Mike Padilla

Mike Padilla
Mayor of Topeka
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 4, 2022
Preceded byMichelle De La Isla
Member of the Topeka City Council
In office
April 2017 – April, 2021
Personal details
Born1948 or 1949 (age 75–76)
Topeka, Kansas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationWashburn University (BA)

Michael Padilla (born 1948/1949)[1] is an American politician who is the mayor of Topeka, Kansas, serving since January 2022. Prior to becoming mayor, Padilla was a member of the Topeka Police Department for 33 years and served one term on Topeka's city council.

Career

Padilla is a second-generation Mexican American.[2] He graduated from Hayden High School and Washburn University. He worked for Adams Business Forms but left the job in 1970 to become a police officer for Topeka's police department.[3]

In 2000, Padilla, then a police captain, ran for sheriff of Shawnee County as a Democrat. He won the Democratic Party's primary election in August,[4] but lost the November general election to the incumbent, Republican Richard Barta. Padilla retired from the Topeka Police Department in 2003 at the rank of major.[3][2]

Padilla was elected to Topeka's city council to represent District 5 in 2017.[5] In January 2021, the members of the Topeka City Council elected Padilla as deputy mayor.[6] After mayor Michelle De La Isla decided not to run for reelection in 2021, Padilla announced his candidacy for mayor.[2] Padilla defeated Leo Cangiani in the non-partisan election with 60.9% of the vote (9,209 to 5,862) on November 2.[5] He was sworn in as mayor on January 4, 2022.[7]

References

  1. ^ Hrenchir, Tim (October 28, 2017). "2017 Voters Guide: Mike Padilla Bio". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Mike Padilla is running for mayor of Topeka. Here are his priorities". Cjonline.com. March 30, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "2017 voters guide: Mike Padilla bio". Cjonline.com. October 29, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  4. ^ "Meneley Loses Comeback Bid". Council Grove Republican. August 2, 2000. p. 1.
  5. ^ a b "Mike Padilla defeats Leo Cangiani for Topeka mayor". Cjonline.com. November 2, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  6. ^ "Councilmember Mike Padilla elected deputy mayor by Topeka City Council".
  7. ^ "Mike Padilla sworn in as new Topeka Mayor | KSNT 27 News". Ksnt.com. January 4, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Topeka
2022–present 		Incumbent