Johnson County Commissioner Mike Brown lost his bid Thursday to tie commission elections to party politics. But don’t expect the issue to go away any time soon. Brown and other commission members promised they’d keep the discussion going when the 10-year review of the county’s charter happens in 2021.

The commission narrowly voted down Brown’s motion to put Ds and Rs on the ballot for what has for 20 years been a non-partisan election. Five of the seven commissioners voted in favor, but since it was an amendment to the charter a supermajority of six votes was needed. Had that happened, the question would have been on the ballot in November.

Commission Chairman Ed Eilert and Commissioner Jim Allen were the “no” votes.

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