Print
E-mail
Rate
Marion, Betts face runoff
Voters also will decide runoff election for at-large council position with 2-year term next month
By Steve Dunn/Gate City Managing Editor
Keokuk voters will go to the polls again Dec. 1 to elect a mayor and an at large city council member.
On Tuesday, none of the five candidates for mayor and four candidates for an at large council seat with a two-year term got enough votes to be declared winners.
Tom Marion and Chuck Betts finished as the top vote getters in the race for mayor. Lonnie McCarty and Daniel Winn received the most votes in the contest for the at large seat now held by Mark Hoyt who decided to take out nominating papers for mayor rather than seek re-election to the council.
Marion garnered 951 votes or 40 percent of the 2,375 votes cast for the five mayoral candidates. A candidate had to receive 50 percent plus one vote to finish as the winner in Tuesday’s municipal election.
Chuck Betts received 670 votes or 28 percent. Carol Mardis had 529 votes or 22 percent. Gordon Blankenship Sr. finished with 203 votes or 9 percent. Per Malm had 22 votes or less than 1 percent.
Marion was the top vote getter among mayoral candidates in each of Keokuk’s seven wards. He also got 192 absentee votes, more than twice as many as Betts’ 81.
“It’s a little bittersweet. I’m happy we got the turnout we did,” said Marion who expected a slightly better turnout. “We just have to go back to work and work a little harder this time.”
Absentee votes were a key to his success this time, he said this morning.
“You have to get the absentee votes,” he commented.
Five people worked on his campaign the first time. He’ll try to increase that number to approximately 20 for the runoff election in December.
“We planned that there probably would be a runoff,” he said.
Marion said he will use his campaign funds judiciously in the next month to avoid overexposure as a candidate.
Asked if anything surprised him in his first try at public office, he responded, “I’m surprised it’s so exhausting, but you meet a lot of people.”
The fact that a runoff election is necessary to decide the mayor’s race doesn’t surprise Betts or his campaign team.
“We planned for the long haul just in case,” he said this morning.
The initial campaign has helped clarify the issues that are important to Keokuk voters, he believes.
“We have a sharper idea of what the issues are now,” he said. “The city administrator, streets and jobs are what’s most on peoples’ minds now.”
Unlike Marion, he doesn’t foresee increasing his campaign team for the runoff election. His corps group has about six people, he said.
Asked if anything in the campaign so far has surprised him, Betts said, “To run for any office is harder than people imagine.”
Incumbent Mayor David Gudgel decided not to seek re-election after serving four terms or eight years in office.
The race for the at large council seat was much closer. Lonnie McCarty topped the field of candidates with 794 votes or 38 percent, while Daniel Winn received 752 votes or 36 percent. As a result, McCarty and Winn will vie for the seat in the Dec. 1 runoff election.
Brian Barnes had 310 votes and Brandon Parsons picked up 222 votes for the at large seat with a two-year term.
Four incumbent council members – Mike O’Connor, First Ward, Ronald Payne, Third Ward, Karole Smith, Sixth Ward, and Susan Dunek, Seventh Ward – retained their seats Tuesday, according to unofficial election results.
O’Connor was re-elected with 166 votes, or 40 more than challenger John Helenthal.
“I’m deeply gratified and looking forward to serving the people of the First Ward,” O’Connor said this morning.
Asked about the significance of his and other incumbent council members’ re-elections, he commented, “Continuity is particularly important with a change in administration.”
He added, “I’m looking forward to moving forward with the projects we’ve had in the past.”
Payne picked up 230 votes without opposition.
Karole Smith easily defeated her rival, Melvin Smith, 210 to 72 votes.
Dunek drew 417 votes without opposition.
Newcomer Zane Zirkel collected 1,668 votes as the lone candidate for an at large seat with a four-year term. He will succeed incumbent Doug Matlick, who decided not to seek re-election.
Another newcomer, Michael Girard, got 352 votes as the only candidate for the council seat from the Fifth Ward. He will succeed Justin Tuck who decided not to seek re-election.
On Tuesday, none of the five candidates for mayor and four candidates for an at large council seat with a two-year term got enough votes to be declared winners.
Tom Marion and Chuck Betts finished as the top vote getters in the race for mayor. Lonnie McCarty and Daniel Winn received the most votes in the contest for the at large seat now held by Mark Hoyt who decided to take out nominating papers for mayor rather than seek re-election to the council.
Marion garnered 951 votes or 40 percent of the 2,375 votes cast for the five mayoral candidates. A candidate had to receive 50 percent plus one vote to finish as the winner in Tuesday’s municipal election.
Chuck Betts received 670 votes or 28 percent. Carol Mardis had 529 votes or 22 percent. Gordon Blankenship Sr. finished with 203 votes or 9 percent. Per Malm had 22 votes or less than 1 percent.
Marion was the top vote getter among mayoral candidates in each of Keokuk’s seven wards. He also got 192 absentee votes, more than twice as many as Betts’ 81.
ADVERTISEMENT |
Absentee votes were a key to his success this time, he said this morning.
“You have to get the absentee votes,” he commented.
Five people worked on his campaign the first time. He’ll try to increase that number to approximately 20 for the runoff election in December.
“We planned that there probably would be a runoff,” he said.
Marion said he will use his campaign funds judiciously in the next month to avoid overexposure as a candidate.
Asked if anything surprised him in his first try at public office, he responded, “I’m surprised it’s so exhausting, but you meet a lot of people.”
The fact that a runoff election is necessary to decide the mayor’s race doesn’t surprise Betts or his campaign team.
“We planned for the long haul just in case,” he said this morning.
The initial campaign has helped clarify the issues that are important to Keokuk voters, he believes.
“We have a sharper idea of what the issues are now,” he said. “The city administrator, streets and jobs are what’s most on peoples’ minds now.”
Unlike Marion, he doesn’t foresee increasing his campaign team for the runoff election. His corps group has about six people, he said.
Asked if anything in the campaign so far has surprised him, Betts said, “To run for any office is harder than people imagine.”
Incumbent Mayor David Gudgel decided not to seek re-election after serving four terms or eight years in office.
The race for the at large council seat was much closer. Lonnie McCarty topped the field of candidates with 794 votes or 38 percent, while Daniel Winn received 752 votes or 36 percent. As a result, McCarty and Winn will vie for the seat in the Dec. 1 runoff election.
Brian Barnes had 310 votes and Brandon Parsons picked up 222 votes for the at large seat with a two-year term.
Four incumbent council members – Mike O’Connor, First Ward, Ronald Payne, Third Ward, Karole Smith, Sixth Ward, and Susan Dunek, Seventh Ward – retained their seats Tuesday, according to unofficial election results.
O’Connor was re-elected with 166 votes, or 40 more than challenger John Helenthal.
“I’m deeply gratified and looking forward to serving the people of the First Ward,” O’Connor said this morning.
Asked about the significance of his and other incumbent council members’ re-elections, he commented, “Continuity is particularly important with a change in administration.”
He added, “I’m looking forward to moving forward with the projects we’ve had in the past.”
Payne picked up 230 votes without opposition.
Karole Smith easily defeated her rival, Melvin Smith, 210 to 72 votes.
Dunek drew 417 votes without opposition.
Newcomer Zane Zirkel collected 1,668 votes as the lone candidate for an at large seat with a four-year term. He will succeed incumbent Doug Matlick, who decided not to seek re-election.
Another newcomer, Michael Girard, got 352 votes as the only candidate for the council seat from the Fifth Ward. He will succeed Justin Tuck who decided not to seek re-election.
 |
 |
|
| Community calendar | Clark County courthouse measures defeated |
