2023 Wichita mayoral election

* * *

| <- 2019 | August 1 (primary)
November 7, 2023 (general)
Officially non-partisan | 2027 ->

|
|

Turnout| 15.93% (primary)
|  |  |

|
|

Candidate  | Lily Wu | Brandon Whipple
Party  | Nonpartisan | Nonpartisan
Alliance  | Libertarian | Democratic
Popular vote  | 37,004 | 26,841
Percentage  | 57.22% | 41.50%

* * *

Primary results by precinct

General results by precinct

20–30%

30–40%

40–50%

50–60%

60–70%

70–80%

80–90%

90–100%

Whipple

20–30%

30–40%

40–50%

50–60%

60–70%

70–80%

90–100%

Frye

20–30%

30–40%

40–50%

90–100%

Racette

20–30%

30–40%

40–50%

60–70%

90–100%

Tie

20–30%

30–40%

40–50%

50%

Not reported

|
|
|
|

* * *

| Mayor before election

Brandon Whipple
Democratic

| Elected mayor

Lily Wu
Libertarian

|

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* v
* t
* e

The 2023 Wichita mayoral election was held on November 7, 2023, to elect the mayor of Wichita, Kansas. The election is required to be non-partisan, but most candidates are known to be affiliated with political parties. Incumbent Democratic mayor Brandon Whipple unsuccessfully ran for re-election to a second term, losing to registered Libertarian candidate Lily Wu.[1]

Former TV news anchor Lily Wu finished first in the primary election, with Whipple narrowly defeating Republican city councilor Brian Frye to secure the second spot in the general election. Wu was backed by numerous prominent Republicans in the general election, including former U.S. Secretary of State and U.S. Representative Mike Pompeo. Despite Lily Wu being a registered Libertarian, the Libertarian Party of Kansas declined to endorse Wu because of her being a registered Republican shortly before the election.[2]

Without getting an endorsement from any political party, Wu pitched herself as a political outsider, while Whipple ran on his record. Wu defeated Whipple by a wide margin and became the first Asian-American and second female mayor in Wichita history.[3]

## Candidates

[edit]

### Declared

[edit]

* Jared Cerullo, former city councilor (Registered Republican Voter)[4]
* Bryan Frye, city councilor (Registered Republican Voter)[5]
* Tom Kane[6]
* Celeste Racette, community activist and former Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation investigator (Registered Independent Voter)[7]
* Julie Stroud, environmental health specialist (Registered Independent Voter)[4]
* Brandon Whipple, incumbent mayor (Registered Democratic Voter)[4]
* Lily Wu, former KWCH-DT news anchor (Registered Libertarian Voter)[8]

### Withdrew

[edit]

* Irving Freige, U.S. Navy veteran[4]

### Declined

[edit]

* Jeff Blubaugh, city councilor (running for Sedgwick County commission, endorsed Frye)[9][5]
* Pete Meitzner, chair of the Sedgwick County commission and former city councilor [4] (endorsed Wu)[8]

## Endorsements

[edit]

Brandon Whipple

Individuals

* Lacey Cruse, former Sedgwick County Commissioner[10]

Organizations

* Sedgwick County Democratic Party[11]

Lily Wu

County officials

* Pete Meitzner, chair of the Sedgwick County commission and former Wichita city councilor (Republican)[8]

Organizations

* Americans for Prosperity[12]

Declined to endorse

Political parties

* Kansas Libertarian Party[2]

## Results

[edit]

### Primary

[edit]

2023 Wichita mayoral primary election[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | Lily Wu | 12,217  | 30.04
| Nonpartisan | Brandon Whipple (incumbent)  | 9,775  | 24.04
| Nonpartisan | Brian Frye  | 9,070  | 22.30
| Nonpartisan | Celeste Racette  | 6,831  | 16.80
| Nonpartisan | Jared Cerullo  | 1,870  | 4.60
| Nonpartisan | Sheila M. Davis  | 254  | 0.62
| Nonpartisan | Julie Rose Stroud  | 246  | 0.60
| Nonpartisan | Tom Kane  | 220  | 0.54
| Nonpartisan | Anthony Gallardo  | 182  | 0.45
Total votes | 40,665  | 100.00

### General

[edit]

2023 Wichita mayoral general election[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | Lily Wu | 37,004  | 57.22
| Nonpartisan | Brandon Whipple (incumbent)  | 26,841  | 41.50
| Write-in | 415  | 0.64
Total votes | 64,260  | 100.0

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "November 7, 2023 2023 General Election Results Election | Sedgwick County, Kansas". www.sedgwickcounty.org. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
2. ^ a b "From The Chair Re: Election of Lily Wu as Mayor of Wichita, KS". Libertarian Party of Kansas. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
3. ^ Swaim, Chance; Kelly, Matt; Rengers, Carrie (November 7, 2023). "'We need to do this together': Lily Wu will be Wichita's next mayor". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
4. ^ a b c d e "Here's who's running for mayor in Wichita — and who might still jump into the race". February 9, 2023.
5. ^ a b "City Council member Bryan Frye launches bid to become the next mayor of Wichita".
6. ^ "12 News anchor Lily Wu resigns, exploring run for mayor".
7. ^ "Celeste Racette, founder of Save Century II, enters race for Wichita mayor".
8. ^ a b c "Lily Wu announces run for ICT mayor with influential backers".
9. ^ "Wichita City Council member says he won't run for mayor".
10. ^ "Whipple says he'll make another four years as mayor count. It's 'about serving others'".
11. ^ "Did Democrats make an unforced error with partisan endorsement in Wichita mayor race?".
12. ^ "Americans for Prosperity-Kansas Endorses Lily Wu for 2023 Wichita Mayoral Primary Election". Americans for Prosperity. June 21, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
13. ^ "Wichita mayor primary election results". KSN-TV. August 2, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
14. ^ "November 7, 2023 2023 General Election Results Election | Sedgwick County, Kansas". www.sedgwickcounty.org. Retrieved January 11, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Official campaign websites

* Bryan Frye for Wichita
* Brandon Whipple for Mayor
* Lily Wu for Mayor

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