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Mayoral election in Wichita, Kansas (August 1, 2023, primary election)

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← 2019
2023 Wichita elections
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Election dates
Filing deadline: June 1, 2023
Primary election: August 1, 2023
General election: November 7, 2023
Election stats
Offices up: Mayor
Total seats up: 1 (click here for other city elections)
Election type: Nonpartisan
Other municipal elections
U.S. municipal elections, 2023


Lily Wu finished first, and incumbent Brandon Whipple finished second in the top two nonpartisan primary election for mayor of Wichita, Kansas, on August 1, 2023. Wu and Whipple advanced to the November 7, 2023, general election from a field of nine candidates.

Though the race was officially nonpartisan, Wu—a former Republican—was a Libertarian.[1] Whipple was a Democrat who defeated incumbent Mayor Jeff Longwell (R) in 2019.[2]

The Wichita Eagle's Chance Swaim and Matthew Kelly wrote that "Political newcomer Lily Wu emerged from the Wichita primary election as the early favorite for the November mayoral election. But Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple said he’s confident he can win re-election...Going into the general election, Wu holds a sizable fundraising advantage over Whipple...That fundraising advantage and outside spending boost are expected to continue during the general election, which historically has about double the turnout of the primary and much higher spending levels by candidates and outside groups."[3]

The Sunflower's Mia Hennen reported that "Just over 15% of registered Wichita voters cast their ballots, with 41,221 ballots cast out of 268,852 registered voters."[4]

Wu was a reporter and news anchor for two Wichita-area television stations for 12 years and also served as a board member for three Wichita-area nonprofit organizations.[5] At her campaign announcement, she said: "Restoring trust in city hall really has to do with a change in leadership. I think what we need right now is a leader and an ambassador, like I mentioned, that helps bring back the trust (between residents and city representatives)."[6]

Whipple was a Democratic state legislator from 2013 to 2020.[7] He said Wichita's most pressing issue was improving public safety: "As Mayor, we must continue to build a safer city. This includes rebuilding trust, investing in programs that address youth violence, domestic violence, human trafficking, and embracing best practices for addressing mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness.[8]

Wichita State University political science professor Dr. Neal Allen said before the primary that the campaign did not expose major differences between the candidates: "I can see how voters would have a hard time differentiating between the candidates because on a lot of major issues, they are saying very similar things."[9]

Bryan Frye, who finished third, was the senior director of investor relations at the Kansas Chamber of Commerce. He previously worked in marketing in the broadcast television industry and founded an IT firm.[10][11] At his campaign kick-off, Frye said, "Wichita can be that next leading city, full of vibrancy and possibility. And we’ll do it with compassion, fairness, grit and forward thinking that has all neighborhoods represented."[12]

Celeste Racette, who finished fourth, was the founder and chair of Save Century II, an organization whose mission is to preserve Wichita's Century II Performing Arts & Convention Center.[13] She also was an accountant and auditor in the banking industry and worked for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.[13] Racette said, "I’m running for mayor — to be the watchdog of our finances and to provide financial oversight to public over private interests, to enhance public safety and to save Century II."[14] She switched her party affiliation from Democrat to unaffiliated in 2021.[1]

Jared Cerullo was a news anchor and reporter who served on Wichita's City Council from 2021 to 2022.[15] The Wichita Eagle's Matthew Kelly wrote that "Cerullo has emerged as a vocal critic of Mayor Brandon Whipple, who he frequently sparred with on the City Council.[16] Cerullo said he would avoid partisan politics: “We need to stop playing politics with City Hall and get back to the basics of serving our people. Making sure our roads are fixed, our bridges are fixed, our water is clean, our parks are kept up."[17]

Shelia Davis, Anthony Gallardo, Tom Kane, and Julie Rose Stroud were also on the ballot. The filing deadline for this election was June 1, 2023.

As of June 2023, Democrats held 62 of the mayoral offices in the 100 largest cities in the United States, Republicans held 26, independents held three, and nonpartisan mayors held seven. Two mayors' partisan affiliations were unknown.

Wichita has a council-manager system of government where the elected city council—which includes the mayor and serves as the city's primary legislative body—appoints a chief executive called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the council's policy and legislative initiatives.

This page focused on Wichita's nonpartisan mayoral primary. For more in-depth information on the city's general election, click here.

Celeste Racette (Nonpartisan) and Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Click on a candidate's name to view that candidate's responses.

Election news

This section includes a timeline of events leading up to the election.


Elections

Click on the tabs below to show more information about those topics.

Candidates and results

General election

General election for Mayor of Wichita

Lily Wu defeated incumbent Brandon Whipple in the general election for Mayor of Wichita on November 7, 2023.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Lily Wu
Lily Wu (Nonpartisan)
 
57.6
 
37,004
Image of Brandon Whipple
Brandon Whipple (Nonpartisan)
 
41.8
 
26,841
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.6
 
415

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 64,260
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Mayor of Wichita

The following candidates ran in the primary for Mayor of Wichita on August 1, 2023.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Lily Wu
Lily Wu (Nonpartisan)
 
30.0
 
12,217
✔
Image of Brandon Whipple
Brandon Whipple (Nonpartisan)
 
24.0
 
9,775
Image of Bryan Frye
Bryan Frye (Nonpartisan)
 
22.3
 
9,070
Image of Celeste Racette
Celeste Racette (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
16.8
 
6,831
Image of Jared Cerullo
Jared Cerullo (Nonpartisan)
 
4.6
 
1,870
Image of Shelia Davis
Shelia Davis (Nonpartisan)
 
0.6
 
254
Image of Julie Rose Stroud
Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
0.6
 
246
Image of Tom Kane
Tom Kane (Nonpartisan)
 
0.5
 
220
Image of Anthony Gallardo
Anthony Gallardo (Nonpartisan)
 
0.4
 
182

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 40,665
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Additional elections on the ballot

See also: Kansas elections, 2023

What's on your ballot?
Click here to find out using My Vote


August 1, 2023
November 7, 2023

Voting information

What was the voter registration deadline?

  • In-person: July 11, 2023
  • By mail: Received by July 11, 2023
  • Online: July 11, 2023

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: July 25, 2023
  • By mail: Received by July 25, 2023
  • Online: July 25, 2023

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: Aug. 1, 2023
  • By mail: Received by Aug. 1, 2023

Was early voting available to all voters? Yes

What were the early voting start and end dates? Varies to July 31, 2023

Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required? Photo ID

When were polls open on Election Day? 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Candidate comparison

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Brandon Whipple

Image of Brandon Whipple

WebsiteFacebook

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: 

Biography:  Whipple received an associate degree from Mount Washington College and bachelor's and master's degrees from Wichita State University. He received a doctorate degree from Franklin Pierce University. His work experience included serving as state legislator and college faculty member.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Whipple campaigned on his record from his first term, saying on his website: "Under his leadership Wichita is once again the economic leader in the State of Kansas, investment in public safety services, including road maintenance, is at an all-time high...Our local economy is benefiting from increased tourism and investment because Wichita is focused on the future."

Whipple said one of his top priorities was econcominc growth in the city, saying, "Wichita is experiencing momentum and economic growth that’s unprecedented. And I think that we need to finish the job that we started, which means continuing to build upon our progress and just build upon our success."

Whipple said his priorities in a second term would be addressing homlessness and transportation: "I want to bring homelessness down to functional zero. And I want to fix our transportation system because those are two issues that people have been talking about for decades and haven’t been able to get done."

Show sources

Sources: The Wichita Eagle, "Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple files for re-election; lays out second-term priorities," May 31, 2023; Whipple, Mayor for Wichita, "Home," accessed July 3, 2023; LinkedIn, "Dr. Brandon Whipple, Mayor at City of Wichita Kansas," accessed June 30, 2023; 

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Wichita in 2023.

Jared Cerullo

Image of Jared Cerullo

FacebookTwitterYouTube

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Cerullo attended Wichita State University. His work experience included being a reporter and news anchor for radio and television stations in Wichita and a news director for a network of radio stations in Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Cerullo said his top priority would be working with the city's police department: "The first thing I will do if I’m elected is repair the relationship between the mayor’s office and the police department, which the current mayor has destroyed. I have talked to countless police officers who don’t trust Brandon Whipple because he clearly doesn’t trust them."

Cerullo said his other top priority would be improving the city's infrastructure: "I plan to continue efforts to alleviate traffic congestion throughout Southeast Wichita by going after federal infrastructure funding to build train bridges along Southeast Boulevard and K-15. The city of Wichita has missed opportunities to pursue funding from the federal infrastructure bill passed in 2021."

Cerullo said he supports the city's Century II Performing Arts Center and also thinks taxpayers should have input into determining the next steps for the facility: "[Century II] need[s] to have a new building of their own. But are city residents willing to raise taxes for that kind of development? I’m not so sure. That would be something that would maybe have to be left to a public vote."

Show sources

Sources: The Wichita Eagle, "Former Wichita City Council appointee Jared Cerullo joins crowded mayoral field," May 31, 2023; LinkedIn, "Jared Cerullo, Former City Council Member at City of Wichita Kansas," accessed June 30, 2023

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Wichita in 2023.

Bryan Frye

Image of Bryan Frye

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Frye received a bachelor's degree from Wichita State University. His work experience included working on marketing and creative services in the broadcast television industry and serving as the senior director of investor relations at the Kansas Chamber of Commerce.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Frye said one his top priorities would be to improve the city's growth: "We’re on the verge of some amazing opportunities with high-tech manufacturing, cyber security, health care and education. I don’t think Wichita’s future has ever been brighter."

Frye said he would ran a psotive, issues-oriented campaign, saying, "I’ve ran both of my previous campaigns on the high road and I believe that’s the way to do it. I think that’s what voters want. They want authenticity. They’re tired of the negative stuff. They’re tired of the back and forth. I’ll contrast how I am versus my opponents but I’m not going to get down in the gutter."

Frye's website listed safety and security in the city as one of his top priorities: "Taking care of our community means many things. It’s having a police force & fire department to keep you safe. It’s comfort in knowing that water, roads & facility infrastructure are dependable & maintained."

Show sources

Sources: The Wichita Eagle, "City Council member Bryan Frye launches bid to become the next mayor of Wichita," February 17, 2023; Bryan Frye for Wichita, "Issues," accessed July 3, 2023; LinkedIn, "Bryan Frye, City Councilman at City of Wichita Kansas," accessed June 30, 2023;Kansas Chamber, "Chamber Team - Bryan Frye," accessed June 30, 2023

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Wichita in 2023.

Celeste Racette

Image of Celeste Racette

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I spent 25 years in the financial industry: FDIC Bank Examiner and Investigation Specialist, Chief Internal Auditor, Certified Internal Auditor, Settlement Services Manager, and Accounting Officer. I received FDIC STAR Awards from the Kansas City, Atlanta and New York regions and was instrumental in bringing to justice corrupt payday lenders. I am the founder of Save Century II which started in 2019. Wichitans responded and we gathered 17,265 signatures on a petition to vote on the fate of Century II and the former central library. This was a nonpartisan effort to stop $1.2 billion in developer plan to raze both buildings and take over the publicly owned riverfront space. The public was not allowed to comment and the public was not allowed to vote. Save Century II was sued by the city and the petition was squashed. I have always been involved in grassroots efforts to better the communities in which I have lived. In 1994, another mother and I started a volunteer effort called Lunch Bunch to stop bullying in the middle school our children attended. This led to another amazing public school effort to restore a 60 year old locker room - the Rainforest Room - which turned into a creative and imaginative gathering place with reading hut, waterfall, craft areas, and painted rainforest animals and greenery on the walls. Service to schools, church, community boards, and neighborhoods has always been my calling."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

I will keep a watchful eye over city hall finances. The City of Wichita had NO internal auditor for three years. This was a deliberate misstatement to the published financial statements which claimed we had one. My research has indicated taxpayer funds were directed to wealthy insider hotels, buildings, and even for loans. I will review our finances and ensure taxpayer money are spent appropriately.

I will promote economic development without political payoffs. Wichita needs to stimulate growth through smart uses of incentives; EDX, TIF, CID, IRB, and GO debt should be granted after careful contract review and consideration of the financial rewards. Five and 10 year follow up using actual results should be conducctded to determine effectiveness of not only staff estimates, but in the project realized returns..

I will prioritize public safety and quality of life. We are facing a $15 million deficit in the finances of the city. Careless spending and taxpayers giveaways to insiders has resulted in closed swimming pools, torn up city streets, neglected parks, and abondoned public buildings.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Wichita in 2023.

Julie Rose Stroud

Image of Julie Rose Stroud

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "As an environmental health and safety professional my aim is to ensure our environment and the health and safety of our community is number one. I believe we cannot be prosperous as a community without ensuring we are healthy and safe. As a former City of Wichita government employee I know first hand the challenges and problems within the city government. I feel strongly about establishing a culture within the city government where we uplift, and celebrate each other. Everyone has a voice and we should all do a better job of listening. We should support and encourage one another to be the best they can be. It will be this culture established within the government that speaks into our community. I have a lot of experience from working as a custodian to lobbying on Capitol Hill for Water Infrastructure Funding and the 2018 farm bill. I know what it’s like to be at the bottom and feel as though your work is not appreciated. I’m here to tell you, you are appreciated, you do matter and I believe in you. I have federal, state, and local government experience. I have managerial experience in aviation, pharmaceutical and the chemical industries. I have a lot of experience with regulations, codes, and laws. I also am a proponent of education and prevention. At the heart of my work ethic is customer service and that started as a cashier when I was 16 working for Churchs Chicken. The customer is always right, and the community is our customer. Let me serve you. "

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Culture- support and encourage everyone to be the best they can.

Environmental Health and Safety

Prevention and Education

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Wichita in 2023.

Lily Wu

Image of Lily Wu

WebsiteFacebook

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Wu received a bachelor's degree from Wichita State University and a master's degree from The University of Hong Kong. Her work experience included working as a reporter and news anchor for two Wichita-area television stations and as a board and steering committee member for several Wichita-area non-profit organizations.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Wu said public safety would be one of her top priorities, saying, "No Wichitan should be concerned about public safety. We must ensure our law enforcement officers, first responders, and city services connect with the community and have the resources and respect necessary to keep Wichita safe."

Wu said one of her priorities would be to increase communication to residents about the city's government: "When citizens don’t see how their tax dollars are being utilized, trust starts eroding. We need to do, as elected officials, a better job of communicating ‘what is it that city government does?’ ‘How are your tax dollars being used?'"

Wu said that she would reject partisanship in how she campaigned and governed: "All too often, our faith in local government has been weakened by scandals, concerns of corruption and immaturity. We need a refreshing leader who promotes collaboration and protects our hard-earned tax dollars. As mayor, I’ll restore integrity and civility to City Hall."

Show sources

Sources: The Wichita Eagle, "Lily Wu announces run for Wichita mayor, flexes broad coalition of business support," April 3, 2023;The Sunflower, "Former TV reporter and Wichita State alum running for Wichita mayor," April 26, 2023; Lily Wu, All for Wichita, "My Vision for Wichita," accessed July 5, 2023; LinkedIn, "Lily Wu, Candidate, Mayor of Wichita," accessed July 5, 2023

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Wichita in 2023.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/CelesteRacette2023.jpg

Celeste Racette (Nonpartisan)

I will keep a watchful eye over city hall finances. The City of Wichita had NO internal auditor for three years. This was a deliberate misstatement to the published financial statements which claimed we had one. My research has indicated taxpayer funds were directed to wealthy insider hotels, buildings, and even for loans. I will review our finances and ensure taxpayer money are spent appropriately.

I will promote economic development without political payoffs. Wichita needs to stimulate growth through smart uses of incentives; EDX, TIF, CID, IRB, and GO debt should be granted after careful contract review and consideration of the financial rewards. Five and 10 year follow up using actual results should be conducctded to determine effectiveness of not only staff estimates, but in the project realized returns..

I will prioritize public safety and quality of life. We are facing a $15 million deficit in the finances of the city. Careless spending and taxpayers giveaways to insiders has resulted in closed swimming pools, torn up city streets, neglected parks, and abondoned public buildings.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Culture- support and encourage everyone to be the best they can.

Environmental Health and Safety

Prevention and Education
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/CelesteRacette2023.jpg

Celeste Racette (Nonpartisan)

Currently, the biggest weakness of our elected officials is they do not understand City finances. No one is ensuring checks and balances. No one has ensured internal audits have occurred for the past three years. No one is supervising the City Manager. Our revenues have been tapped to pay for private development while public buildings are falling apart, streets are full of potholes, and our public parks are neglected. As your Mayor, I pledge to put public over insider interests.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Ensuring our rights are equal and everyone has the same opportunities.

Environmental health and safety and ensuring Justice will be served. We cannot prosper as a community when part of our community is neglected or hurt. We must do our part to ensure everyone is cared for and protected regardless of what you look like or what zip code you live in.

Police culture needs to be revamped. Please implement the morning safety meeting. When things go wrong, let’s talk about it openly and honestly.

Transparency within the city of Wichita government. No more wasteful spending. No more choosing favorites. I’m not represented by any large company or the city of Wichita. I’m running as Julie Rose Stroud.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/CelesteRacette2023.jpg

Celeste Racette (Nonpartisan)

My father, who was Wichita's Mayor in 1964-1965 (Mayor's served only 1 year - this changed in the 1980s to a 4 year term). He served under President Johnson's administration and went to Washington, DC. to meet the President. This was a time when civil rights were coming to the forefront of the U.S. citizens' consciousness, along with the Vietnam War, and was the beginning of a turbulent time in our country. My father worked with many civil rights leaders in Wichita to change redlining laws, to develop better infrastructure, and to build a city civic arts and performing center open to all. I also admire his service in WW II, when as a young man from Kirwin, Kansas, enlisted in the Army. He served over in Europe as a Army Corps fighter pilot. He also trained pilots. The war experience left him with PTSD symptoms that at the time, were ignored. I am encouraged to see veterans receive much better medical care and counseling than has been afforded to vets in the past. Another person I look up to is President John F. Kennedy. I believe he epitomized the ideals of a young generation. We wanted a more representative government, honest politicians (which we're still striving for), an end to the turmoil in Vietnam, and a right to peaceful protest. We wanted equal opportunity for all Americans and to realize the dream of home ownership. The promise fulfilled of a better future for our children, the next generation of Americans.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Many people in my life for various reasons.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Communicative, honest, determined, tenacious, supportive, understanding, empathetic, helpful, caring, giving, innovative, strong, and resilient.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Honest, determined, professional, effective communicative, problem solver, solution oriented, empathetic, active listening, supportive, encouraging, innovative.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Say what you do and do what you say. Keep the best interest of the community at heart.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

A city that is supportive and encourages everyone to be their best where we listen to all of each other and stop pointing fingers.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/CelesteRacette2023.jpg

Celeste Racette (Nonpartisan)

The assassignation of President John Kennedy in 1963. A horrific event and my father was a Wichita City Commissioner at the time. I was 7 years old at the time. I remember the terrible sadness and shock of watching former first lady Jackie Kennedy on TV, and Vice President Johnson being sworn in as President of the U.S. There is a memorial in Wichita just north of Century II Performing Arts and Convention Center that was dedicated to President Kennedy. Save Century II volunteers planted rose bushes in the area and maintain the flower beds. My late father's personal papers contain signed letters from Senator Kennedy, President Johnson, President Truman, and a telegram to former first lady Jacki Kennedy. My connection with public events from this area have stayed with me and inspired me to run for public office. Giving the public a vote and a voice are critical to the future of public affairs. We have to bridge the gab in divisive opinions and work collaboratively and cooperatively to make the U.S. the best country in the world. Wichita is my hometown, and as a fourth generation Kansan, we live the motto "Ad Astra Per Aspera" which means to the stars with difficulty. My parents lived through the depression, the dust bowl, the grasshopper plaque and WW II. "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country", President John Kennedy once said. I believe this is what elected servants should strive for. My pledge as Mayor of Wichita, is to live as an example of his great leadership.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/CelesteRacette2023.jpg

Celeste Racette (Nonpartisan)

Legal secretary in law offices during the summer of my high school freshman and sophmore year. I continued working part time for this legal firm until I graduated from high school.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Church’s Chicken under two years
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Law of Success by Napoleon Hill
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

The hero that breathes support and encouragement and hope where it is needed the most.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Don’t you know by Julie Rose Stroud and actually all of my music (wrote, recorded mixed mastered and produced by me).
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Loosing my father at 13,

Loosing my grandmother at 15 and my grandfather at age 17 (they were like parents)

Graduating high school 5 months pregnant, working full time and living alone. Working my entire way through college as a mother. Breakups, divorce (while pregnant) - not easy!

I’ve been through so many things not even listed but at the end of the day you either vow to yourself to take steps to get yourself into a better place or you don’t. If you choose not to move nothing will get better. You cannot ignore problems. They will fester.

Everyday problems for normal people are like a walk in the park for me. #WhatsNext


Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

It gives me the opportunity to support ad encourage everyone to be the best they can. To find solutions to our problems and foster an environment where we work as a team to create a vibrant prosperous community.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

To be a leader in effective communication and to ensure all voices of the community are heard and the community is aware of current city proposals.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

The people who make it up.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Strong one where we stand firm in our stances and do not give up.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JulieStroud2023.jpeg

Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Strong one where we stand firm in our stances and do not give up.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

The one I told where they forget to laugh.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

To create a open environment where safety issues are talked about before they become a bigger problem. Ensuring police are safe and have the resources they need to be productive for our community.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Community should be involved in all decision making. My plans are to utilize social media more and get out into the communities especially those that are underrepresented.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

To ensure we are obtaining all the federal grants available to us. Keep our roads in good condition (all of them not just ones in certain zip codes). Ensure that our water treatment plant is on target for completion. Begin the process of how to make our city more sustainable in terms of the environment and preservation of our resources.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Prevention and education!! We need to work with our public school, partner with the state and county and businesses to work as a team to uplift our community to reduce drug use and to give our youth and young adult’s opportunities to achieve in life.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

I would take a look at long term, short term implications for the area and the families within the area.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

We have many buildings and places that are abandoned or not in use. We should take use of those spaces for the greater good of our community. We should partner with our public schools to create opportunities for the students to give back and work on real life projects for the betterment of everyone.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

Needs to be more open and honest and have the morning safety meeting.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

I would meet with every police officer in the city and understand who they are. I would stress the importance of accepting one another and being open and honest with our faults or errors and stress to them that we cannot get better until we understand our weaknesses. I would listen to their concerns and their ideas and give them a voice. I would have safety meetings where we openly discuss use of force EVERY DAY and have open conversations about what went wrong.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

By listing each other them and handling the ones with safety concerns and time constraints as top priority.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

I would establish a dedicated department for environmental health and safety.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

More utilization of social media
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

KORA request has worked well for me. I would ensure translation services are provided and all city workers answer questions and provide help to those who request it.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

I grew up in inner city Wichita KS. Crime rates are going up. We need to work with our public schools and county to ensure we are take preventative measures to create opportunities for everyone to thrive.
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Julie Rose Stroud (Nonpartisan)

None



Campaign advertisements

This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.

Grey.png Celeste Racette

April 4, 2023
February 25, 2023

View more ads here:


Debates and forums

This section includes links to debates, forums, and other similar events where multiple candidates in this race participated. If you are aware of any debates or forums that should be included, please email us.

July 20, 2023

Cerullo, Davis, Frye, Racette, Rose Stroud, Whipple, and Wu participated in a televised debate hosted by PBS Kansas, The Wichita Eagle, KSN News, and KAKE News.[26][27]

Click on the link below to watch a video of the event:

July 17, 2023

Cerullo, Davis, Frye, Racette, Rose Stroud, Whipple, and Wu participated in a mayoral forum sponsored by Wichita Independent Neighborhoods and The Wichita Beacon.[28]

Click on the link below for a summary of the event:

June 28, 2023

Cerullo, Davis, Frye, Racette, Rose Stroud, Whipple, and Wu participated in a mayoral forum sponsored by the following groups: W - A Community of Young Professionals, Lead for America, NAAAP, YLPW, Wichita Urban Professionals, Connell Air Force Base CGOC.[29]

Click on the link below for a summary of the event:

June 17, 2023

Cerullo, Frye, Racette and Wu participated in a mayoral candidate forum sponsored by the Sedgwick County Republican Party. Whipple was not invited.[30]

Click on the link below for a summary of the event:

Election competitiveness

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.

Noteworthy endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.


Noteworthy endorsements
Endorser Nonpartisan Brandon Whipple Nonpartisan Bryan Frye Nonpartisan Lily Wu
Individuals
Jeff Longwell  source   ✔  
Organizations
Americans for Prosperity - Kansas  source     ✔
Sedgwick County Democratic Party  source ✔    
Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce PAC   ✔ ✔

Election spending

Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from candidates submitted to the Sedgwick County Election Office during 2023.

Mayoral partisanship

Wichita has a mayor who identifies as a Libertarian. As of September 2025, 66 mayors in the largest 100 cities by population are affiliated with the Democratic Party, 23 are affiliated with the Republican Party, one is affiliated with the Libertarian Party, three are independents, five identify as nonpartisan or unaffiliated, and two mayors' affiliations are unknown. Click here for a list of the 100 largest cities' mayors and their partisan affiliations.

Mayoral elections are officially nonpartisan in most of the nation's largest cities. However, many officeholders are affiliated with political parties. Ballotpedia uses one or more of the following sources to identify each officeholder's partisan affiliation: (1) direct communication from the officeholder, (2) current or previous candidacy for partisan office, or (3) identification of partisan affiliation by multiple media outlets.

Election context

Election history

2019

General election

General election for Mayor of Wichita

Brandon Whipple defeated incumbent Jeff Longwell in the general election for Mayor of Wichita on November 5, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Brandon Whipple
Brandon Whipple (Nonpartisan)
 
46.4
 
23,174
Image of Jeff Longwell
Jeff Longwell (Nonpartisan)
 
36.0
 
17,969
 Other/Write-in votes
 
17.6
 
8,767

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 49,910
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Mayor of Wichita

The following candidates ran in the primary for Mayor of Wichita on August 6, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jeff Longwell
Jeff Longwell (Nonpartisan)
 
32.1
 
7,409
✔
Image of Brandon Whipple
Brandon Whipple (Nonpartisan)
 
26.3
 
6,067
Image of Lyndy Wells
Lyndy Wells (Nonpartisan)
 
25.0
 
5,770
Image of Amy Lyon
Amy Lyon (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
6.4
 
1,470
Image of Mark Gietzen
Mark Gietzen (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
5.8
 
1,349
Image of Brock Booker
Brock Booker (Nonpartisan)
 
2.0
 
457
Image of Ian Demory
Ian Demory (Nonpartisan)
 
1.0
 
239
Image of Joshua Atkinson
Joshua Atkinson (Nonpartisan)
 
0.7
 
166
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Marty Mork (Nonpartisan)
 
0.6
 
144

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 23,071
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2015

See also: Wichita, Kansas municipal elections, 2015

The city of Wichita, Kansas, held elections for mayor and city council on April 7, 2015. A primary took place on March 3, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was January 27, 2015. Three of the six city council seats were up for election.[31]

In the primary election for mayor, Jeff Longwell and Samuel M. Williams advanced past Robert L. E. Culver, Sean Hatfield, Tony Rosales, Frances Jackson, Dan Heflin, Tracy S. Stewart and Jennifer Winn. Longwell defeated Williams in the general election on April 7.[32] Incumbent Carl Brewer was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.[33]

Wichita Mayoral General Election, 2015
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngJeff Longwell 59.4% 22,292
Samuel M. Williams 35.9% 13,478
Write-in 4.7% 1,752
Total Votes 37,522
Source: Sedgwick County Elections, "Official general election results," accessed May 28, 2015
Wichita Mayoral Primary Election, 2015
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngJeff Longwell 28.2% 5,506
Green check mark transparent.pngSamuel M. Williams 25.6% 5,000
Lavonta Williams 18.1% 3,537
Jennifer Winn 10.7% 2,094
Sean Hatfield 10.4% 2,029
Dan Heflin 2.7% 535
Frances Jackson 1.6% 311
Tony Rosales 1.2% 227
Tracy S. Stewart 0.8% 147
Robert L. E. Culver 0.7% 133
Total Votes 18,166
Source: Sedgwick County Elections, "Official general election results," accessed May 28, 2015

Report a story for this election

Ballotpedia researches issues in local elections across the United States, but information availability is a challenge for us in many areas. Please contact us about the issues that impact your local election. Note that not all submissions may meet Ballotpedia's coverage requirements for inclusion.

Candidate survey

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Click here to fill out the survey.

City Profile

See also: Wichita, Kansas

Wichita is a city in Sedgwick County, Kansas. As of 2020, its population was 397,532.

City government

See also: Council-manager government

The city of Wichita uses a council-manager system. In this form of municipal government, an elected city council—which includes the mayor and serves as the city's primary legislative body—appoints a chief executive called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the council's policy and legislative initiatives.[34]

Demographics

The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.

Demographic Data for Wichita, Kansas
Wichita Kansas
Population 397,532 2,937,880
Land area (sq mi) 162 81,758
Race and ethnicity**
White 72.6% 83%
Black/African American 10.3% 5.7%
Asian 4.9% 3%
Native American 0.9% 0.8%
Pacific Islander 0.1% 0.1%
Other (single race) N/A 2.7%
Multiple 6.4% 4.8%
Hispanic/Latino 17.4% 12.1%
Education
High school graduation rate 88.5% 91.4%
College graduation rate 30.7% 33.9%
Income
Median household income $53,466 $61,091
Persons below poverty level 15.5% 11.4%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2015-2020).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


2023 battleground elections

See also: Battlegrounds

This election was a battleground race. Other 2023 battleground elections included:

See also

Wichita, Kansas Kansas Municipal government Other local coverage
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Seal of Kansas.png
Municipal Government Final.png
Local Politics Image.jpg

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Wichita Eagle, "Legalize or criminalize? Wichita mayoral candidates split on marijuana reform," June 17, 2023
  2. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Local elections are nonpartisan by law. So why is the Republican Party campaigning?" October 25, 2019
  3. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Wu emerges as front-runner in Wichita mayor’s race, but Whipple says he can still win," August 3, 2023
  4. ↑ The Sunflower, "Whipple and Wu advance to general elections in mayoral race," August 2, 2023
  5. ↑ LinkedIn, "Lily Wu, Candidate, Mayor of Wichita," accessed July 5, 2023
  6. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Lily Wu announces run for Wichita mayor, flexes broad coalition of business support," April 3, 2023
  7. ↑ LinkedIn, "Dr. Brandon Whipple, Mayor at City of Wichita Kansas," accessed June 30, 2023
  8. ↑ KSN.com, "Brandon Whipple – Wichita mayoral candidate," July 18, 2023
  9. ↑ KWCH, "Which 2 will move on?: Political expert breaks down crowded Wichita mayoral race," August 1, 2023
  10. ↑ LinkedIn, "Bryan Frye, City Councilman at City of Wichita Kansas," accessed June 30, 2023
  11. ↑ 'The Wichita Eagle', "City Council member Bryan Frye launches bid to become the next mayor of Wichita," February 17, 2023
  12. ↑ 'The Wichita Eagle', "City Council member Bryan Frye launches bid to become the next mayor of Wichita," February 17, 2023
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 LinkedIn, "Celeste Racette, Experienced financial institution executive and former bank regulator," accessed July 3, 2023
  14. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Celeste Racette, founder of Save Century II, enters race for Wichita mayor," February 3, 2023
  15. ↑ LinkedIn, "Jared Cerullo, Former City Council Member at City of Wichita Kansas," accessed June 30, 2023
  16. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Former Wichita City Council appointee Jared Cerullo joins crowded mayoral field," May 31, 2023
  17. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Former Wichita City Council appointee Jared Cerullo joins crowded mayoral field," May 31, 2023
  18. ↑ KAKE, "Watch Wichita mayoral debate Thursday night," July 20, 2023
  19. ↑ The Wichita Beacon, "Wichita mayoral forum: Candidates talk policing, homelessness and neighborhoods," July 19, 2023
  20. ↑ Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, "Wichita Regional Chamber PAC Endorses Mayoral Candidates," July 6, 2023
  21. ↑ KSN, "Wichita mayoral candidates speak at young professionals forum," June 28, 2023
  22. ↑ Americans for Prosperity, "Americans for Prosperity-Kansas Endorses Lily Wu for 2023 Wichita Mayoral Primary Election," June 21, 2023
  23. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, Legalize or criminalize? Wichita mayoral candidates split on marijuana reform," June 17, 2023
  24. ↑ Twitter, "Sedgwick Co. Democrats," March 13, 2023
  25. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "City Council member Bryan Frye launches bid to become the next mayor of Wichita," February 17, 2023
  26. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Watch: Candidates for Wichita mayor debate Thursday," July 21, 2023
  27. ↑ KAKE, "Watch Wichita mayoral debate Thursday night," July 20, 2023
  28. ↑ The Wichita Beacon, "Wichita mayoral forum: Candidates talk policing, homelessness and neighborhoods," July 19, 2023
  29. ↑ KSN, "Wichita mayoral candidates speak at young professionals forum," June 28, 2023
  30. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, Legalize or criminalize? Wichita mayoral candidates split on marijuana reform," June 17, 2023
  31. ↑ Email correspondence with Sandra L. Gritz, Chief Deputy Election Commissioner of Sedgwick County, Kansas on September 12, 2014.
  32. ↑ Sedgwick County, "Unofficial Election Results," accessed April 7, 2015
  33. ↑ Sedgwick County Elections, "2015 Candidate List," accessed January 27, 2015
  34. ↑ City of Wichita, "Government," accessed October 23, 2014
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