The 2023 General Election is now in the books and there was no change for Emporia’s major boards.
All three incumbents in the race for Emporia City Commission maintained their seats including Erren Harter who was the top vote getter with 1,746 votes. Harter, who is entering his first full term on the commission after serving the remainder of former commissioner Rob Gilligan’s term, says he is looking forward to what is ahead.
Becky Smith got 1,527 votes.
Fellow incumbent Jamie Sauder was re-elected with 1,349 votes and commended local voters for getting out to the polls saying the final totals show residents were “paying attention” to the issues.
Sauder narrowly edged out newcomer Will Spencer who ended the evening with 1,311 votes. Spencer says though he was not elected he will still stay active in the local community.
Hopeful Travis Hitt had the lowest total, but also finished the evening with over 1,000 votes garnering 1,108.
The race for USD 253 Emporia School Board reflected the city commission race in that all incumbents retained their seats. Entering his third term on the board will be Art Gutierrez who was the top vote getter with 2,005 votes. Gutierrez believes the high number of ballots cast in his favor reflects the community’s acknowledgement of his high level of involvement both in and out of the Emporia community.
Jeremy Dorsey was the second highest vote getter with 1,730 votes locking him into his second term on the board. Dorsey says he took a moment to celebrate the victory, but is ready to get straight back to work.
Grant Riles and Leslie Seeley were also re-elected to the board with Seeley receiving 1,704 votes and Riles garnering 1,639.
Newcomers for the board this year included Sam Tovar, Linda Forbes and Christy Grant.
Tovar finished with 1,561 votes, Forbes received 1,357 votes and Grant finished with 946 votes. Forbes spoke with KVOE News at the Lyon County Courthouse and stated while she did not gain a seat on the board she wants to continue supporting local students and educators in some capacity.
Tovar is not ruling out another run down the road.
While she received the lowest vote total on the night, Grant was still ecstatic to have had more than 900 individuals place her name on their ballots.
For USD 252 Southern Lyon County, Brad Hoelting claimed Position 4, the seat being vacated by Kevin Flott. Incumbent Charles Steffes was re-elected to Position 7. Also, Olpe’s 0.5-percent sales tax increase for capital improvements passed 122-53.
After a light turnout for advance voting and slow traffic through polling places on election day itself, Lyon County Clerk Tammy Vopat says she was extremely pleased to see a greater than 20 percent overall turnout by the time the polls closed.
While the general election has concluded, work will continue into next week for Lyon County Election Office staff with the election audit coming up Thursday followed by the official vote canvas on Wednesday.
7-11 pm Tuesday: General election results
Listed here are the current vote totals for local and area races.
Lyon County
Emporia City Commission (vote for three)
*Erren Harter 1746
*Becky Smith 1527
*Jamie Sauder 1349
*Will Spencer 1311
*Travis Hitt 1108
USD 253 Board of Education (vote for four)
*Art Gutierrez 2005
*Jeremy Dorsey 1730
*Leslie Seeley 1704
*Grant Riles 1639
*Sam Tovar 1561
*Linda Forbes 1357
*Christy Grant 946
Admire Mayor
*write-in candidates
Admire City Council (vote for two)
*write-in candidates
Allen Mayor
*write-in candidates
Allen City Council (vote for two)
*Michael Houston 52
*Kristi Thomas 38
Americus City Council (vote for three)
*Nicolette Nuessen 62
*Bill Harmon 57
*Kayla Burton 55
Bushong City Council (vote for three)
*write-in candidates
Hartford Mayor
*Kenny Hamman 86
Hartford City Council Position 1
*Jennifer Hamman 85
Hartford City Council Position 3
*write-in candidates
Hartford City Council Position 5
*write-in candidates
Neosho Rapids Mayor (vote for one)
*Dallas Shepherd 46
*Julia Buckridge 24
Neosho Rapids City Council (vote for five)
*Brian Shank 61
*Matt Martin 54
*Karla Mendoza 53
*Tess Shepherd 40
Olpe Mayor
*write-in candidates
Olpe City Council (vote for two)
*Rex Fisher 113
*Cory Haag 109
Olpe Special Question: Should the city approve a 0.5-percent sales tax increase for capital improvements?
*Yes 122
*No 53
Reading City Council (vote for three)
*Marc Atchison 28
*Billy Paige 22
*Kevin Sorensen 22
USD 251 North Lyon County Position 1
*Gary Heine 84
USD 251 North Lyon County Position 2
*David Goldsmith II 99
USD 251 North Lyon County Position 3
*Angie Calhoun-Brotz 123
USD 251 North Lyon County Position 7
*Matt Horton 356
USD 252 Southern Lyon County Position 1
*Gene Windle 617
USD 252 Southern Lyon County Position 4 (vote for one)
*Brad Hoelting 457
*Justin Farr 204
*Becky Ballinger 143
USD 252 Southern Lyon County Position 5
*Emily Darbyshire 636
USD 252 Position 7 (vote for one)
*Charles Steffes 450
*Amanda Bess 326
*Michael Nunley 49
Chase County
Cedar Point Mayor
*write-in candidates
Cedar Point City Council (vote for three)
*write-in candidates
Cottonwood Falls City Council (vote for three)
*Ryan Spinden 128
*Mike Hastings118
*Greg Campbell 73
*Pat Larkin 51
*Travis Fleshman 19
Elmdale Mayor
*Theresa Simmons 5
Elmdale City Council (vote for five)
*Jim Fritch 5
*Ruth Green 5
*Tyler Jackson 5
*David Simmons 5
*Matthew Simmons 5
Matfield Green Mayor
*Donnie Swift 15
Matfield Green City Council (vote for five)
*Jesse Andersen 16
*Katherine Dean 16
*Tia Regier 15
*Theresa VanAckeren14
*Chance O’Brien 9
*Brett Talkington 6
Strong City Mayor (vote for one)
*Lydia Simmons 95
*Ron Sherwood 18
Strong City City Council (vote for two)
*Justin Garr 74
*Derek Kelsheimer 63
*Thomas Kirk 39
*Donna Hardinger 35
USD 284 Chase County District 1
*Megan Adcock 154
USD 284 Chase County District 2
*Lauren Jones 162
USD 284 Chase County District 3
*Matt Mourousas 120
USD 284 Chase County at-large
*Maci Harshman 405
*Michael Cahoone 118
Coffey County
Burlington Mayor
*Robert Luke Jr 177
*Danielle Birk 164
*Michael Abendroth 160
Burlington City Council Position 1 Ward 1
*Lila Van Horn 99
*Michael Springeman 68
Burlington City Council Position 1 Ward 2
*Nathan Strawder 51
*Shanna Cook 49
*George Shove 27
Burlington City Council Position 1 Ward 3
*Lewis Lenard 97
*Cara Mays 95
Gridley Mayor
*Steven Fuqua 36
*Lynn Osburn 29
Gridley City Council (vote for two)
*Robert Snovelle Jr 49
*Les Stone 42
*Dee Ann Goertzen 33
Lebo City Council Position 2
*Troy Friend 194
Lebo City Council Position 3
*Jim Jones 193
Lebo City Council Position 4
*Amanda Hopkins 119
*Jerry Headley 83
LeRoy City Council (Vote for three)
*Ricky Yeager 104
*Terry Tyler 87
*Bryson Meats 71
*Phyllis Owens 46
*Bruce Hegwald 35
*Jacquie Mitchell 29
New Strawn Mayor
*Rhonda Taylor 56
New Strawn City Council (vote for two)
*Stephanie Baker
*Garold Gilkison
Waverly Mayor
*Jacob Marsh 97
Waverly City Council Position 1
*Nathan Steward 61
*Taylor Everhart 43
Waverly City Council Position 3
*Tammy White 100
Waverly City Council Position 5
*Nicole Rasmussen 100
USD 243 Lebo-Waverly Position 1
*Ashley Edwards 351
*Stephanie Anderson 154
USD 243 Lebo-Waverly Position 2
*Todd Wallace 327
*John Freerksen 190
USD 243 Lebo-Waverly Position 4
*Denise McNabb 497
USD 243 Lebo-Waverly Position 7
*Katelyn Haddock 193
*Shawn Miller 241
USD 244 Burlington Position 1
*Stacy Augustyn 87
USD 244 Burlington Position 2
*James Higgins 86
USD 244 Burlington Position 3
*Selena King 81
USD 244 Burlington Position 7
*Bob Plummer 578
USD 245 Southern Coffey County District 1 (vote for three)
*Kenton Ludolph 220
*Sean Lehmann 196
*Zach Roush 191
USD 245 Southern Coffey County Position 7
*Sarah Stewart 249
USD 245 Southern Coffey County District 2 (unexpired terms, vote for two)
*Johannah Snovelle 248
*Heather Hill 209
Greenwood County
Climax Mayor
*write-in candidates
Climax City Council Positions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
*write-in candidates
Eureka Mayor
*Stephen Coulter 196
Eureka City Council (vote for three)
*Kevin Lawrence 159
*Jason Brandt 139
*Cinda Beals 137
Hamilton Mayor
*write-in candidates
Hamilton City Council (vote for two)
*Larry Wolford 48
*David Harris 23
Madison City Council (vote for three)
*Tony Fankhouser 70
*Daryl May 67
*Evan Casey 65
*Jody Thomas 39
Virgil Mayor
*write-in candidates
Virgil City Council (vote for two)
*write-in candidates
USD 386 Madison-Virgil Position 1
*Gary Kile
USD 386 Madison-Virgil Position 2
*write-in candidates
USD 386 Madison-Virgil Position 3
*write-in candidates
USD 386 Madison-Virgil Position 7
*Jannette Luthi
USD 389 Eureka District 1
*Austin Evenson
*Arthur Williams
USD 389 Eureka District 2
*Luke Adkins
USD 389 Eureka District 3
*Bruce Smith
USD 389 Eureka District 7
*Brandon Hall
*Virginia Payne
USD 390 Hamilton Position 1
*Kara Nutsch
USD 390 Hamilton Position 2
*Stuart Woodie
USD 390 Hamilton Position 3
*write-in candidates
USD 390 Hamilton Position 7
*Brad Martin
Morris County
Council Grove Mayor
*Debra Schwerdtfeger 204
*Ryan McDonald 197
*Kendra Levy 71
Council Grove City Council Ward 1
*Nathan Adams 112
Council Grove City Council Ward 2
*Sharon Haun 74
*Michael Seymour 41
Council Grove City Council Ward 3
*Jason Booker 190
USD 417 Morris County District 1 Position 1
*Terry Powell 547
USD 417 Morris County District 1 Position 3
*Jay Troxell 438
*Travis Schweger 285
*William Glenski 140
USD 417 Morris County District 2 Position 2
*Patty Talley: 490
*Ashley Iverson 377
USD 417 Morris County At-Large
*Don Alderman 530
*James Blue 351
Osage County
Burlingame Mayor
*Michelle Mullinix 127
Burlingame City Council
*Amanda Kohlman 117
*Sheila Curtis 110
Lyndon Mayor
*Steven Morrison 176
*Charles Hanna 61
Lyndon City Council
*Lynn Atchison 203
Osage City Mayor
*Brian Stromgren 340
Osage City City Council Ward 1
*Eric Tincher 79
Osage City City Council Ward 2
*Michael Handly 39
Osage City City Council Ward 3
*Cathryn Houghton 79
Osage City City Council Ward 4
*Jeff Tice 113
USD 420 Osage City Position 1 District A
*write-in candidates
USD 420 Osage City Position 2 District B
*Gerad Fagan 404
USD 420 Osage City Position 3 District C
*PJ Hepinstall 389
USD 420 Osage City Position 7
*James Lohmeyer 290
*Robert Noble 165
USD 421 Lyndon Position 1A
*Jay Biggs 265
*Eric Ratzloff 179
USD 421 Lyndon Position 2A
*Megan Kilgore
USD 421 Lyndon Position 3A
*Elizabeth Young 244
*John Walker 201
USD 421 Lyndon Position 4A
*Jennifer Hamlet 293
*Joe Isch 167
USD 454 Burlingame Position 1 District 1
*Melissa Droege 217
USD 454 Burlingame Position 2 District 2
*Jamie Bowman
USD 454 Burlingame Position 3 District 3
*Chrissie Atchison 153
*Tanya Bingham 96
USD 454 Burlingame Position 7
*Wesley Dean Colson 135
*David Roney 118
USD 456 Marais des Cygnes Valley District 1 Position 1
*George McCurdy 127
USD 456 Marais des Cygnes Valley District 2 Position 2
*Eric Struttman 113
USD 456 Marais des Cygnes Valley District 3 Position 3
*write-in candidates
USD 456 Marais des Cygnes Valley Position 7
*Chelsey Masenthin 117
Wabaunsee County
Harveyville City Council (vote for three)
*write-in candidates
