Unofficial election results: Nov. 7, 2023

Election results from local city and school board elections, as well as two bond issues.

By TIM STAUFFER, REGISTER MANAGING EDITOR

November 7, 2023 - 8:11 PM

Poll workers Judy McGraw, from left, and Vince Coons, attend Mike and Diane Rogers at the polling station at Iola’s Dr. John Silas Bass North Community Building on Tuesday morning. “It’s a family thing,” said Mike, of the couple’s habit of voting together. Photo by Tim Stauffer / Iola Register

This page will continue to be updated as election results come in.

Last update: Wednesday, 8:24 a.m.

A total of 457 advance ballots and 2,053 Election Day votes have been counted.

With advance and Election Day ballots counted, Allen County voters delivered a resounding rebuke of a proposed $9.95 million bond issue to renovate the Allen County Courthouse. Out of 2,510 votes cast, 1,897, or 76%, were against the measure.

In the race for three seats on Allen Community College’s board of trustees, Gena Clounch, Vicki Curry, and Corey Schinstock look to have emerged victorious. Curry received 1,925 votes, Clounch finished second with 1,781 votes, and Schinstock had 1,231. Humboldt’s Alana Cloutier got 986 votes, and write-in candidates had 226 votes. Former Allen instructor Roger Campbell ran a write-in campaign.

In Iola city council races, Jon Wells handily won a Ward 1 race where his opponent, Paul Porter, had endorsed him. Max Grundy was unopposed in Ward 2. In Ward 3, incumbent Kim Peterson edged out challenger Georgia Masterson by 14 votes, 84-70. And in Ward 4, incumbent Joelle Shallah defeated Darcus Kottwitz by 107 votes to 79.

LaHarpe voters opted to keep their city council as is. Incumbents Austin Lee and Danny Ware, Jr. won re-election. The votes for mayor, however, struck a different tune. Incumbent Mae Crowell received 39 votes; write-in candidates had 37.

Moran’s city council race remains on a knife’s edge. Five candidates ran for two seats. As of Tuesday evening, Jim Mueller is in front with 52 votes, but just a single vote separates Darcy Burton and Lee Roberts, with 41 and 40 votes respectively. Rachel Blevins received 29 votes; 13 ballots were for Joe Stotler.

Iola and Humboldt’s mayors remain unchanged; Steve French and Nobby Davis ran unopposed.

In Humboldt’s crowded USD 258 Board of Education race, featuring 10 candidates vying for four seats, incumbents Josh Wrestler, Sandra Whitaker, and Drake Tilman retained their seats. But Tony Works will be replaced by newcomer Andrea Newman.

A $5.95 million bond issue to improve facilities at Crest USD 479 looks to have passed. By a vote of 257-197, voters approved plans to renovate the school building, add new classrooms and an auxiliary gymnasium and reconfigure the school’s entrance.

COMPLETE results follow below. Note: these results are not official. Provisional and mail-in ballots still need to be counted; valid mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by Friday, Nov. 10.

Election results will be certified by the county commission at their next meeting. Voter turnout in Allen County was 28%. Neighboring Anderson County had a 23% turnout. Last August’s election, which featured a controversial abortion amendment, had a 43% voter turnout in Allen County.

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