ballot is available at https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56606b47e4b0b9403ad6ff96/t/603e8d019c7e3d354d28cecb/1614712065578/AV1wc_Mail_2020.pdf.

The deadline to apply for a ballot by mail is Tuesday, July 27, one week before Election Day.

After filling out the ballot, voters place it in the provided return envelope. Voters will fill out the back of the return envelope, printing their name and address on it, writing the name of anyone designated to assist with it, and signing a statement if another person needs to sign your ballot.

According to election information, if the ballot is not signed, the election office will try to contact the voter. The ballot will not be counted if the envelope is not signed. The ballot must be in the sealed return envelope, even if returned in person.

Ballots sent through the U.S. mail must have the correct postage, and must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the Friday after election.

These ballots also can be delivered to the Election Office in person before 7 p.m. on Election Day, Aug. 3. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and until 7 p.m. on Election Day. If someone else delivers the ballot for you, you should write their name in Statement 2 on the return envelope, and they should sign that statement.

Five ballot drop box locations are available in Wyandotte County, which are open 24-7 through 7 p.m. Election Day, Aug. 3.

The mail ballots can be dropped off at these drop boxes. The locations include:
• Bonner Springs Library, 201 N. Nettleton Ave., Bonner Springs.
• Edwardsville City Hall, 690 S. 4th St., Edwardsville.
• West Wyandotte Library, 1737 N. 82nd St., Kansas City, Kansas.
• Election Office, 850 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, (walk up in front of building)
• Election Office, 850 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, on 9th Street next to the fence, creating a “drive through” path for voters to drive through to drop off their ballot from their cars.
• KCK City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

Regular polling places

On Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 3, regular polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

To check your polling place and what is on your ballot, visit Voter View at https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView.

The primary is a nonpartisan election, and party affiliation is not required to vote. Voters must be registered to vote in Wyandotte County.

For more information about the election, call the Election Office at 913-573-8500 or visit wycovotes.org.