County GOP candidates swept into office, La Cygne sales tax passes
By Roger Sims, Journal staff
Local races for both county and state legislative posts went largely as expected with Republican candidates either winning handily or being unopposed. The sales tax question that reallocated a 1% sales from from a park and swimming pool tax to one that went for streets as well also passed easily.
So did the issue that will likely make taverns more numerous in the county as the requirement to sell food along with liquor by the drink also passed easily.
First for the state representative seats up for election. State Rep. Rick James, a La Cygne Republican, easily won reelection over Libertarian candidate Rob Hodgkinson of Fort Scott in the 4th District race. The 4th District includes all of Linn County except Liberty Township surrounding Parker in the northwest corner of the county and the northern portion of Bourbon County.
State Rep. Fred Gardner, a Republican retired veterinarian from Garnett, was unopposed in his bid for reelection to the 9th District seat in the Legislature. The 9th District includes Liberty Township in LInn County, a swath of townships in western Anderson County and a strip of the southern-most townships in Miami County.
For Linn County offices, the two Republicans running to retain jobs they were appointed to earlier this year were reaffrimed by voters. Both County Clerk Chasity Ware and Register of Deeds Debbie Snyder were unopposed in their bid for election to the posts to which they were appointed by the Linn County Republican Central Committee last spring.
Robert Shelton of rural La Cygne, the Republican candidate for the Linn County Commission District 1 seat, was unopposed and easily elected to that seat. He will be sworn into his first term in office in January.
Countywide, voters were split on the question of whether the county should maintain its requirement that establishments selling liquor by the drink have at least 30% in food sales. Voters approved dropping that requirement, which both proponents and opponents of the measure agree will mean that more taverns will open in the county. Currently Lucy’s Bar and Grill in La Cygne and The Coyote Tasting Room in Mound City are the only establishments that sell liquor by the drink.
La Cygne residents easily approved changing one of the sales taxes that retailers in the city are always charging customers. Called a “no-brainer” by a former city council member, the voters agreed. The approval of the measure means that now 90% of the tax, estimated to produce about $300,000 annually, will be used to repair and maintain city streets and drainage ditches.
One contested race at the township level in Liberty Township was for clerk. Republican Cheri Dunlop won the race against Democrat Charla Holt, 278 to 83.
By the numbers, unofficial election results:
4th District Kansas House race Linn Co. votes District votes
Rick James, La Cygne, GOP incumbent 2,564 5,674
Rob Hodgkinson, LIbertarian 558 1,907
Write-ins 9
9th District Kansas House seat
Fred Gardner, Garnett, GOP incumbent 320
Write-ins 2
LInn County Clerk
Chasity Ware, Mound City, GOP 3,288
Write-ins 50
Linn County Register of Deeds
Debby Snyder, Mound City, GOP 3,317
Write-ins 29
Linn County Commission, District 1
Robert Shelton, La Cygne, GOP 1,160
Write-ins 19
La Cygne sales tax question
Yes 193
No 59
Repeal 30% food sales for liquor by the drink
Yes 2,180
No 1,351
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