ELECTION RESULTS: Melissa Bynum wins at-large primary, as 33 votes separate top three

By NICK SLOAN, nick@kansascitykansan.com

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- After the Unified Government Board of Commissioners failed to break a deadlock in its effort to fill the vacant UG At Large District 1 seat, it is only fitting that Tuesday's primary vote for the race was almost as close.

Unofficial results indicate that Melissa Brune Bynum won the primary. Her margin of victory was by just 23 votes.

If that was not close enough, her general election opponent, Mark Gilstrap, won by an even narrower margin.

Gilstrap finished just 10 votes ahead of former Commissioner Nathan Barnes. Overall, 33 votes separated the top three finishers in the primary, according to unofficial results.

LaVert Murray finished a distant fourth-place, while Christal Watson finished in fifth-place.

Below are the entire results:

• Melissa Brune Bynum ----- 1,125

• Mark Gilstrap ----- 1,102

• Nathan Barnes   ----- 1,092

• LaVert A. Murray ----- 721

• Christal Watson ----- 538

• Janice Witt ----- 178

• Tamika Pledger ----- 122