North Kansas City parks advocate earns seat on City Council over incumbent
.png "Candidates running for North Kansas City Council, top row from left to right: Anthony Saper, Rita Pearce and Lyndsey Magrone, and bottom row from left to right: Linda Alvarez, Yvonne Salinas and Synthia Larson.")
A local parks and recreation advocate won a seat on the North Kansas City Council over an incumbent during Tuesday’s municipal election, when six candidates vied for four open seats.
Synthia Larson, one of two challengers in Tuesday’s race to sit on the council, beat incumbent Yvonne Salinas to represent Ward 4. Incumbents maintained their seats in the three other wards.
Larson earned her seat with around 61% of the 94 votes, while Salinas fell short with 38% of the votes.
Larson currently serves as the president of the Board of Directors for the North Kansas City Parks and Recreation Foundation and is a member of the Parks and Recreation board.
Ahead of the election, Larson said her top priorities if elected include prioritizing the betterment of North Kansas City’s parks and growing community engagement.
“I am very excited to join our excellent City Council and be a voice to advocate for all of the citizens of North Kansas City,” she told The Star Tuesday night. “Over the next two years, I hope to inspire more engagement with our residents and be an enthusiastic and supportive champion of our community.”
Larson will join the eight-member council alongside three incumbents, including Anthony Saper, Lyndsey Magrone and Linda Alvarez.
In Ward 1, Saper, a longtime North Kansas City resident, earned 76% of the 129 votes over Rita Pearce, who currently serves as the executive director of the Northland Assistance Center. Pearce received 23% of the votes.
Magrone and Alvarez, who both ran uncontested, maintained their seats on the board representing Ward 2 and Ward 3, respectively.
During a candidate forum last month, several candidates discussed efforts to improve biking trails and walkability in North Kansas City, expanding community involvement and rising home prices.
This story was originally published April 7, 2026 at 9:39 PM.
