Tyler Jaggers

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Tyler Jaggers

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 5, 2025

Education

Bachelor's

San Francisco State University, 2011

Personal

Birthplace

California

Profession

Software engineer

Tyler Jaggers ran for election to the Topeka City Council to represent District 1 in Kansas. He lost in the primary on August 5, 2025.

Jaggers completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Tyler Jaggers was born in California. He earned a bachelor's degree from San Francisco State University in 2011 and attended the University of California, Santa Barbara. Jaggers' career experience includes working as a software engineer. As of 2025, Jaggers was affiliated with Orient Topeka Lodge #17.

Elections

2025

See also: City elections in Topeka, Kansas (2025)

General election

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

General election for Topeka City Council District 1

Incumbent Karen Hiller and William Naeger are running in the general election for Topeka City Council District 1 on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Karen Hiller (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	William Naeger (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Topeka City Council District 1

The following candidates ran in the primary for Topeka City Council District 1 on August 5, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Karen Hiller (Nonpartisan)	44.6	358
✔	Submit photo	William Naeger (Nonpartisan)	24.3	195
		Jolie Lippitt (Nonpartisan)	14.4	116
	Submit photo	Brendan Jensen (Nonpartisan)	8.2	66
		Tyler Jaggers (Nonpartisan)	6.2	50
	Submit photo	Eli Bohannan (Nonpartisan)	2.2	18

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. Source	Total votes: 803
= 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.
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Endorsements

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Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Tyler Jaggers completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Jaggers' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

1A: My name is Tyler Stansfield Jaggers and I’m running for the position of City Council District 1 seat for Topeka, Kansas.

I’m a Video Game Developer and I’ve lived in Topeka for 4 years. My 1890’s Home Restoration has been great for the creative process for making games. This home is dear to me and I was very concerned when two homes went ablaze and nearly completely burnt down in a fire last winter right next to me. This happened two weeks after I had already warned the city via the Non-Emergency line that a large homeless encampment had appeared in a short amount of time right next to one of the homes that burnt down. Since then, I knew that I needed to get more active in City Government if I want to protect my business and my neighbors. The last thing I want to see is more fires as I approach the finishing line for my 3rd game developed here in Topeka. Feel free to check out Overidon Omnimedia to see the games I’ve released on Steam. If we don’t have a clean city, then the police will be apprehensive when trying to enforce laws and code.

Additionally, I’m starting to grow my own food now that food prices have skyrocketed. I’m sharing that process on Youtube on my channel of OveridonTV with the Kansas Now podcast.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Roads! We need well maintained Streets, Roads and Alleyways if we're going to grow as a city. Clean transportation avenues for people to come to Topeka to Work, Shop and Live are critical for our growth as a city.
• Safety! Our police forces and first responders are extended too thin. We need to help the police by having a clean environment without blighted zones and homeless camps where crime can pop in and out. Remember, police officers and fire department teams are people too, if there are needles everywhere and abandoned buildings and shopping carts...of course the police will be slow to respond. Let's increase illumination by having more streetlights. We also will benefit greatly by enforcing code compliance on home and apartment maintenance and structural integrity. A safe city will attract more business and new families, which will grow the economy.
• Food Prices! The cost of living has gone absolutely through the roof. We need to strike back as a community against rising food prices by growing our own food. Some people say, "What does growing food have to do with the government?" Quite simply, the Topeka City Council can encourage and support homeowners and residents as they grow their own food and eventually bring their crops, food items and crafts to farmer's markets. We are so blessed as a community that there are multiple venues to sell our food and crafts. Let's band together as a community and share our stories and sell our food locally! Competition is the simplest path to lower food prices and reel-in the cost of living.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am most passionate about public policy in the process of thinking critically when voting. Sometimes the issues that are presented to the City Council are "Double-Edged Swords" things are framed in such a way that sometimes the perspective that is viewed as, "Mainstream" is actually helping smaller special interests rather than allowing for families and businesses to grow naturally in the community. We need to slow the roll of all these new half cent and more sales tax increases. Let's nip all these new property tax increases in the bud real quick. If we want to spend money on a new program, let's streamline something else. Trim the fat before adding new obligations.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

A City Council is an important part of local Topeka Government. It is the core decision-making body directly on City Legislation via the council votes. And indirectly the City Council is extremely important due to how it has the power to hire and fire the City Manager. Since the Office of the City Manager handles so much of the primary day-to-day work, each council vote for the city manager should reflect the confidence in the city itself via the perspective of each district.

Without the City Council the State Government of Kansas would have a difficult time managing each city. The City Council allows citizens to have local authority and support the State without overwhelming the State with overly-specific concerns. The State Government of Kansas has enough on its plate already to have to micro-manage each city. That's why the City Council is so important to be run efficiently by Officials that have the vitality and technology background to understand the changing needs of Topeka in 2025 and beyond.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Visit https://tylerjaggers.com/values/values.php for a breakdown of my values. Also, visit https://tylerjaggers.com/politics/politics.php for a spreadsheet in table format regarding all the businesses that are not open on Kansas Avenue. I did that audit by walking and it was very surprising to find how many places were closed on Kansas Avenue.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The most important characteristics for an elected official is being able to read the fine print. Oftentimes these bills and voting directives have hidden agendas that are not in the interest of the people. I, Tyler Stansfield Jaggers commit to reading these pieces of legislation before voting on them in city council.

But there's more! An elected official needs to be able to listen clearly. One needs to be able to listen to people who work, live and invest in Topeka. Also you need to listen to the hidden voice inside every vote within the City Council chambers. Each vote tells a volume into the character, objectives and alliances withing the Council itself. By listening, one can identify when people are simply following power players, or if someone has a really good idea! We have two ears, let's use them in order to best serve the community as a whole.

An elected official finally needs to be selfless. If an elected official is too concerned with polls and their appearance on issues, they will eventually become paralyzed trying to please everyone. A good elected official understands that you have to weigh information and concerns and then make a decision. Sometimes that might make a person seem cruel, othertimes it might make an official appear to be too compassionate. By being selfless, an official can focus on doing the right thing via votes in the council as opposed to worrying about backlash. Thick skin is required for this kind of work!

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilities for the City Council seat of District 1 are:

1. Read and understand legislation before voting in the Council Chambers

2. Listen to the people of District 1 as well as business and other interests. Absorb and ingest as much information as possible and create a strong understanding of the needs of District 1.

3. Encourage the great things that the people of Topeka, Kansas are doing. Help to foster more community involvement and confidence by being a great example of a community leader.

4. Raise the energy level and amount of hope that people have for the future! If the good faith of District 1 citizens are rewarded by interaction, engagement and good policy decisions...then we will turn the economy around.

What legacy would you like to leave?

As a City Council member and just a human being in general I'd like to leave a legacy of innovation and hope. Way too often we are given problems either with government policy, socio-economic or environmental which have a limited *multiple choice* perspective for the solutions. That's not how real-life works. If one has a strong enough determination and will to solve a problem, they will be able to break complex problems into smaller parts.

That's literally how I approach my life everyday. I know there are some things that are too big to completely solve in one day, so I chip away at things until more efficient approaches reveal themselves. By being honest with myself I can find that maybe my approach yesterday was a good start, but no way near as productive as my refined approach today or tomorrow.

I'd like to use this approach in City Council to help the other members not feel like Atlas, holding up all these litanies of complaints and grievances on their shoulders...instead we can use systems theory to analyze things, ask questions, receive feedback efficiently and refine processes with a smile.

When I'm gone, people who remember me will think of someone who was willing to approach different problems with vigor and innovation...dauntless in the face of complexity...fearless in the shadow of enormity.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Wow! That is a great question and you would not believe the answer. City Council members in Topeka have interesting side-powers that relate to whether or not a council-member is part of JEDO and other organizations and committees. A city council person who is on JEDO wields more *effective* power when it comes to planning and development. There are also connections that can be formed with the Chamber of Commerce and other groups and NGO's that spread the influence of a City Council member.

A City Council person can force-multiply their influence by being part of committees and organizations. Sometimes this can be a good thing for efficiency, othertimes it can yield greater bureaucratic sprawl and elbow-rubbing. What's important is that we get some new blood in here in order to refresh the priorities of the City Council to match up with the goals and needs of the actual Citizens of Topeka.

I'm sure this is just the surface information regarding this question and there are probably multiple layers more that I will learn as I progress within Topeka City Government and beyond.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Topeka City Council needs critical thinkers, innovators and efficiency-based problem solvers. Permanent bureaucrats with too much tenure are a liability, not an asset. City Council should be up-or-out and once someone has worked in this position for almost two decades it increases the probability of distorted optics. Self-protecting directives that are more about appeasing special interests become rampant when someone has stayed in office in the same position too long. And public image instead of critical analysis of key issues will be driving motivations.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Computer skills are something that are key for a city council member. As a software engineer myself, I can tell you without equivocation that technology can be an Achilleas Heel when dealing with budgets. Many of the reasons why the Topeka Kansas budget is so inflated is because the city, needs to streamline information technology systems. What you're going to find is that the City Manager and the support teams are doing their best, but writing software and algorithms takes time. A City Council member with software expertise will be invaluable for helping to support the City Manager and offering guidance for City decisions that relate to technology.

Interpersonal skills is just as important as technology. A City Council member needs a demeanor that is both respectful and sincere. People are very smart and they can detect lies via facial quirks, eye-contact issues as well as inconsistencies and contradictions within policy-making. As a member of the City council I will make sure to represent the office with integrity and help synthesize a dynamic factory of ideas. We want business and families to both have a seat at the table. By caring about both, we can increase confidence not only in the policy decisions of the council but increase overall satisfaction with the Topeka Government itself.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the local government?

The City Council quite literally is the heart of the city government of Topeka, Kansas. It provides the core legislative apparatus that approves the ordinances, resolutions and measures that influence how we exist as human beings in Topeka. The City Council chambers belong first and foremost to the people. So let's make sure the Council Seats are filled BY the People. And we should be ever vigilant in shining a light on the shadowy hand of special interests as it tries to reach its influence unduly.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Government Accountability in terms of financial transparency. Honestly, Topeka, Kansas doesn't have very clear breakdowns of how all our dollars are being spent. I can't even copy and paste data from the PDF's related to the budget. We need more table-based and spreadsheet-based insight into the line-items that Topeka is spending our tax dollars on.

Also, the sheer number of employees in the city is becoming absolutely glacial. Each new employee either for an NGO that we fund or is directly part of the city roster is staggered. Each employee get's access to paying into a pension, insurance, ROTH IRA and so forth. All of these things are liabilities. Let's use my computer skills in order to streamline some of these positions so we don't have so many new hires all the time. If this was a corporation, we'd be bankrupt already and out on our ears. The only reason why things are still running is because the taxpayers are barely surviving the rising tide of taxation in Topeka. The time to end the Flood of Wasteful Spending is NOW.

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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