Who’s Running in 2026? School Board Uncontested, City Council Draws Four Candidates

Excelsior Springs, Mo. (January 4, 2026) — Filing has officially closed for the April 7, 2026, municipal election, setting the field for Excelsior Springs School Board and City Council races.

School Board: no election required

Only incumbent candidates filed for the Excelsior Springs School District Board of Education.

Those filings include Brett Jones for the one-year seat and Jill Evert, Darren McKown, and Kenny Manley for three-year terms.

Because the number of candidates exactly matches the number of available seats, no school board election will be held this spring. Recent changes under Senate Bill 686 allow school districts in this situation to forgo an election entirely. Instead, the candidates who filed will be sworn in during the district’s April organizational meeting.

The law change eliminates election costs and also removes the option for write-in candidates.

City Council race draws four candidates for two seats

The City Council race is expected to be more competitive, with four candidates filing for two open seats.

Incumbent Reggie St. John has refiled for another term. Fellow councilman Gary Renne chose not to seek re-election as he focuses on retirement. Renne is expected to remain active in the community, including continued involvement with the Thrive Economic Development Taskforce.

Three additional candidates have entered the City Council race alongside St. John. They include Josh Nunez, Sonya Morgan, who previously served for ten years on the council, and Doug Richey, a former state legislator and retired pastor.

More coverage ahead

The Excelsior Citizen will publish additional coverage introducing each candidate and outlining their priorities in the weeks ahead. A community candidate forum is also planned for the council race before the April 7, 2026, election.

Residents interested in learning more about local leadership and civic engagement can still apply for the spring cohort of the Thrive Citizen Leadership Academy, which provides training and insight into how local government and community organizations operate.