Strong turnout for local races

Red Willow County poll worker Bill Sughroue describes “a record turnout” at the voting site in Bartley Tuesday. Sughroue said Bartley-area voters came out, he thinks, for two races: Bartley village board and Cambridge school board. Sughroue said although the voter turn-out was good locally, “It sounds like it was good all around the country.”

Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook voters retained two members of their City Council and added a new face to the mix during the general election Tuesday.

In other contested races in Red Willow County, Indianola voters needed to select two members from three candidates for City Council and vote for a mayor from among write-in candidates.

In Bartley, voters could pick three village board of trustees members from among six candidates.

At the courthouse in McCook, clerk’s office employee Cayla Richards (and new Third District county commissioner) totaled votes for McCook’s city council.

Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette

Poll worker Bill Sughroue was impressed with the voter turnout in Bartley, describing “a record turnout” to Red Willow County election commissioner Tami Teel. “We had 180 voters. We even had to call (the clerk’s office) for more ballots,” he said, with a grin.

Late Tuesday evening, Teel’s election staff reported a 54 percent voter turnout across the county, with 3,910 of 7,236 registered voters casting ballots.

In the race for McCook’s City Council seats, incumbent Gene Weedin came out on top of five candidates with 1,529 votes. Fellow incumbent Mike Gonzales, who is serving as mayor, came in third with 1,302 votes.

Election volunteers Coady Armstrong and (not shown) Kamren Sitzman provided “muscle” and carried ballot boxes into the clerk’s office for election commissioner Tami Teel.

Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette

Challenger Jared Muehlenkamp came in second with 1,404 votes.

Other candidates for the three open spots on the City Council were Bill Longnecker, 1,235 votes, and Bruce Baker, 991 votes.

In the Indianola City Council race for two positions, incumbent Harry Marks retained his seat with 133 votes. Filling the second open position will be Travis Herrman, who earned 120 votes. The third candidate was Mary Foster, who had 106 votes. There were five write-in votes.

The new mayor in Indianola will be Travis Van Pelt, a write-in candidate with 63 of the 91 votes cast. Fourteen other people received write-in votes. Van Pelt is not a member of the City Council. The current mayor, Brent May, decided not to run for another term.

In Bartley, voters retained board of trustees member (and current board chairman) Jason Neseth, casting 78 votes for him. Filing two additional openings will be challengers Brian Foster, who got 75 votes, and Carrie Brooks, with 63 votes. Incumbent Chase Dickson came in fourth with 56 votes, followed by two other candidates, Gary Newcomb, 55 votes, and Darlene Brooks, 52 votes.

One of the openings on the Bartley village board was created when incumbent Darcie Keenportz decided not to serve again.

The results of uncontested races on the Red Willow County ballot:

County clerk: Tami Teel, 3,543 votes; 25 write-in votes.

Clerk of the district court: Lori O’Dea, 3,493 votes; 21 write-ins.

County assessor: Kristi Korell, 3,483 votes; 24 write-ins.

County treasurer: Susan Wesch, 3,499 votes; 21 write-ins.

County sheriff: Alan Kotschwar, 3,289 votes; 108 write-ins.

County attorney: Paul Wood, 3,135 votes; 99 write-ins.

County commissioner, District 1: Earl McNutt, 859 votes; 57 write-ins.

County commissioner, District 3: Cayla Richards, 1,262 votes; 33 write-ins.

McCook school board: (3 positions) Loretta Hauxwell, 2,412 votes; Mike Langan, 2,217 votes; Dennis Berry, 1,950 votes.

Southwest school board: (3 positions) Jenni McConville, 571 votes; C. John O’Dea, 522 votes; Jason Neseth, 516 votes.

Danbury board: (3 positions) Donnie Nichols, 27 votes; Roy Jordan, 24 votes; Carl Rae, 23 votes.

Lebanon village board: (2 positions) (all write-in votes) Eddie Park, 3 votes; Blake Macy, 3 votes; Connie Meyer, Justin Day, 2 votes each; Jay Wyatt, Dorman Nelson, Linda Fitzsimmonds, Jim Fitzsimmonds, LaDonna Harrison, Kenny Cozad, Brett Macy, Jim Gollehon, 1 vote each.