Independence Voters Select Mayoral, City Council Candidates

Voters in Independence, Missouri chose candidates for mayor and city council in Tuesday's primary election.

Feb. 3, 2026 at 10:31pm

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Voters in Independence, Missouri selected two candidates for mayor and four candidates for two at-large city council seats in Tuesday's primary election. Bridget McCandless and Kevin King will face off in the April 7 general election for mayor, while Jared Fears, Lucy Young, Cody Atkinson, and one other candidate advanced to the general election for the two at-large city council seats.

Why it matters

The mayoral and city council races in Independence are important for determining the city's leadership and policy direction on key local issues. The primary election results set the stage for the April general election, where voters will make their final choices.

The details

In the mayoral primary, Bridget McCandless, a current city council member, received the most votes with 3,404, followed by Kevin King with 2,053 votes. For the two at-large city council seats, the top four vote-getters were current council member Jared Fears with 3,321 votes, Lucy Young with 3,093 votes, and Cody Atkinson with 3,043 votes. One additional candidate also advanced to the general election for the council seats.

  • The primary election was held on Tuesday, February 4, 2026.
  • The general election for mayor and city council will be held on April 7, 2026.

The players

Bridget McCandless

A current member of the Independence City Council who received the most votes in the mayoral primary.

Kevin King

One of the two candidates who will face off in the April general election for mayor of Independence.

Jared Fears

A current Independence City Council member who topped the candidates for the two at-large city council seats.

Lucy Young

One of the four candidates who advanced to the general election for the two at-large city council seats in Independence.

Cody Atkinson

One of the four candidates who advanced to the general election for the two at-large city council seats in Independence.

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What’s next

The two mayoral candidates, Bridget McCandless and Kevin King, will face off in the April 7 general election. The four city council candidates who advanced from the primary will also compete in the April general election for the two at-large seats.

The takeaway

The primary election results set the stage for an important general election in Independence, where voters will choose the city's next mayor and two at-large city council members to help guide the community's future.