Six current council members are vying to be the next mayor of Kansas City.
The race features 11 candidates to replace Sly James, who has been in that role for the past eight years, to be the city’s 57th mayor.
The top two vote getters in this primary will advance to the general election held June 18.
Since 1940, nine of the past 10 mayors have served at least two terms. Mark Funkhouser was the exception, from 2007 to 2011.
The list of candidates includes Scott Taylor, Alissia Canady, Quinton Lucas, Steve Miller, Scott Wagner, Phil Glynn, Vincent Lee, Jolie Justus, Jermaine Reed, Henry Klein and Clay Chastain.
There is only one Northland resident running out of the 11, Scott Wagner, is the mayor pro tem. The 1st district at-large councilman, in his second term, chairs the finance and governance committee. Wagner has been a vocal opponent to the issues surrounding the airport
Reed, Taylor, Lucas, Justus and Canady are the other current council members running.
Reed and Lucas both represent the 3rd District. Lucas is a professor at Kansas, while Reed was the youngest councilman ever elected at the age of 25 in 2011.
Lucas is the chairman of the housing committee and Reed chairs the transportation and infrastructure committee.
Taylor, an attorney, is in his second term as the 6th District at-large councilman. He chairs the planning and zoning and the economic development committee.
Canady and Justus also have ties to law firms. Canady, who represents the 5th District, is a private attorney and a former assistant prosecuting attorney for Jackson County.
Justus is the director of pro bono service for Shook, Hardy and Bacon law firm in Kansas City. She pulled out of the race last year but when Jason Kander withdrew as a candidate, Justus return to the ledger. The chairwoman for the airport committee was state senator for eight years.
In terms of money raised, KCUR reported that Miller and Lucas both had in excess of $250,000 in their campaigns last month, while Justus was just below that mark. Taylor’s campaign had $177,000.
Miller is an attorney who formerly served as chairman of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. Glynn is a business owner in the Crossroads area and has served on the city’s TIF commission.
Lee ran in the general election against James and lost, while Chastain has run for mayor four times but lost all four. Klein is running for the third time.
DISTRICT TWO
Teresa Loar, currently an at-large councilwoman, is running unopposed for re-election to represent Platte County.
In the District 2 council spot, incumbent Dan Fowler is facing a challenge from Kevin McEvoy.
Dan Fowler
A sales manager, McEvoy listed oversight on government spending, transparency in contract awards, park development and proper distribution of infrastructure dollars as his main goals in running for election. He also noted the importance of fully funding the Kansas City Police Department.
On his election Facebook page, he voiced displeasure on the rising cost of the KCI new terminal project.
Fowler joined the council in 2015 and is currently the chairman of the ethics and legal review committee and vice chairman of the housing and airport committee.
A partner at the Collins, Fowler, Harlan firm located on NW Tiffany Springs Parkway, Fowler had backed the KCI construction project from the start.
A Kansas State and Georgetown graduate, he helped bring Costco and a CVS Distribution center to the Northland, as well fix housing issues at Englewood Apartments. Mostly recently he has been at the helm of the Metro North redevelopment.