Kansas City’s in the spotlight. Why did only 13% of us turn up to vote this election? | Opinion

Expectations for Kansas City were high coming into summer 2023. Between strong leadership and improving culture, we were ready to take the next step forward and embrace the national and international spotlight shone upon us. Then, June 20 rolled around, and one of our most significant weaknesses became painfully apparent. Of the 213,976 registered voters in the City of Fountains, only 28,482 showed up to vote — a measly 13.31% of the population.

Regardless of who won or lost, the lack of participation in our local democracy was disheartening. The NFL reported nearly 312,000 people attended the recent draft at Union Station. Close to 1 million people flooded the streets for the Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade.

Obviously, Sunday Night Football games are more thrilling than Thursday afternoon legislative sessions. But in the same way we eagerly awaited the opportunity to observe the next generation of pro football players join their first teams, we had the opportunity to participate in selecting the next generation of City Council members to lead our city.

Kansas City has a weak mayor. No, this isn’t a personal dig at Quinton Lucas — it’s how our local government is structured. In a weak mayor system, the mayor has little authority outside the City Council. But this person is a figure who sets the civic agenda and represents the community on national and international stages. In Kansas City, the individual with executive power is our city manager, Brian Platt, and our decision-makers are our City Council members.

Civics lesson aside, the point I’m trying to make is that council elections can be transformative in Kansas City if we wield our power intentionally. These elections can significantly shape our city four years at a time. Unfortunately, 86.69% of the city’s residents did not use their voice at the ballot box this past election.

It’s no secret that Kansas City is finally getting long-overdue recognition for being a fantastic place. We’re routinely making best-of lists for all kinds of things: Best city in the world to travel and work remotely. One of the best places to visit. Most obsessed with pickleball. OK, that one is Overland Park, but they can sit with us. We will be one of the host cities for the World Cup. Billion-dollar tech factories are coming to the city. We’re being graced with tour stops from both Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.

With Kansas City becoming a relocation destination for people from the coasts in the age of the pandemic, more new residents are sure to follow. Change is inevitable, but Kansas City is changing rapidly, making civic engagement crucial. High community engagement holds a laundry list of benefits. Sometimes it’s as simple as strengthening our local democracy or promoting representation and social cohesion. Other times, it’s improving policy outcomes as a means to empower individuals, solve problems, advance social justice and contribute to economic development.

Learn your council districts, who represents you

Again, I don’t care who you vote for. It’s just critical that Kansas Citians find ways to build a culture around civic participation so we can play an active role in shaping our future. I have a few solutions to help you get involved before the next election.

First, if you didn’t vote for your City Council members, you should probably start by figuring out who they are. Kansas City has six council districts, and each district has two representatives. I’ll meet you halfway: You find out which district you’re in, and I’ll tell you your reps.

1st District

Nathan Willett

1st District at large

Kevin O’Neill

2nd District

Wes Rogers

2nd District at large

Lindsay French

3rd District

Melissa Robinson

3rd District at large

Melissa Patterson Hazley

4th District

Eric Bunch

4th District at large

Crispin Rea

5th District

Ryana Parks-Shaw

5th District at large

Darrell Curls

6th District

Johnathan Duncan

6th District at large

Andrea Bough

Next, I’ll let you know when change is being crafted. The City Council meets every Wednesday and Thursday, typically right around when you’re focused on your job. Those meetings are when members discuss and vote on policies that would, in their opinion, improve our city. They’re livestreamed on the Kansas City Communications Office’s YouTube channel, and they’re easy to play in the background while multitasking.

Finally, you can support my organization, Heartland Arts KC. Our local nonprofit uses the performing arts to educate and empower people to get civically engaged about policy issues impacting our community.We choose new issues every year and partner with schools and community organizations, in addition to hosting our own events to make sense of the ever-evolving landscape of Kansas City.

We have a presidential election in 2024, so we’ll get some good practice showing up to the polls. In the interim, we have an opportunity to actively build a future that we’re proud of. Everyone in the city, from sports icons to everyday residents, can become change-makers by amplifying their voices through participating at the polls. Let’s show up more than 13.31% and show that we’re invested in reclaiming our democracy.

This story was originally published July 23, 2023 at 5:08 AM.