Kansas City Election 2023: Northland Revenge OR Low Turnout?!?!

As council candidates rustle up signatures and behind the scenes fundraising power moves continue amid another Winter of our discontent . . . We want to pose a question to our blog community . . .

First consider . . .

For nearly a half decade the Northland has quietly become the fastest growing part of Kansas City and now outpaces downtown in terms of resident growth. 

The Northland was recently upended politically by redistricting and leaders across the bridge remain salty about this insult & injury. 

Northland is cop-land and, as we've noted, po-po supporters are eager to win council representation and challenge Mayor Q's administration on public safety issues. 

All of this sounds great for most residents on the nice side of the bridge . . .

There's only one problem . . .

THE NORTHLAND MOSTLY SKIPS MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND HAS BEEN THWARTED BY EXTREMELY LOW VOTER TURNOUT!!!

This is a bigger problem for At-large candidates . . . Clay County representation for KC elections has been traditionally weak and we remember in 2019 they didn't even crack 8% turnout of registered voters. 

Turnout was much better in November of 2022 but, as we've noted, muni politics just doesn't garner the same kind of excitement as national midterm elections. 

Now . . . We'd like to believe that a Northland PAC and police supporters can change those numbers. BUT, the reality is that they're working against history. 

Make no mistake . . . Here at TKC we think that more people voting is ALWAYS is a good thing.

But the Northland flexing on the rest of the city is rare . . .

A few memorable occasions . . .

The Paseo street rename switcheroo & Mayor Funkhouser's election in 2007.  

Other than that . . . It's fair to call this part of Kansas City a "sleeping giant" that has yet to reach its true potential.

And so we put the question to readers . . .

IS THIS FINALLY THE YEAR THAT THE NORTHLAND PUSHES BACK AGAINST THE STATUS QUO?!?!

You decide . . .