Sly James
Sly James was the nonpartisan mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. First elected in 2011, he won a second term on June 23, 2015.[1] James could not file to run for re-election in 2019 due to term limits.[2]
James was a superdelegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention from Missouri. He supported Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.
Biography
James was born in Kansas City, Kansas. He obtained a B.A. in English from Rockhurst College and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota. When he served as mayor, his professional experience included working as an attorney and owning his own legal firm.[1]
James served as a military policeman in the United States Marine Corps from 1971 to 1975.[3]
Elections
2019
Sly James was not able to file for re-election due to term limits.
2015
The city of Kansas City, Missouri, held nonpartisan elections for mayor and city council on June 23, 2015. A primary election took place on April 7, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was January 13, 2015.[4][5]
In the primary election for mayor, incumbent Sly James and Vincent Lee advanced past Clay Chastain. James defeated Lee in the general election on June 23.[6][7][8]
| Mayor of Kansas City, General Election, 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
 Sly James Incumbent |
87.3% | 29,830 | |
| Vincent Lee | 12.7% | 4,337 | |
| Total Votes | 34,167 | ||
| Source: Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners, "Cumulative general election results," accessed January 26, 2016 | |||
| Mayor of Kansas City, Primary Election, 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Sly James Incumbent |
84.8% | 19,884 | |
| Vincent Lee |
9% | 2,112 | |
| Clay Chastain | 6.2% | 1,456 | |
| Total Votes | 23,452 | ||
| Source: Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners, "Official primary election results," accessed May 20, 2015 | |||
2011
On March 22, 2011, James defeated opponent Mike Burke in the general election for Mayor of Kansas City.
| Mayor Kansas City, Missouri, 2011 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Sly James |
62.9% | 31,794 | |
| Mike Burke | 37.1% | 18,736 | |
| Total Votes | 50,530 | ||
| Source: Kansas City Election Board - March 22, 2011 Official Election Results | |||
2016 Democratic National Convention
- See also: Democratic National Convention, 2016
| Sly James | |
| Democratic National Convention, 2016 | |
| Status: | Superdelegate |
| State: | Missouri |
| Supporting: | Hillary Clinton |
| Delegates to the DNC 2016 | |
| Calendar and delegate rules overview • Types of delegates • State election law and delegates • Superdelegates by state | |
James was a superdelegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention from Missouri.[9] James was one of 13 superdelegates from Missouri. Superdelegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention were not bound by the results of their state’s primary or caucus results to support a specific presidential candidate. James supported Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.[10]Clinton formally won the Democratic nomination for president on July 26, 2016.[11]
What is a superdelegate?
Superdelegates in 2016 were automatic delegates to the Democratic National Convention, meaning that, unlike regular delegates, they were not elected to this position. Also unlike regular delegates, they were not required to pledge their support to any presidential candidate, and they were not bound by the results of their state's presidential primary election or caucus. In 2016, superdelegates included members of the Democratic National Committee, Democratic members of Congress, Democratic governors, and distinguished party leaders, including former presidents and vice presidents. All superdelegates were free to support any presidential candidate of their choosing at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.[12]
Missouri primary results
- See also: Presidential election in Missouri, 2016
Hillary Clinton won the Missouri Democratic primary election, defeating Bernie Sanders 49.6 to 49.4 percent. With less than 2,000 votes separating Clinton and Sanders, the race remained uncalled until March 18, 2016.[13] Clinton received only more of Missouri's pledged delegates than Sanders, 36 to 35. Clinton carried Missouri's two most populous cities: St. Louis and Kansas City. In St. Louis, she beat Sanders by 11 points. According to exit polls, she won non-white voters 61 to 38 percent over Sanders. Non-white voters made up 28 percent of the Democratic electorate in Missouri on March 15, 2016.[14]
| Missouri Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Delegates | |
|
Hillary Clinton |
49.6% | 312,285 | 36 | |
| Bernie Sanders | 49.4% | 310,711 | 35 | |
| Henry Hewes | 0.1% | 650 | 0 | |
| Roque De La Fuente | 0.1% | 345 | 0 | |
| Keith Judd | 0% | 288 | 0 | |
| Willie Wilson | 0% | 307 | 0 | |
| Martin O'Malley | 0.1% | 442 | 0 | |
| John Wolfe | 0% | 247 | 0 | |
| Jon Adams | 0.1% | 433 | 0 | |
| Other | 0.6% | 3,717 | 0 | |
| Totals | 629,425 | 71 | ||
| Source: The New York Times and Missouri Secretary of State | ||||
Delegate allocation
Missouri had 84 delegates at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Of this total, 71 were pledged delegates. National party rules stipulated how Democratic delegates in all states were allocated. Pledged delegates were allocated to a candidate in proportion to the votes he or she received in a state's primary or caucus. A candidate was eligible to receive a share of the state's pledged delegates if he or she won at least 15 percent of the votes cast in the primary or caucus. There were three types of pledged Democratic delegates: congressional district delegates, at-large delegates, and party leaders and elected officials (PLEOs). Congressional district delegates were allocated proportionally based on the primary or caucus results in a given district. At-large and PLEO delegates were allocated proportionally based on statewide primary results.[15][16]
Thirteen party leaders and elected officials served as unpledged delegates. These delegates were not required to adhere to the results of a state's primary or caucus.[15][17]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kansas City Mayor, "About Sly James," accessed October 14, 2014
- ↑ The Kansas City Star, "List of Kansas City candidates for council, mayor preview a very different City Hall," January 16, 2019
- ↑ Sly James Firm, "Sylvester “Sly” James Jr.," accessed October 14, 2014
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, "2015 Missouri Election Calendar," accessed September 19, 2014
- ↑ Kansas City Board of Elections, "Home," accessed January 23, 2015
- ↑ Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners, "Unofficial election results," accessed June 23, 2015
- ↑ Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners, "Unofficial election results," accessed April 7, 2015
- ↑ Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners, "Sample Ballot: Municipal Primary, School and Special Election, April 7, 2015," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ Ballotpedia's list of superdelegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention is based on our own research and lists provided by the Democratic National Committee to Vox.com in February 2016 and May 2016. If you think we made an error in identifying superdelegates, please send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.
- ↑ hillaryclinton.com, “Clinton Campaign Announces Support of Over 50 African American Mayors from Across the Country,” accessed July 8,2016
- ↑ To find out which candidate a superdelegate supported, Ballotpedia sought out public statements from the superdelegate in other media outlets and on social media. If we were unable to find a public statement that clearly articulated which candidate the superdelegate supported at the national convention, we listed that superdelegate as "unknown." If you believe we made an error in identifying which candidate a superdelegate supported, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.
- ↑ Congressional Research Service, "The Presidential Nominating Process and the National Party Conventions, 2016: Frequently Asked Questions," December 30, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Clinton wins Missouri Democratic primary as Sanders concedes," March 18, 2016
- ↑ CNN, "Missouri exit polls," accessed March 24, 2016
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Democratic National Committee, "2016 Democratic National Convention Delegate/Alternate Allocation," updated February 19, 2016
- ↑ The Green Papers, "2016 Democratic Convention," accessed May 7, 2021
- ↑ Democratic National Committee's Office of Party Affairs and Delegate Selection, "Unpledged Delegates -- By State," May 27, 2016
| Political offices | ||
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Succeeded by Quinton Lucas |
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