April 4 Election Day: What you need to know

Photo from lwvkc.org.

Get ready. School board races, city council seats and proposed taxes on legal marijuana await your consideration at the polls April 4.

Find your local ballot and poll information at vote411.org

Absentee voting is already under way at the Kansas City Election Board (or the Jackson County Election Board for county residents outside of Kansas City). You can check your registration status and poll location at Missouri’s Voter Outreach page.

Here’s the rundown for our LINC Caring Communities neighborhoods:

Tax proposals on legal marijuana

Last fall, Missourians statewide voted to make marijuana legal for adult personal use, and now Kansas City and many other municipalities are asking voters to approve a 3% tax on marijuana sales to support many city services. Grandview, Independence and Blue Springs are among the many other cities seeking the tax.

In addition, Jackson County is seeking its own 3% tax on marijuana sales, so most voters will see two separate ballot issues, each seeking to impose a tax.

Kansas City officials estimate the tax could generate annual revenue increase from $3 million to $10 million a year over the next five years — funds that could be dedicated to combatting struggles with things such as affordable housing, violence prevention and illegal dumping.

School board races

Kansas City Public Schools

The ballot will look spare for KCPS voters. Candidates for most of the seats up for election are unopposed and won’t appear on the ballot. But no one filed in time to get on the ballot for the fourth subdistrict.

So voters in the fourth subdistrict will decide the seat with write-in candidates. While their names won’t appear on the ballot, the election board has certified two declared write-in candidates: Monica Curls and Jay Gray.

The unopposed candidates who have been declared elected are Joshua Jackaway at large and Jamekia Kendrix for subdistrict two.

Hickman Mills

Four candidates are vying for three open seats in Hickman Mills.

Incumbents Irene Kendrick and Byron Townsend are challenged by Brandon Wright and Clifford Ragan III.

Grandview

Five candidates are battling for three open seats in Grandview.

Incumbents Stacy Wright, Damon Greene and Monica Terry are challenged by Patricia Smith and JohnMark Bell.

Center

There will be no election in Center because three candidates filed for the three seats. Incumbent Sam Cook and candidates Ira Boydston IV and Marcie Calvin were declared elected.

North Kansas City

Six candidates are competing for two seats in North Kansas City.

Incumbent Karee Gleason is joined on the ballot by Josiah Bechthold, Brian Mercer, Maren Stoflet, Laura Wagner and Frances Yang.

Fort Osage

Six candidate are vying for three seats in Fort Osage.

Incumbents Kelly K. Scott and David L. Shrout are competing with Kyle A. Leeds, Dustin Ray Schnakenberg, Kress Chambers and Stephanie R. Watson.

Kansas City City Council

At the top of the Kansas City races, Mayor Quinton Lucas has little competition for re-election, being challenged by frequent candidate Clay Chastain. In the 12 council seats races, six involve seats where the current candidate is term-limited out, drawing more intensive races.

The City Council races are primary elections, with the top two finishers going on to the June 20 general election.

In the At Large races:

District 1, incumbent Kevin O’Neill is challenged by Ronda Smith and Pam Mason.

District 2, Lindsay French, Jenay Manley and Mickey Younghanz are vying for an open seat.

District 3, incumbent Brandon Ellington is challenged by Melissa Hazley.

District 4, an open seat pits Jess Blubaugh, Grace Cabrera , John DiCapo, Crispin Rea and Justin Short.

District 5, another open seat pits Darrell Curls, Theresa Galvin and Michael Kelley

District 6, incumbent Andrea Bough faces Mary Nestel and Jill Sasse.

In the District races:

District 1, Chris Gahagan and Nathan Willett will battle for an open seat.

District 2, has one candidate, Wes Rogers.

District 3, incumbent Melissa J. Robinson is challenged by Sheri Hall.

District 4, incumbent Eric Bunch faces Crissy Dastrup and Henry Rizzo.

District 5, has one candidate, incumbent Ryana Parks-Shaw.

District 6, an open seat has drawn five candidates: Cecilia Carter, Johnathan Duncan, Tiffany Moore, Michael Schuckman and Dan Tarwater.

Grandview Mayor and Alderman

Grandview Mayor Leonard D. Jones, Jr., is alone on the ballot seeking re-election.

In Ward 1, Steven Ballentine and Dale Wayne Taylor are vying for a single seat. In Ward 2, incumbent Dan Hartman is challenged by Annett M. Turnbaugh. In Ward 3, incumbent John T. Maloney is unopposed.