2002 Jackson County Executive election

The 2002 Jackson County Executive election took place on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Democratic County Executive Katheryn Shields ran for re-election to a third term.^[1]

Shields initially faced a challenge in the Democratic primary from State Senator Ronnie DePasco,^[2] but he ultimately withdrew from the race. Shields won the primary in a landslide,^[3] and faced Republican State Representative Pat Kelley in the general election. She defeated Kelley by a wide margin, becoming the first County Executive to be elected to three terms.^[4]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Katheryn Shields, incumbent County Executive^[1]
John Speakman Cowboy, convenience store worker^[5]

Withdrawn

Ronnie DePasco, State Senator^[6]

Declined

Greg Grounds, Mayor of Blue Springs^[7]
Karen Messerli, Mayor of Lee's Summit^[7]
Pat McInerney, former Assistant U.S. Attorney^[7]

Results

Democratic primary results^[8]^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Katheryn Shields (inc.)	36,648	81.56%
	Democratic	John Speakman Cowboy	8,285	18.44%
Total votes			44,933	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Pat Kelley, State Representative^[10]

Results

Republican primary results^[11]^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Pat Kelley	26,052	100.00%
Total votes			26,052	100.00%

Reform primary

Candidates

Richard Charles Tolbert, former Kansas City Councilman^[12]

Results

Reform primary results^[13]^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Reform	Richard Charles Tolbert	108	100.00%
Total votes			108	100.00%

General election

Results

2002 Jackson County Executive election^[14]^[15]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Katheryn Shields (inc.)	116,720	59.54%
	Republican	Pat Kelley	74,633	38.07%
	Reform	Richard Charles Tolbert	4,686	2.39%
Total votes			196,039	100.00%
	Democratic hold

References

^ ^a ^b Rice, Glenn E. (February 27, 2002). "Shields to campaign for third county term". The Kansas City Star. p. B8. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Rice, Glenn E. (August 10, 2001). "DePasco to run for county executive". The Kansas City Star. p. B-1. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Rice, Glenn E.; Ita, Eyobong (August 7, 2002). "Shields rolls to easy victory in county race". The Kansas City Star. p. B5. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Williams, Benita Y. (November 6, 2002). "Shields wins unprecedented third term". The Kansas City Star. p. B-4. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Rice, Glenn E. (August 7, 2002). "County executive cites successes; opponent calls for change". Kansas City Star: Neighborhood News. p. BL16. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Kraske, Steve (March 1, 2002). "DePasco drops challenge to Shields". The Kansas City Star. p. B8. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b ^c Rice, Glenn E. (January 30, 2001). "Conjecture begins about possible county executive hopefuls". The Kansas City Star. p. B8. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "** OFFICIAL CANVASS DEMOCRATIC PARTY **" (PDF). Jackson County Board of Elections. August 14, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 25, 2006. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
^ ^a ^b ^c "** OFFICIAL ** CUMULATIVE REPORT". Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners. 2002. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
^ Wagar, Kit (March 27, 2002). "Missouri candidates set record". The Kansas City Star. p. B-1, B-2. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "** OFFICIAL CANVASS REPUBLICAN PARTY **" (PDF). Jackson County Board of Elections. August 14, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 25, 2006. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
^ "Prosecutor wins Cole judgeship". Columbia Daily Tribune. August 7, 2002. p. 8A. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "** OFFICIAL CANVASS REFORM PARTY **" (PDF). Jackson County Board of Elections. August 14, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 25, 2006. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
^ "** JACKSON COUNTY OFFICIAL CANVASS **" (PDF). Jackson County Board of Elections. November 12, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 25, 2006. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
^ "** OFFICIAL ** CUMULATIVE REPORT". Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners. 2002. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2025.

[third_term-1] Rice, Glenn E. (February 27, 2002). "Shields to campaign for third county term". The Kansas City Star. p. B8. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[2] Rice, Glenn E. (August 10, 2001). "DePasco to run for county executive". The Kansas City Star. p. B-1. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[3] Rice, Glenn E.; Ita, Eyobong (August 7, 2002). "Shields rolls to easy victory in county race". The Kansas City Star. p. B5. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[4] Williams, Benita Y. (November 6, 2002). "Shields wins unprecedented third term". The Kansas City Star. p. B-4. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[5] Rice, Glenn E. (August 7, 2002). "County executive cites successes; opponent calls for change". Kansas City Star: Neighborhood News. p. BL16. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[6] Kraske, Steve (March 1, 2002). "DePasco drops challenge to Shields". The Kansas City Star. p. B8. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[conjecture-7] Rice, Glenn E. (January 30, 2001). "Conjecture begins about possible county executive hopefuls". The Kansas City Star. p. B8. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[8] "** OFFICIAL CANVASS DEMOCRATIC PARTY **" (PDF). Jackson County Board of Elections. August 14, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 25, 2006. Retrieved August 7, 2025.

[KC_primary-9] "** OFFICIAL ** CUMULATIVE REPORT". Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners. 2002. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2025.

[10] Wagar, Kit (March 27, 2002). "Missouri candidates set record". The Kansas City Star. p. B-1, B-2. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[11] "** OFFICIAL CANVASS REPUBLICAN PARTY **" (PDF). Jackson County Board of Elections. August 14, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 25, 2006. Retrieved August 7, 2025.

[12] "Prosecutor wins Cole judgeship". Columbia Daily Tribune. August 7, 2002. p. 8A. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[13] "** OFFICIAL CANVASS REFORM PARTY **" (PDF). Jackson County Board of Elections. August 14, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 25, 2006. Retrieved August 7, 2025.

[14] "** JACKSON COUNTY OFFICIAL CANVASS **" (PDF). Jackson County Board of Elections. November 12, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 25, 2006. Retrieved August 7, 2025.

[15] "** OFFICIAL ** CUMULATIVE REPORT". Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners. 2002. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2025.

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