City Council primary election saw 8 percent turnout

Three city council primaries in Sedgwick County drew about 8.2 percent of voters to the polls Tuesday, according to the county’s election office.

The race for a seat on the Wichita City Council representing parts of central and northeast Wichita had about 2,970 ballots cast, said Chief Deputy Election Commissioner Sandra Gritz.

Community activist Brandon Johnson and former Wichita school board member Mike Kinard advanced to the November general election for the District 1 seat on the Wichita City Council. The winner will replace Lavonta Williams, who can not run again because of term limits.

With 35,464 residents registered to vote in District 1, that race saw a turnout of about 8.4 percent.

In Haysville, 68 residents voted in a primary for a city council position. And 91 residents voted in a city council primary in a Park City ward.

Based on the number of registered voters, the Haysville and Park City races saw 4.2 percent and 8.7 percent turnout, respectively.

A state law in 2015 moved city council and school board elections from the spring to August and November of odd-numbered years in an effort to increase turnout.

Gritz said Tuesday’s turnout figures were comparable to other Wichita City Council primaries, such as a 7.9 percent turnout in 2009.

“It falls right about average,” she said.

She said the 2013 Wichita City Council primary saw snow storms during early voting and before Election Day.

“That probably affected the turnout,” she said, referring to its 4.7 percent turnout. “Hopefully with the city elections (now) being in August and November, we won’t have to worry about snow.”

Gritz said it was more appropriate to compare Tuesday’s election to the 2009 and 2013 contests, rather than the 2015 primary that featured a mayoral race.

This story was originally published August 2, 2017 at 6:03 PM with the headline "City Council primary election saw 8 percent turnout."