KCMO ELECTION – MY THOUGHTS

I have been thinking about my observations during the 2023 Kansas City Mayor and City Council election process.   This was my first time being directly involved in city elections. It was an eye opener and these are the biggest takeaways I have from listening to candidates, volunteers, special interest groups and the citizens of KCMO.

• There were fewer voters in Jackson county for the general election than there were in April for the school board/primary.
  • There was a lot of concern about low voter turnout discussed during candidate forums and the charter review commission (which happened in the middle of the campaigning). 
• Many voters I talked to while canvassing did not know about the June election
  •  Some thought it was over in April like the school board elections.
  • The city did not promote the June election (sending out voter cards after early voting has already started doesn’t count as promoting in my opinion).
  • The news media who had done a great job of following the school board and primary did little or no coverage of the general election.
• The feeling of many Kansas Citians that the current city council didn’t listen to them.
  • Interestingly this was heard in every district, every forum, from renters, from homeowners, from widely diverse neighborhoods and from people on both ends of the political spectrum as well as those in between.
• The influence of special interest group endorsements (in the form of voter cheat sheets) has on the voters.
  • In this election I learned that some of those endorsements were bought, some were part of political deals with other organizations (you support mine I will support yours) and some were just to keep the status quo at a time when the people are yelling for change.
  • For decades while working and short of time I admit I would use the card handed to me by an organization I thought was trustworthy to vote.   I saw many voters looking for that same card at the polling place and even heard one say to the people passing them out “this is the one I was looking for”.    

Update 12/11/2023 – Has I have continued talking to different people, teams and groups this year I have come to understand the very real and important roll these groups have in our elections. Elections have become too complicated, trying to wade through rhetoric to find the truth about what a candidate really stands for is exhausting and people do not have time nor the inclination because of ugly rhetoric from both dominant parties. These organizations can do the research and tell their followers who aligns with their interests, which helps voters. Voters need to keep them honest though and make sure these groups know what is important to them.

SIMPLIFY

We need to simplify the voting process for Mayor and City Council in Kansas City.

SIMPLICITY is the word that pops into my head when I think about Rank Choice Voting (aka – Instant runoff) in KCMO.  

Implementing RCV in Kansas City specifically would:

• Simplify and shorten the election process
  • Candidates could manage campaign resources better.
  • Voters wouldn’t be confused about having a June election every 4 years. 
• Approximately $600K saved every 4 years by not having the June election.
  • Allocate some of that to be used by the city to educate voters and promote elections.
    • I think elections warrant billboards, sides of the buses, promotional flyers and public announcements across a lot of media.   
  • Implement programs in local high schools –
    • Educate on how the city government works and how it impacts their lives
    • Have the youth run a parallel elections (using RCV, of course)
    • Voter registration when they turn 18.  
• Encourage more voter turnout
  • The increase in information from both the city and the candidates due to freed up resources will reach more people and raise awareness.
  • No confusion about voting a second time
    • voting one time
    • The second or third choices on the ballot is who they would vote for in the run-offs/general election, if their candidate didn’t make the cut in the primary.
• Guarantees a majority (50% + 1) consensus winner for every office.
  • Mayor Lucas, several current council members and other citizens were proposing that candidates who got 50% + 1 would not have to run for the general election.  With RCV in these races it wouldn’t be an issue.  All winning candidates would have at least 50% + 1.
• Change the influence of the special interest groups who hand out voter cheat sheets at the polls.  
  • Special interest groups would have to look at the way they do endorsements if they wanted to influence a voters 2^nd or 3^rd choices.
    • Informing voters of all candidates that had the same or comparable values to the ones the group promotes could be a way to handle it.
• WIN-WIN for the new city council.  
  • By introducing the charter amendment immediately and getting an election date set they would show the voters they are listening!
• The biggest issue would be educating voters about the changes.
  • Once there is an election date set the education can begin.
  • After the charter amendment passes in the election the changes in the system could begin.
  • The next KCMO election is in 2027 so the sooner we get to vote the more time we have for getting everyone ready.

Compared to other issues on the table this should be a pretty easy step forward for the city.  It would save time, money and could even lower fuel emissions a little.