(The Center Square) – Democrat Quinton Lucas was reelected mayor of Kansas City on Tuesday with 88% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners.
His opponent, Clay Chastain, received 3,260 votes to Lucas’ 24,489.
“Kansas City has been winning Super Bowls since my first year as mayor,” Lucas posted on social media on Wednesday, referring to the Kansas City Chiefs winning NFL titles. “Let’s keep it up!”
All but one of the six incumbent members of City Council were reelected. Melissa Patterson Hazley defeated Councilman Brandon Ellington in the Third District. Patterson Hazley received 62% of the vote for the at-large seat on the council.
The mayor and council members are elected to four-year terms and may serve two consecutive terms. Seven new members were elected to the council.
Lucas, the city’s third Black mayor who describes himself as “Aldi-brand Obama” on his social media profile, praised redistricting in Kansas City as giving stronger voices to citizens.
“Redistricting was a success,” Lucas posted. “Newcomers winning north and south; new candidates and groups amassing strong electoral impact; and frankly (most) campaigns better matching the politics of the city throughout. Moving beyond status quo is good long term.”
Lucas was critical of the election being held in June as 13.3% of registered voters came to the polls on Tuesday.
“The June election date does not work,” Lucas posted. “I’ve now run in three of these. They’ve worked for me, but with consistently abysmal turn out, they’re not working for Kansas City. Other cities have moved to even years with federal elections or at least November in an odd year. We should consider.”
