Joseph Shepard, LaWanda DeShazer move to general election for District 1 City Council

Taliyah Winn, Editor in Chief • August 6, 2025

Joseph Shepard explains his intentions to improve emergency services in Wichita. Shepard is campaigning for the District One City Council seat left vacant by Brandon Johnson due to term limits.

Joseph Shepard, former Wichita State University student body president, and opponent LaWanda DeShazer won the popular vote in the Aug. 5 race for the District 1 City Council Seat.

The two will face each other on the ballot in November for the seat, which is currently held by term-limited Brandon Johnson.

Shepard received the most votes, at 48% (1,783) of the popular vote. DeShazer followed at 20% (758), according to unofficial results.

Primary elections generally have a low voter turnout rate. This year was no different, with a total voter turnout of less than 7%.

Five total candidates ran for the District 1 City Council seat, representing the central northeastern part of Wichita, including Wichita State University. Now, only two progress to the general election on Nov. 4.

The deadline to register to vote or update voter registration is Oct. 14. Check your registration status here.

About the Contributors

Taliyah Winn, Editor-in-Chief

Taliyah Winn is the editor-in-chief for The Sunflower. Winn is a junior dual majoring in political science and journalism with a minor in English literature. She served as the podcast producer in the 2024-2025 year. After college, she hopes to pursue a career in multimedia communications.

Zachary Ruth, Photo Editor

Zachary Ruth is the photo editor for The Sunflower. Previously, Ruth was a photographer during the 2024-2025 year. Ruth is a sophomore and previously served as the editor-in-chief at Newton High School. Ruth is studying journalism and media production and hopes to pursue a career in photojournalism after university.