Election ballot for local Montgomery County races certified

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HILLSBORO — There are contested races aplenty in the April 1 consolidated election, but there are also races where candidates will be running uncontested or no candidates filing at all.

Montgomery County Clerk Sandy Leitheiser released the certified ballot for the consolidated election on Monday per a request from Heartland Newsfeed.

MUNICIPAL

Litchfield

Litchfield will have a new mayor as Steven Daughtery opted not to seek re-election. There is a three-way race with David Hollo, Jacob Fleming, and Dwayne Gerl.

With Gerl running for mayor, two people are vying to fill Gerl’s seat in the First Ward: Robert Plowman Jr. and Marilyn Sisson. In the Third Ward, four people are vying for one seat: Kevin Schott, Bert Holloway, Leonardo Hernandez, and Neal Francis. Two people are vying for one seat in the Fourth Ward: Ray Kellenberger and Clifton Ingram.

Mary Ann Frerichs is running uncontested for city clerk, as is an aldermanic candidate in the Second Ward (Robbin Huffman).

Witt

Tim Taylor will remain mayor of Witt for the next four years after no one else filed for the position.

Angela Taylor and David Cearlock will represent the Second and Third Wards as a result of uncontested bids.

The only contested race will be Randall Lowe and Shawn Cady for the seat up in the First Ward.

No one filed for city clerk or city treasurer, meaning they will need to be appointed once the new council is sworn in.

Butler

All of Butler’s races will be uncontested in 2025.

Rickey Lane was the only person to file for village president, while Debra Beeler, Rachel Cunningham, and Darrell Damm Jr. filed for the three trustee positions.

Coalton

Mike Havera will remain the village president of Coalton for the next four years. Despite not filing during the initial petitioning period. Havera filed an intent to run as a write-in candidate. No one else filed as a write-in candidate in the race.

After serving a stint as an appointed clerk following the retirement of Kay Cook, Krystal West is running uncontested for the position of village clerk.

Three trustee seats will be filled with incumbents Bryon McLean and Tyler Wilson earning re-election. The third seat will be filled by Gary Wemple, who was appointed during this term.

An unexpired two-year trustee seat will be filled via an uncontested bid by Keith Pierce.

Donnellson

There is a two-way race for village president in Donnellson: John Dankoski and write-in candidate Elvira Rowe. Current village president Darrell Jett did not seek re-election.

Three seats will be filled in uncontested bids by Virginia Kenny, Barydon Mason, and write-in candidate Jessica Thompson.

Farmersville

Farmersville will need to appoint a new village president after no one, including village president Douglas Orr opted to run. No write-in candidates filed for the race.

Tabetha Pritchard, Phillip Fuchs, and Susan Aherin will be part of the board of trustees in uncontested bids.

Uncontested bids in Fillmore, Harvel, Irving, Ohlman, and Panama

Fillmore will retain its current leadership with Rex Boliard as village president and Brittany Marshall and John Casterline as village trustees.

In Harvel, Cathie Downey will be re-elected village president but will need to appoint four trustees due to no one filing.

Irving’s only election is for three trustees, and they will be filled by Carl Taylor, Aaron McCarty, and Ira Murray.

Jackie Rakers will remain the village president of Ohlman, with trustees Roger Wood, Michael Linn, and Malinda Wood joining her.

Charles Dixon will become village president of Panama alongside three trustees, Mike Knebel, Noah Notter, and Dana Hannig. A two-year trustee seat will be filled by Robert Malisia.

Three-way village presidential race in Raymond

While it initially appeared that Dennis Held was going to remain village president in Raymond, two contenders emerged as write-in candidates: Christopher Irwin and Devin Bedinger.

The village board will see the return of trustee Bruce Poggenpohl and newcomers Kendall Snyder and Craig Bugg in uncontested bids.

Schram City, Taylor Springs, Waggoner, Walshville, Wenonah

Uncontested races in Schram City will result in a new village president but also the re-election of its village clerk. Thomas Clinard will become the new village president, and Janet Stewart will be returning as clerk for another term. They will be joined by trustee candidates Jerry Woods, Kelvin Stewart, and Anna Spears.

In Taylor Springs, there is a two-way race for village president between incumbent Harry Jackson and challenger Warren Hall. Three uncontested trustee positions will see William Wright, Alisha Roller, and Karli Hanner elected to the board. However, there is a contested race for an unexpired two-year trustee term between Jody Jackson and Patty Rufus.

In Waggoner, Ron Seaton will remain village president. Three trustee positions are up this spring, but only two filed: Cheryl Pope and Angela Dyer. The third position will be filled by write-in candidate Billie Robinette.

In Walshville, with the exception of three trustee positions, there are two contested races. While Gary Applegate, Ricky McDonald, and Ruth Schmitt will be elected to the board, they await who joins them pending the result of the trustee race with an unexpired two-year term: Elizabeth Ferguson and Jacob Sebeschak will face off in that race. Meanwhile, Myrna Joy McDonald seeks re-election, but would need to fend off a challenge from Brenda Hegel.

In Wenonah, despite there being three trustee positions up in 2025, present trustee Matt Bolyard was the only person to file his candidacy, and no one filed for the other two positions. The two vacancies will need to be appointed by the new board when they are sworn in this May.

TOWNSHIP

Most of the township races in the county are uncontested with some exceptions. Rather than go through each township in its entirety, we will break down any changes in leadership for each township.

In Audubon Township, there will be one change as trustee, Republican Jason Clavin.

In Bois D’Arc Township, there will be a new township clerk in independent Rachael Gorman. It is not known who will fill the vacant trustee seat as no write-in candidates filed.

In East Fork Township, Democrat Laura-Lee Huber will succeed former clerk Mary Bone. There is a contested race for highway commissioner between Republican Troy White and independent Devon Odle.

In the Fillmore Consolidated Township, Jared Marley will take over the seat previously held by Kenneth Smith.

In Grisham Township, there is a five-way race for township trustee involving incumbents James Carroll, Michael Laughlin, Trent Laughlin, and Charles Logsdon and challenger Brenda Logsdon.

There will be several position changes in Harvel Township with the election of Republican Andrea Peper as clerk, Republican Sam Stieren as highway commissioner and Democrat Bea Leonard as trustee. They will succeed Sharon Funderburk, Robert Matli, and Sharon Lyons respectively.

Republican Christine Daniels will become township supervisor in Hillsboro Township while there is a two-way race for one remaining trustee seat not held by an incumbent. Due to James Holliday not seeking re-election, Republicans Amanda Daniels and Ben Hemken are seeking that seat.

In Irving Township, Jerry Hartman will take over the trustee seat previously held by Larry Reincke.

Nokomis Township will see a new supervisor and highway commissioner due to the retirements of Brenda Matthews and Phil Bailey. Taking over the mantle as supervisor will be Republican Kim Koontz. Steven Guinn, an independent, will become the next highway commissioner. Republican John Panieri will take over the trustee seat previously held by Patsy Epley.

Pitman Township will not only see a new supervisor and new clerk, there will be two new faces on the trustee board. Marsha Boehler will take over duties previously held by Marla Hitchings, while Shawn Weidner will do the same as clerk from Leanne Farrar. Phillip Boehler and Michael Penrod, both Republicans, will fill trustee seats previously held by Travis Matthews and Glenn Rovey.

Republican James Stieren will be the only change to the leadership in Raymond Township as highway commissioner. He will take over duties previously held by Kenneth Mondhink.

Voters in South Litchfield Township will be able to shuffle the deck of the leadership, although only two races are contested. Ken Gaffney will become the new township supervisor, succeeding Tami Burdell in the role. Diane Spinner will become the new clerk, succeeding Chris Turner. Richard Wendel is seeking re-election as highway commissioner but must survive a challenge from Nicholas Weatherford. Marvin Savage Jr. and Tom Currie are seeking a trustee seat to succeed Dustin Ellinger. All candidates are independents.

Not much is changing in Walshville Township, with the exception of one new name as trustee: Shawn Bizaillion, who is a Republican.

In Witt Township, three new individuals will take over the executive roles of the township, while two candidates seek to fill one trustee seat. Roger Miller, previously a township trustee, will now become township supervisor. Toni Durbin will take over clerk duties from Carol Durbin, while independent Gary Yeske and Democrat John Charnisky will seek the trustee seat previously held by Miller. Miller and Lynch are independents in their respective races, while Durbin was nominated at caucus as a Democrat.

Finally, in Zanesville Township, the retirement of Dennis Rosenthal has given way to a successor as highway commissioner. Darin Rosenthal will assume those duties. The elder Rosenthal, a Republican, will become trustee alongside Democrat Tyler Heyen. Darin Rosenthal was nominated at caucus as a Republican.

PARK DISTRICT

Montgomery County’s four park districts will need to make appointments for the upcoming term due to unfilled positions in the April 1 consolidated election.

The Litchfield Park District has four seats up and three of them will be filled by Brian Kulick, Jeff Heyen, and Sherry Bergschneider.

In the Nokomis Park District, three seats are up, but two will be filled via election by Tyler Batty and Brian Carlock.

In Pitman Township, one of the two seats for a full six-year term will be filled by Jimmie Hitchings. The other seat and an unexpired two-year seat will go for appointment by the park board.

In the Raymond Park District, two seats are up for a full term. They will be filled by Jonathan Wagahoff and John Terneus. A seat with an unexpired four-year term will need to be appointed.

LIBRARY DISTRICT

Six trustee seats are up in the Doyle Public Library District. Three six-year seats are up, but there will only be one elected: Janece Neunaber. Two unexpired four-year seats are up, but Melanie Nicholls-Lawrence will be the only person elected. An unexpired two-year seat will be filled by Andrea Peper.

The Farmersville-Waggoner Library District will have a full board with the election of Gail Kraus and Lindsay Arnold to full terms and Carrie Matthews to an unexpired two-year seat.

In the Grand Prairie of the West Library District, Tracey Kreipe, Abigail Beattie, Sharon Elders, Emily Goeckner, and Kelli Beard seek three seats for a four-year term. Kaitlyn Sirtout, Amanda Howard, and Christina Reif will be elected to three trustee seats for an unexpired two-year term.

In the Hillsboro Area Public Library District, three full-term seats will be filled by Carol Naylor, Hope Quinn, and Beth Coleman. One seat with an unexpired two-year term will remain unfilled until an appointment is made.

Three candidates will be elected to the Litchfield Public Library District for full terms as trustee: Carol Sneed, Vickie Lovellette, and Mary Schneider.

In the Nokomis Public Library District, six seats are up for varying terms, but only four will be filled until appointments are made. Of the three seats with a full six-year term, two will be filled by Margie Eisenbarth and Jake Leonard. Virginia Farmer will fill a trustee seat for an unexpired four-year term. Gina Brown was the only person to file for one of the two seats with an unexpired two-year term. The openings come as a result of retirements and resignations of both trustees and appointees over the past several years.

Finally, in the Witt Public Library District, three of six trustee positions will be filled. Sheri Shelton, Candace Sims, and Greta Akers will be elected to full six-year terms, while they will be responsible for filling one four-year and two two-year seats on the board.

SCHOOL BOARD

Four candidates are seeking three board positions on the Hillsboro CUSD #3 Board of Education: William Christian, Nathan Kirby, Kassie Greenwood, and Matthew Jones. Kirby and Greenwood are incumbents.

Three board positions are up on the Litchfield CUSD #12 Board of Education, and only three candidates filed. Julie Abel, Ron Anglin Jr., and Mandy Jewell. Abel and Anglin Jr. are incumbents.

Nokomis will have one new face on the CUSD #22 Board of Education in Michael Gillock from Rountree Township. Gillock will join incumbents Steve Janssen, Denny Bauman, and Carl Kettelkamp.

There will be no change in leadership in the Panhandle CUSD #2 Board of Education. Incumbents Gabriel Pope, Gretchen Rovey, and Scott Cowdrey will be re-elected in uncontested bids.

VOTING INFORMATION

Montgomery County Clerk Sandy Leitheiser reminds voters that the last day to register in order to vote at your local precinct is March 4, 2025.

After that date and up through the April 1 consolidated election, potential voters will have to register and vote at the County Clerk’s office.

Early voting will begin February 20 and will be available at the Historic Courthouse until the day before the election, March 31.

For those wishing to vote by mail, applications must be received by no later than March 27.

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