2023 primary election: Wu will be on November mayoral ballot, but who else?
398 votes separate Whipple, Frye for now
Updated: 9:50 p.m.
Though it was clear that Lily Wu would be on the November mayoral ballot after a final unofficial count of votes on Tuesday night, the second spot was not so clear, with Mayor Brandon Whipple in second place by 398 votes.
Wu received 11,763 votes (30.1%).
Whipple was second with 9,253 (23.7%), slightly ahead of City Council member Bryan Frye with 8,855 (22.6%).
Late-arriving mail ballots have yet to be counted, as well as provisional ballots, which are cast when a voter’s eligibility is in doubt. It’s unclear how many ballots are yet to be counted.
Whipple, a Democrat, said he is not concerned about Frye catching up.
“Historically, we do pretty well on late arriving ballots, and I think my lead on Frye will only grow,” Whipple said.
Frye, a Republican, said he was surprised how close he and Whipple are, noting that the 398 votes that separate them is an especially thin margin.
He’s trying to understand what that number may mean.
“I’m still just trying to grasp 398 votes out of 40,000,” he said. “What’s next? Is there a path?”
Meaning are there votes still unaccounted for, and could that mean he might still be one of the top two finalists even though Whipple is leading at the moment?
“That’s what I need to know,” Frye said. “We’re definitely going to check it out.”
However, he added, “If it is final, then it’s final, and I accept that.”
In 2020, at the end of election night, Republican Michael O’Donnell led Democrat Sarah Lopez by 576 votes in a Sedgwick County Commission race. But after late-arriving mail ballots and provisional ballots were counted, Lopez had won by 264 votes. The final tally was 17,041 (49.7%) to 16,777 (48.9%) in favor of Lopez.
Wu: ‘A bigger battle awaits’ in general election
Updated: 9:25 p.m.
“This is a win for Wichita,” Lily Wu proclaimed as she took the stage at Dōma shortly after 9 p.m. to raucous applause and strains of “Good Ol’ Boys Club” by Kacey Musgraves.
Unofficial primary results gave the former television reporter a 2,510-vote lead over incumbent Brandon Whipple. Both are set to qualify for November’s general election if Whipple can hold onto his 398-vote advantage over City Council member Bryan Frye as late-arriving mail ballots and provisional votes are counted.
“Three quarters of the electorate voted for change and a new mayor,” Wu told supporters.
“As an outsider and first-time candidate, I wouldn’t be receiving such widespread support if it weren’t for people who are dissatisfied.”
Wu garnered 30% of the vote to Whipple’s 24% and Frye’s 23%.
Whipple said he’s not discouraged by finishing second in the primary. He said he’s confident that he will be on the November ballot — and that he can win re-election.
“Over these next few months, we’ve got to work hard to make sure that big money doesn’t take over City Hall,” Whipple said.
Whipple said Wu’s top-place finish was a result of wealthy donors stacking contributions from LLCs and outside spending by Americans for Prosperity, a Koch-backed D.C.-area conservative advocacy organization.
“Frankly, that’s what over $200,000 will get you,” Whipple said of Wu’s campaign. “You come out in a crowded primary on top.”
“Wichita has a choice right now,” Whipple said. “Do we let City Hall get taken over by the people who took over Lily Wu’s campaign in less than a month, or do we want it to be run by the people?”
Wu struck a defiant tone in her acceptance speech.
“The naysayers got louder and the attacks flowed,” Wu said. “At times, it got nasty. A story twisted and a narrative manufactured.
“A bigger battle awaits. Defeating an incumbent mayor is never easy, so the race to Nov. 7 will be challenging. We need your support. Wichita needs your support.”
Sedgwick County Commission Chair Pete Meitzner was exuberant in his appraisal of Wu’s victory.
“Fist pump emoji!” he exulted.
“Our city deserves a person, a Lily Wu, to be our mayor . . . We’re a big economic engine in the state. We’re a huge contributor to the state economy and she cares about that but she also cares about everybody. She cares about everybody.”
Chris Pumpelly, a Whipple supporter and member of the Wichita Park Board, said the November election will determine whose interests City Hall represents.
“This is going to be a contest between big money and regular people here in Wichita, but we’re used to that, aren’t we?” Pumpelly said.
– Matthew Kelly, mkelly@wichitaeagle.com, Chance Swaim, cswaim@wichitaeagle.com
Wu locks up spot in November; Whipple leads Frye by 398 votes
Updated: 8:35 p.m.
Former television reporter Lily Wu will advance to the November general election.
Wu received 11,763 votes (30.1%) to lead the field of nine candidates with all of the ballots counted.
Mayor Brandon Whipple was second with 9,253 (23.7%), followed closely by City Council member Bryan Frye with 8,855 (22.6%).
The top two candidates advance to the November general election. Final results will not be known until all mail ballots are received and votes are canvassed. Mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and be received at the election office by Friday, Aug. 4. The canvass of the votes is Aug. 10.
Shortly before the final results were announced, Wu took the stage briefly at Dōma to thank her supporters.
Among those in attendance at Wu’s watch party were Kansas Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins, Sedgwick County Commission Chair Pete Meitzner and former county Democratic Party Chair Joseph Shepard.
Shepard said he was visiting several mayoral watch parties tonight of candidates and wouldn’t say who he voted for in the primary.
Attendee Jeff Mattingly said Wu’s campaign priorities resonate with him and he’s ready to see someone new in office.
“If those are the three points that she wants to emphasize — she wants to emphasize business, taxes and public safety — those are really the only things I care about,” Mattingly said.
“I just had a house that I was working on broken into six months ago. Taxes are killing me and I’m starting my own business.”
Whipple said he’s not surprised at Wu’s strong showing, given her fundraising advantage that came from her record contributions and a $66,000 outside expenditure campaign by Americans for Prosperity, one of the nation’s most powerful conservative advocacy groups.
– Matthew Kelly, mkelly@wichitaeagle.com, Chance Swaim, cswaim@wichitaeagle.com
Frye watches from home as returns come in
Updated: 8:30 p.m.
Starting at around 7 p.m., City Council member and mayoral candidate Bryan Frye, who was at his west Wichita home with his wife and mother, jumped from a TV that scrolled election results to his phone where he kept trying to update the county’s vote totals.
“I mean it’s still early results right now,” he said. “You’ve just got to be patient.”
Frye admitted that’s not something he’s especially good at.
“You know how competitive I am. This is pins and needles.”
The race ended up being quite different than the one Frye envisioned when he declared in February.
“We didn’t expect this large of a field, and there were still some late entries in it that surprised us.”
Whatever happens, he said he’s still interested in helping stabilize police staffing, lowering taxes and improving the quality of life in Wichita.
Frye noted that 75% of his donors were individuals.
“I think that speaks volumes about the kind of campaign that we ran.”
Frye is spending part of tonight writing thank you notes to those individuals — and keeping an eye on the numbers.
“I’m definitely nervous. I think that you have to be humble and know that you’ve worked as hard as you possibly can and know that that’s good enough.”
– Carrie Rengers, crengers@wichitaeagle.com
Wu, Whipple lead mayor’s race in early returns
Updated: 8 p.m.
Former television reporter Lily Wu and Mayor Brandon Whipple continue to lead a large field of mayoral candidates in early returns.
Wu had 5,855 votes (28.5%) and Whipple had 5,691 (27.7%) with advance ballots and 58 of 319 precincts counted.
Save Century II founder Celeste Racette had 3,997 (19.5%) and Bryan Frye had 3,434 (16.7%). Jared Cerullo had 1,024 (5%).
“I’m running third, let’s wait and see, maybe I’ll bump up to second, which is really exciting,” Racette said at her watch party with roughly 50 supporters.
She said she is proud of the people who came out to support her.
“When you look around the room, it’s nonpartisan, it’s not a party backing me, it’s people that love Wichita. That says a lot to me right here.”
Later, Racette, who ended up fourth with just over 6,000 votes, said that she was disappointed in the results but conceded the race.
“I’ve been doing this for four years, trying to educate the public on what city council and the mayor are doing so I’m a little disappointed, I’ll admit, that the votes weren’t there to try to get into city hall and start being the taxpayer’s watchdog,” she said. “But I concede and wish the best for the future mayor and for Wichita.”
Racette would not comment on if she plans to run for an office again.
For results in all Sedgwick County races, go here.
– Lindsay Smith, lsmith@wichitaeagle.com
Wu, Whipple lead after advance ballots are counted
Updated: 7:25 p.m.
After advance ballots are counted former television reporter Lily Wu narrowly leads the field of nine mayoral candidates in the primary election.
Incumbent Mayor Brandon Whipple is close behind Wu, with 4,288 votes (28.3%) to her 4,354 votes (28.8%). They are followed by Save Century II founder Celeste Racette with 3,086 votes and City Council member Bryan Frye with 2,252 votes. No other candidate has above 1,000 votes yet.
Earlier, at the polls, voters talked about which candidate they supported.
“Our officials have not done a very good job at running this city. It’s just been lackluster,” said voter Jacob Deboard, 28. “Lily Wu. I think she’ll bring a new perspective on things to the city and, you know, she promises to be an outsider looking in and sometimes the best thing is to have an outsider come in and see things from a new perspective. I hope that’s the case, and I wish her the best of luck.”
Jaslyn Alexander, 29, said she voted for Whipple. “I gotta say I was really happy to see that Mayor Whipple was running again. I’ve had a few chances to meet him in different events. I’m actually a performer. So a lot of the stuff that I perform in, he comes to. I enjoy what he’s doing with the city. I love his vision. I love that he’s so open and with just how he’s running the city and I would love to see him get another term.”
The top two candidates advance to the November general election.
– Sarah Moore, smoore@wichitaeagle.com
Wichita voters choosing two mayoral candidates to advance
Posted: 6:40 p.m.
After Tuesday’s primary, just two of nine Wichita mayoral candidates will be left standing.
Incumbent Mayor Brandon Whipple faces a deep field of eight challengers, among them former television journalist Lily Wu, Wichita City Council member Bryan Frye and Save Century II founder Celeste Racette.
Polls close after everyone who was already in line by 7 p.m. is finished voting, but results won’t be official until the Aug. 10 canvass is complete.
Candidates have sparred in recent months over their differing visions for the city, particularly on topics such as public safety and how officials should engage with developers who want to do business with the city.
Wu, a registered Libertarian, shattered the previous mayoral primary fundraising record by collecting $207,202 between Jan. 1 and July 20, recent filings with the Sedgwick County Election Office show. She also spent more than any other candidate in that time — $119,126 — and benefited from more than $66,000 in outside spending from the Koch-backed advocacy group Americans for Prosperity.
Frye, a Republican two-term City Council member, raised $92,721 and spent $66,783. Racette, a registered independent and former fraud investigator, also outraised Whipple $38,845 to $34,712 and outspent the Democrat $34,538 to $27,650.
Search the donations given to Wichita mayoral candidates up for election Tuesday
Republican former City Council member Jared Cerullo is self-funding his campaign. Other lower-profile candidates include environmental health specialist Julie Rose Stroud, IT professional Anthony Gallardo, volunteer caregiver Shelia M. Davis and Whitefish Media founder Tom Kane.
The mayorship could be crucial for determining the balance of power on the City Council for at least the next two years. Whipple has controlled a Democratic majority since Mike Hoheisel and Maggie Ballard were elected in 2021. Conservatives would need to oust Whipple and maintain control of three City Council seats that are also on the ballot in November to regain the advantage.
The mayor is paid an annual salary of $113,626. Responsibilities include running City Council meetings and working alongside the council to establish policy direction, enact laws and policies, adopt the budget, levy taxes and appoint members to advisory boards.
Wichita’s next mayor will oversee the construction of a federally funded homeless shelter and social services hub and the re-negotiation of the police union contract in 2024.
The mayor’s leadership will be key as the city decides how to fund a $400 million convention center that was added to the capital improvement plan this year and what to do about the yet-to-materialize private development that was supposed to help pay for the $75 million Riverfront Stadium.
Wichita mayoral primaries have historically been low-turnout affairs. In 2019, 23,632 voters cast ballots, accounting for 10.2% of the electorate. That was up from 9.8% in 2015.
By the end of early voting Monday, 7,343 people had voted in person and another 8,117 had returned mail ballots, according to Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Laura Rainwater. Another almost 17,000 had voted in person by 4 p.m., Tuesday, she said, bringing turnout to 12.8% so far.
– Matthew Kelly, mkelly@wichitaeagle.com
Quick facts about Wichita
Registered voters (as of June 28): 243,909 total. 88,070 Republicans, 70,407 Democrats, 81,840 unaffiliated, 3,592 Libertarians.
2019 primary turnout: 10.2%.
Voting trends: The 2022 Value Them Both constitutional amendment failed 38% to 62% in Wichita. Democratic candidates won Wichita in the November 2022 general election, with Gov. Laura Kelly besting Republican Derek Schmidt by 13,000 votes in the state’s largest city.
Past mayors (since the popular vote for mayor began in 1989): Bob Knight (1989-1992, 1995-2003), Frank Ojile (1992-1993), Elma Broadfoot (1993-1995), Carlos Mayans (2003-2007), Carl Brewer (2007-2015), Jeff Longwell (2015-2020), Brandon Whipple (2020-present)
– Chance Swaim, cswaim@wichitaeagle.com
