Minutes after the Wichita school board voted to close six schools last month, a handful of parents began signing petitions in the hallway outside of the meeting. It was the first skirmish in their battle to reverse the decision. “When we started doing the petition,” parent Ruth Lehman said, “that was the only thing that […]
DIY Democracy
Posted inCivic Engagement, DIY Democracy
Wichita’s noise ordinance struck down by Kansas Supreme Court over First Amendment issue
Takeaways: An ordinance used to convict a Wichitan protesting police brutality was ruled unconstitutional Friday by the Kansas Supreme Court. The ordinance criminalizes “noisy conduct tending to reasonably arouse alarm, anger, or resentment in others.” That’s just too broad, the state’s high court ruled. “We conclude the noisy conduct provision within is unconstitutionally overbroad because […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
Wichita’s first school board election under new system draws more voters
In the first election under USD 259’s new district-based school board election system on Tuesday in Wichita, results show voter turnout went up and moderates won over conservatives. Last year, Wichita voters changed the way school board members are elected in the state’s largest school district. Previously, all school board members were elected citywide. Now, […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
Wichita police group backs Wu over Whipple, blames mayor for officer shortage. What do the numbers say?
Mayor Brandon Whipple touts work that he’s done with the City Council to make those jobs available. Lily Wu, who’s facing off with Whipple in the Nov. 7 election, contends that the incumbent bears responsibility for the police department’s problems in recruiting more officers.
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
Candidates for Wichita City Council answer your questions ahead of general election
Mail-in and in-person voting begin this month. To help voters make their decisions, The Wichita Beacon asked all Wichita City Council candidates to respond to questions submitted by readers. Questions focused on water, policing and housing. City Council Districts 2, 4 and 5 have elections Nov. 7. Only residents within those districts can vote on […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
Wichita USD 259 school board candidates talk book bans, LGBTQ safety and teacher shortages
Mail-in and in-person voting begin this month. To help voters make their decisions, The Wichita Beacon asked all USD 259 school board candidates to respond to questions submitted by readers. Questions focused on the teacher shortage, classroom content and student and teacher safety. The three school board seats up for election are for the 3rd […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections
Wichita mayor candidates talk property taxes, water and safety ahead of Nov. 7 election
Voters will select Wichita’s next mayor on Nov. 7. Mail-in and in-person voting will begin this month. To help voters make their decision, The Wichita Beacon asked incumbent Brandon Whipple and challenger Lily Wu questions submitted by readers on taxes, housing, water and safety. The candidates’ answers have been edited for clarity and length. Do […]
Posted inAccountability, DIY Democracy, Elections
Automatic mailing of mail-in ballot applications cut from Sedgwick County’s $3.5 million 2024 election budget
Heading into a presidential election year that includes the first Kansas presidential primaries since 1992, the Sedgwick County Election Office will spend more than it has in at least 10 years. The election office will get $3.5 million in 2024 under a budget recently adopted by the Sedgwick County Commission. But a request to send […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
A tale of two campaigns: Wichita’s school board candidates can’t match large sums raised by mayoral candidates
Although Wichita Public Schools consume nearly double the tax dollars that go through City Hall, candidates for school board have drawn far less campaign money than local government candidates in this year’s races. In the mayoral primary, candidate Lily Wu notably raised $207,000 during the first campaign reporting period, which ran Jan. 1 through July […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
Wichita general election ballot takes shape for Nov. 7
With the primary election results in, the candidate lineup for the 2023 general election in Wichita has taken shape. There will be 16 candidates total spread across seven races: Wichita mayor, City Council Districts 2, 4 and 5; and USD 259 school board Districts 3 and 4 as well as the at-large seat. To help […]