Correction: In an earlier version of the this story, the amount of the revenue the Pleasanton sales tax would raise annually was incorrect. It is expected to raise $300,000 for street repairs and maintenance. We regret the error.
MOUND CITY – Tuesday, Nov. 7, is election day for city council and school board races in Linn County. The polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
Voters in Pleasanton and Linn Valley will also be casting votes on 1% sales tax issues that are targeted toward specific purchases only.
Also on the ballot for all Linn County residents are two candidates to represent the county on the Marais des Cygne Extension District board. Janet Reynolds from the La Cygne area and Deborah Wakefield from the Mound City area are the only two people to file for the two empty seats.
Advance voting is available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays this week and on Monday, Nov. 6, until noon at the Linn County Clerk's office at the courthouse in Mound City.
Advance voting will also be available this Saturday, Nov. 4, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Pleasanton Community Center, 819 Main Street.
Voters must bring a photo ID to vote.
Since the June 1 filing deadline, changes have occurred in a few races. At least one candidate has announced she will drop out of the race. Others have announced their candidacies as write-ins for the election.
Several of the races, particularly in smaller cities and in less-populated school board districts, will likely rely on write-in votes. In order to win a post on a write-in vote, a minimum of five votes are needed.
The Linn County Journal will publish unofficial election results as soon as they are posted by the Linn County Clerk’s office on the evening of Nov. 7.
City Races
La Cygne City Council
Incumbent Mayor Debra Wilson will face a challenge from current Councilman David Brenneman and former mayor Robert Sullivan.
Councilman Jerome Mitzner filed for re-election, however, no one signed up for the other open council seat now occupied by Danny Curtis. That will likely open the seat up for a write-in bid.
Linn Valley Council
Incumbent Council Members Brenda Muncy, John Weers, and Robert Suppenbach filed to retain their seats on the council. They will be challenged for the three open seats by Richard Gravelle, Connie Capps and Dan Donham. Gravelle was on the Prairie View USD 362 Board of Education but resigned that post in early October to run for the Linn Valley council seat.
Also on the ballot for Linn Valley voters is a 1% sales tax. The tax vote is directed at purchasing a fire truck and other emergency equipment and tax collected can only be used for those purposes.
Pleasanton
Mayoral candidate Vickie Leonard has decided to step away from her race as mayor of Pleasanton. There was no reason given, however, her name will still appear on the ballot.
If she is elected despite the announcement and chooses not to accept the post, the new city council will vote to name a council president, and that person will automatically become mayor. The council will then need to replace that council member.
Ron Howard and Kevin Lodge filed to run for the mayor’s post. However Mathew Young, president of the city’s Chamber of Commerce and pastor of a local church, has mounted a write-in campaign for the post.
Two current members of the Pleasanton City Council did not file for re-election: Melanie Staton and Jake Mattingley.
Kenny Stark, William “Bill” Skipper, Christopher Martin and Angelina “Angie” Randall filed to run for the two open council seats.
See our separate stories on the Pleasanton mayoral and council race.
Pleasanton voters will also be weighing in on 1% sales tax. Expected to raise about $300,000 annually, proceeds of the tax can only be used to fix and maintain city streets and purchase equipment to take care of those repairs and maintenance.
Mound City
Mound City Mayor Wade Doering has filed to retain his post, and no one filed to challenge him. Councilman Lawrence Forbach filed to retain his seat on the council. However, long-time Councilwoman Shayna Lamb did not file. Jessie Carr has filed to run for one of the two open seats on that council.
Parker
Ashley Balthazor, who was appointed mayor of Parker last year after the previous mayor resigned, has filed to run for the post, and no one has filed to challenge her. Council president Jason Webber has filed to run for one of two open seats on the council.
Incumbent Councilwoman Jody Bloodgood did not file. It is likely that one council post will be selected on a write-in ballot.
Prescott
Three current council members Rolland Grigsby, Zachary Gillis and Daniel “Fritz” Norbury have filed to retain their posts.
Blue Mound
Incumbent council members Marri Krupco and Christopher Bownes have filed for re-election to their posts. However, Robert Purdy has filed to fill one of the two open council seats. Longtime Mayor Russell Beth has filed to retain his post, and no one filed to challenge him.
School board races
Prairie View USD 362
Five of the seven board seats are up for election for Prairie View USD 362. At-large Board Member Russell Pope, District 1 Board Member Brad Heide, and District 2 Board Member Brian Uphoff have filed to retain their seats and apparently face no opposition.
George Nunnamacher has mounted a write-in campaign to run for the District 4 post currently that was held by Gravelle until he resigned in October. If elected, Nunnamacher will fill the unexpired two-year portion remaining on that term for the District 4 seat that represents the northeast corner of the school district, including Linn Valley.
Brian Lueker, current representative from District 3 who was appointed to the post earlier this year and said he intended to file for election, did not file by the deadline. However, he said he would run as a write-in candidate for the post.
Jayhawk USD 346
Kade Cummings and Courtney Lanham will go head-to-head in the November election for the District 2 seat on the Jayhawk USD 346 school board.
Daniel Earnest, who represents District 1, District 3 Board Member Max Krull, and at-large Board Member Brent Paddock all three filed for re-election and have no formal opposition.
Pleasanton USD 344
Four at-large positions are on the ballot for the Pleasanton school board. Pleasanton High School senior Doniphan “DJ” Meik, Sam Davis, Jason Sabine, and Jessica Myrick all filed to run for one of those seats. Connor Marshall has mounted a write-in campaign for a seat as well.
They will face incumbent Linda Conley, who is seeking re-election. Current members Jay Allen, Tanner Ogden, and Monica Sabine did not file for re-election.
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