Roeland Park Mayor Mike Kelly wins election to lead Johnson County Commission
Roeland Park Mayor Mike Kelly defeated Commissioner Charlotte O’Hara on Tuesday in the race for the top elected spot on the Johnson County Board of Commissioners.
Kelly, a Democrat, easily won the contest with 56% of the vote, defeating O’Hara, a conservative voice on the board, by a margin of about 13 percentage points, according to unofficial results compiled by the Johnson County Election Office.
Reached by phone Tuesday night, Kelly said he was honored to take over in a leadership role for the commission as longtime Chairman Ed Eilert decided not to seek another term. He added that he is excited to begin the work when he takes office in January.
“It’s really humbling that this county that raised me has put its trust in me to help lead it forward. And I don’t take that honor lightly,” Kelly said, adding: “I’m going to make sure that I work every day in Johnson County’s interest to focus on protecting the institutions that were built here.”
Kelly, a lifelong Johnson Countian and attorney for the national law firm Hush Blackwell, came into the race with local government experience and a resume that included co-founding Climate Action KC, a group focused on promoting policies in government aimed toward addressing climate change.
During his campaign, Kelly has said he will focus on policies that enhance economic growth, support early childhood education and work toward relieving the property tax burden on residents by helping the county grow.
Kelly has also stumped against what he calls “toxic rhetoric” in politics generally that he believes has increasingly shown its face in local government. Of his victory on Tuesday, Kelly attributed the win largely to a bipartisan support of his candidacy.
Charlotte O’Hara as opponent
In O’Hara, Kelly faced a challenge against a commissioner who has stood as a bulwark against many of the development projects that the county has taken up for consideration when it comes to the offering of tax breaks for big businesses. She also fought mask mandates during COVID-19 and sought to provide additional resources for Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden for an investigation into voter fraud.
The outcome of the race for Johnson County Chair aligned with what was mostly a solid night for the Democratic Party as statewide and congressional Democrats continued to fare well with voters at the polls there.
It also represents a trend in Johnson County where residents have taken to the ballot box in opposition of policies sought by conservative Republicans in Kansas, including the failed constitutional amendment that sought to strip the right to an abortion from the state constitution.
Other seats on the Johnson County Commission
As for the other races on the Johnson County Commission, the three incumbent commissioners on the ballot this year all won reelection as each faced a conservative challenger to their right.
Commissioner Janeé Hanzlick, 4th District, faced the toughest reelection challenge as she secured her second term with 51% of the vote, representing the closest margin of any Johnson County Commission race on Tuesday. She faced Maria Holiday, who campaigned on a platform that included disagreement with public health mandates under COVID-19 and a curbing of multi-million-dollar tax incentives for area real estate developers.
In the 1st District, Commissioner Becky Fast handily won with 64% of voters compared to challenger Audra McMahon’s 35%. Fast, whose first term focused heavily on housing affordability concerns, has said she would seek to expand services for improving mental health services in the county.
And in the 5th District, Commissioner Michael Ashcraft, a Republican, won a fourth term by securing an overwhelming majority of his district with 64% of the vote. He faced off against Stephanie Suzanne Berland, a conservative and certified public accountant who sought to reduce county spending and possibly install term limits for commissioners.
This story was originally published November 8, 2022 at 8:03 PM.
