Diversity is lacking among elected officials in Johnson County. Why are so few minorities and women serving?

Johnson County has greatly diversified in recent years, attracting an influx of immigrants, African Americans, Asians, Latinos and millennials.

But if those new residents expect to be represented by elected officials who reflect their backgrounds, they’ll be disappointed, if not offended. And they have every right to be at least irritated.

The area’s city councils and mayors don’t come close to mirroring the diverse population living, working and raising families in Johnson County. Not by race, ethnicity or age.

The only people who are well represented in local governments are older white men. The Johnson County Commissioners, for example, are seven white men.

A recent analysis by the Shawnee Mission Post found less than half a dozen people of color among 128 local officials.

More than 95 percent of the elected officials included in the survey are white. The Shawnee Mission Post analyzed the city councils of 14 municipalities within the Shawnee Mission School District boundaries. But even if the survey had included areas farther south, such as Olathe, the results would have been much the same.

Olathe, which has one of the fastest growing Latino populations in the metropolitan area, is served by five white men and two women on the city council.

The survey found only one African American elected official: Brian Knaff, who serves on the Merriam City Council. And the Overland Park City Council is made up of 10 white men, two women and one man of Middle Eastern descent, Faris Farassati.

Andrew Wang, a Prairie Village City Council member, is of Asian descent. So is Westwood Mayor John M. Yé.

Compare those numbers to the data recently compiled by United Community Services of Johnson County. Nearly 48,000 people, or 8 percent of county residents, were born outside of the U.S. And about half of them are naturalized as U.S. citizens.

How is this status quo maintained? By a system that is too often resistant to newcomers.

As one woman who was recently elected to a city council noted, would-be candidates need to “kiss the ring” of the longtime leaders. Without the backing of senior officials, fresh faces will struggle to gain funding or support from influential groups.

Women have served as mayors in many of Johnson County’s cities. And Leawood, Shawnee, Prairie Village, Fairway and Westwood Hills have female mayors now.

But overall, women were just 36 percent of the elected officials surveyed. The Shawnee Mission school board, which includes six women and one man, helped drive up that percentage.

The figures are striking at a moment when, across the country, females are running for office in record numbers, emboldened by the #MeToo movement, the scandalous and sexist behavior of many famous men and the political climate.

Locally, the IndivisibleKC movement, a grassroots mobilizing force behind many rallies and forums this year, has showcased the activism of many female leaders. Those efforts are encouraging more newcomers to seek political office.

In Johnson County, the lack of diverse perspectives among elected officials goes beyond race, ethnicity and gender.

Despite the large number of young families in the county, there are relatively few younger people in elected office. Clearly, time and financial constraints limit the participation of many younger people and others who are raising young children.

Gaining their input and involvement will take creative thinking, outreach and mentoring.

It’s not that older white men haven’t contributed greatly to Johnson County. Many have been great visionaries. But Johnson County, like the nation, is expected to become even more diverse, and local governments should follow suit.

Johnson County will need to begin nurturing and encouraging a wider range of leaders to truly be reflective of the people who call the area home.

This story was originally published January 21, 2018 at 3:30 PM with the headline "Diversity is lacking among elected officials in Johnson County. Why are so few minorities and women serving?."