Write-in campaigns for Prairie View board reveal confusion

By Roger Sims, rsims@linncountyjournal.com

MOUND CITY – With the final numbers after last week’s canvass of the Nov. 7 election, it was apparent how confusing a write-in campaign can be, particular for seats on the school board.

Because the Prairie View USD 362 at-large board member post was up for election, voters from across the district, including the La Cygne, Linn Valley, Parker, Cadmus, and Centerville areas were eligible to vote.

Russell Pope, the incumbent at-large board member who was on the ballot, easily won with 567 votes including 93 votes from Miami County. But two write-in candidates received several votes for the post as well.

Brian Lueker, who currently represents District 3, including Parker, was appointed to the post early this year following the resignation of Brad Stainbrook. However, he said he forgot to file for election by the June 1 deadline. He mounted an effective write-in campaign to retain the seat.

George Nunnemacher decided to run as a write-in for the two years remaining on the District 4 seat, recently vacated by Richard Gravelle. Placing yard signs on Kansas Highway 152 east of La Cygne and other strategic locations, Nunnemacher easily won that seat.

However, both Lueker and Nunnemacher received votes for the at-large seat. Nunnemacher also received write-in votes for the Linn Valley City Council, the La Cygne City Council and the La Cygne mayor’s post. Nunnemacher lives east of Linn Valley, outside of city limits both of those cities.

He also received votes from school board districts 1 and 2 from voters who had seen the yard signs but did not live in District 4.

Voters who live outside of District 4 who wanted to vote for Nunnemacher’s wrote his name in for the at-large position. He received 47 votes to be the at-large board member plus a few more if you count alternative spellings of his name.

Lueker’s campaign had the same problem. He was written in on the at-large ballot (15 votes), likely by voters who live in District 5, which is also a Parker and Centerville-area district currently represented by Rita Boydston.