One issue that cast a long shadow over the campaign was alleged corruption in the Kansas City, Kan., police department. He said he would bring 32 years of public service experience to county government. He also served on the KCK Community College Board and on the KCK Housing Authority Board. Garner joined the Kansas City, Kansas, police department right out of high school in 1987 and rose through the ranks to retire as deputy chief in June 2019. Other priorities included streamlining development regulations, providing resource help centers for small business and seeking solutions to food deserts.

He called for performance audits of county government and the Board of Public Utilities, to look for ways to cut costs and reduce taxes and utility bills. You can have someone that cares about you.” “Ask yourself, are you better off now than you were when Mayor Alvey took office?” Garner asked at a KCK Chamber debate on Oct. He promised to provide more responsive, pro-active leadership. Garner said the Unified Government wasn’t doing enough to help small businesses, average taxpayers and neglected neighborhoods east of Interstate 635. He said he had led the community responsibly, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.īut Garner won a five-person primary in August, and he mounted an energetic general election campaign on a platform of changing the status quo. During this year’s campaign, he argued the county had made significant economic development progress during his first term. “I am a forward thinker that wants to be a unifying force to facilitate opportunity, equity and hope,” he said in an email to KCUR.Īlvey had surprised many when he was elected in 2017, defeating then-mayor Mark Holland. Garner said at public appearances that he had not initially planned to run for mayor, but many community members urged him to do so. Garner said his campaign was dedicated to the idea that 'we could re-imagine things in Wyandotte County together,' and he is committed to leading in a different way, 'to make sure that not so much what I want but the will of the people is being met.' 'You all really stepped up because you wanted to see change.' 'I want to thank Wyandotte County,' he said at a press conference. He was effusive Tuesday night in thanking the voters. The city and Wyandotte County consolidated governments in 1997. Garner becomes the first Black mayor of Kansas City, Kansas, according to records going back to 1886. It was a relatively low-turnout local election, with 18.5% percent of registered voters submitting ballots.

Garner received 51% of the vote to Alvey’s 49%, in final unofficial results Tuesday night. Wyandotte County voters sent a message Tuesday that they want change, as they elected former deputy police chief Tyrone Garner to replace incumbent David Alvey as the Unified Government mayor.

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