Former Iola City Administrator Carl Slaugh has been tapped by voters to serve on the City Council.
Slaughs election was certified Monday by Allen County commissioners.
Slaugh, whose name was not on the ballot in the Nov. 5 city and school board elections, won on the strength of 31 write-in votes cast by Iolans living in Ward 2. Mike McKinnis, a professor at Pittsburg State University, received 19 write-in votes.
Slaugh, who served as city administrator from 2011 to 2016, will be seated in January to replace the outgoing Daniel Mathew, who did not seek re-election.
SEVERAL other races held intrigue headed into Mondays certification.
With no announced candidate for Moran mayor, City Councilman Jerry Wallis received 32 write-in votes to replace the outgoing Phillip Merkel in January. This will be Walliss third stint as mayor. He previously held the seat from 1981 to 1987 and 1993 to 2001.
Meanwhile, former City Councilman Jim Mueller will be back on the Moran City Council, courtesy of 25 write-in votes. He will replace Chad Lawson, who did not file for re-election, but still received 21 write-in votes of his own. Councilwoman Corliss Lynes, the only name on the ballot for the Moran Council, received 52 votes to keep her seat.
Walliss ascension to mayor will leave one vacancy on the Council to be filled in January.
ELSEWHERE, LaHarpe Mayor Mae Crowell had to sweat out a tight election victory, even though she was the only one on the ballot. Crowell received 28 votes, while Don Gay received 23 write-in votes.
In Humboldt-USD 258, Anthony Works was announced as the winner of a seat on the Board of Education. He received 98 write-in votes to fill one of four seats on the school board. Three other candidates, Drake Tilman, Sandra Whitaker and Josh Wrestler, were already on the ballot and easily secured their respective seats.
THE ADAGE that every vote counts was nowhere more evident than with the Marmaton Valley-USD 256 school board election, with Jim Armstrong Sr. receiving 113 votes, compared to 112 for Joe Sutton, to earn a seat. The pair were tied on Election Day at 112 votes. The 113th and decisive vote came courtesy of a provisional ballot cast, County Clerk Sherrie Riebel noted. A provisional ballot is one in which a voters name does not match information listed on the voting rolls.
Commissioners look at each provisional ballot to ensure the voter was properly registered and eligible to vote. This one was, and the vote counted.
Twenty-seven provisional ballots were cast across the county.
The other school board members elected for USD 256 are Bob Rhodes, 189 votes, Kris Smithy, 132, and Mark Spillman, 124.
IN ELSMORE where there were no names on the ballot for mayor or City Council Brenda Boyle was elected as the towns mayor, with 10 of the 14 write-in votes cast. Earning Council seats were Chad Starliper and John Starliper, nine votes apiece and Karen Price, eight. A coin flip gave Clarence Price the other Council seat over Melissa Fewins. Both received 6 votes.
In Savonburg, David Daniels earned a Council seat over David Janssen, via coin flip. Both received 12 votes write-in votes.
