Most other local races are uncontested;
write-in candidates create contested races
in City of Galesburg, Athens School District
write-in candidates create contested races
in City of Galesburg, Athens School District
By Bruce Rolfe
The Climax Village Council race has captured the attention of many local residents leading up to the November 5 General Election.
While all other area Township and school board races are uncontested except one, all three positions on the Climax Village Council ballot are contested and there is one contested race for a City Commissioner seat in the City of Galesburg.
There could be as little as one incumbent voted off the Climax Village Council all the way up to four incumbents, and another trustee seat will be filled with a new face.
Current trustees Joline Chaney and Carolyn Kelly do not have expiring terms.
Interim President David Miller will face Bill Lewis on the ballot for a four-year term as Village President.
There are six candidates on the ballot running for three, four-year seats.
Current Village Trustees Alyssa Schwili, Janet Sutherland, Arlene R. VonHout and Nicholas Ludwig will join Cathy Weissert and Denise Munor Pyle running for three seats.
While Benjerman Moore will be the lone candidate on the ballot seeking a partial term (ending 11/30/2026) trustee seat, Joshua Fleisher is a write in candidate for the partial term trustee seat.
Voters can vote on election day, vote in person through early voting, which must be offered from Saturday, October 26 through Sunday, November 3 for at least eight hours a day, or cast an absentee ballot, which was available for issuance September 26.
According to Climax Township Clerk Marcia Lewis, requests for absent voter ballots have increased significantly over previous elections.
As of October 23, she said 526 absent voter ballots have been requested by Climax Township registered voters. Lewis said 316, or 61 percent of the number of absent voter ballots issued, have been returned.
See our inside story on local ballot proposals.
Climax Township
There will be four incumbents and one new candidate running unopposed for seats on the Climax Township Board.
Sarah DeBoer, who defeated Murat Bates in the August Primary under the republican ticket for Climax Township clerk, will be on the ballot running for the position that current clerk Marcia Lewis held for many years but is not running for re-election.
Incumbent Richard Thierjung, running under the republican ticket, and Cheryl Bates, running under the democrat ticket, are running unopposed for the two trustee positions. Current treasurer Steven Walman and incumbent supervisor Trent Piper, are also running under the republican ticket unopposed.
Charleston Township
All positions on the Charleston Township Board ballot will be uncontested and all candidates are incumbents.
Current Supervisor Jerry VanderRoest will be running for a four-year term under the republican ticket, current clerk Alese LePert, will be running for a four-year term under no party affiliation, current treasurer Kim Balkema will be seeking a four-year term running under the republican ticket, and current trustees Brian Moravek, running under no party affiliation, and Joshua Balkema, running under the republican ticket, will both be running for four-year terms.
Pavilion Charter Township
Seven candidates will be running unopposed for four-year seats in Pavilion Township.
Incumbents Greg Thomas, Dan Frizzo, David Steffens and Edward Cagney will be running unopposed for four trustee positions under the Republican ticket.
Incumbent supervisor John Speeter, incumbent clerk Karen Emily Siegwart, and current treasurer Robyn Maxson will be running unopposed under the republican ticket.
Village of Augusta
In The Village of Augusta all races will be uncontested.
John E. Thomas will be seeking a four-year term for Village President.
Terry L. Burghdoff, H. Valerie Silkworth, and Christina L. Thomas will be on the ballot running for four-year terms and Andrew Ackley, will be on the ballot running for a partial term (ending 12/31/2026).
Wakeshma Township
All five candidates on the ballot in Wakeshma will be running unopposed for four-year positions.
Incumbent Supervisor Jason Gatlin, incumbent treasurer Leanne Munn, and incumbent trustees Barbara Thole and Trevor Bennett will all be running under the republican ticket.
Because Deputy Clerk Michael Fry filed his affidavit of identity as a candidate without party affiliation for the August Primary, his name will appear on the November General Election for the clerk position.
Mayor Running Unopposed in City of Galesburg, 4 Running for 3 City Commissioner Seats
In the Galesburg City Commission election, current mayor Linda Marble will be running unopposed for a two-year seat as a non-partisan candidate.
There are now four candidates running for three City Commission seats on the City Council after two candidates met a October 25 deadline to run as write-in candidates. Roger Frazee and Glen Hawes will be on the ballot running as non-partisan candidates for four year terms and Anthony Tipken and Toni Caswell will be running non-partisan as write-in candidates.
G-A, Athens School Board Races Are Uncontested; C-S Race Uncontested
The school board races in the Climax-Scotts and Galesburg-Augusta Board of Education races are uncontested, however there is one contested race on the Athens School Board.
Incumbents Susan K. Reichert, Lori Bagwell, Trent Piper and Jacqueline Longman are all running unopposed for four-year terms non-partisan in the Climax-Scotts School District.
In the Galesburg-Augusta School District, four candidates are running for three, four-year seats. Incumbents Jessica Eberstein, Nathan A. Smeltzer, and Gary Gillette are on the ballot and Michael Armock is running as a write-in non-partisan. Incumbent Sarah Davidson is running unopposed for a partial term ending 12/31/2026 non-partisan.
In the Athens School District, five candidates will be running for three, four-year terms and there are no candidates on the ballot running for a partial term seat that expires 12/31/2026.
Teri S. Loew, Rachel Hunt, Eric McClure and Erika J. Smith will be on the ballot running non-partisan and Brian Jackson will be running as a write-in non-partisan for the four-year terms.
The Climax Village Council race has captured the attention of many local residents leading up to the November 5 General Election.
While all other area Township and school board races are uncontested except one, all three positions on the Climax Village Council ballot are contested and there is one contested race for a City Commissioner seat in the City of Galesburg.
There could be as little as one incumbent voted off the Climax Village Council all the way up to four incumbents, and another trustee seat will be filled with a new face.
Current trustees Joline Chaney and Carolyn Kelly do not have expiring terms.
Interim President David Miller will face Bill Lewis on the ballot for a four-year term as Village President.
There are six candidates on the ballot running for three, four-year seats.
Current Village Trustees Alyssa Schwili, Janet Sutherland, Arlene R. VonHout and Nicholas Ludwig will join Cathy Weissert and Denise Munor Pyle running for three seats.
While Benjerman Moore will be the lone candidate on the ballot seeking a partial term (ending 11/30/2026) trustee seat, Joshua Fleisher is a write in candidate for the partial term trustee seat.
Voters can vote on election day, vote in person through early voting, which must be offered from Saturday, October 26 through Sunday, November 3 for at least eight hours a day, or cast an absentee ballot, which was available for issuance September 26.
According to Climax Township Clerk Marcia Lewis, requests for absent voter ballots have increased significantly over previous elections.
As of October 23, she said 526 absent voter ballots have been requested by Climax Township registered voters. Lewis said 316, or 61 percent of the number of absent voter ballots issued, have been returned.
See our inside story on local ballot proposals.
Climax Township
There will be four incumbents and one new candidate running unopposed for seats on the Climax Township Board.
Sarah DeBoer, who defeated Murat Bates in the August Primary under the republican ticket for Climax Township clerk, will be on the ballot running for the position that current clerk Marcia Lewis held for many years but is not running for re-election.
Incumbent Richard Thierjung, running under the republican ticket, and Cheryl Bates, running under the democrat ticket, are running unopposed for the two trustee positions. Current treasurer Steven Walman and incumbent supervisor Trent Piper, are also running under the republican ticket unopposed.
Charleston Township
All positions on the Charleston Township Board ballot will be uncontested and all candidates are incumbents.
Current Supervisor Jerry VanderRoest will be running for a four-year term under the republican ticket, current clerk Alese LePert, will be running for a four-year term under no party affiliation, current treasurer Kim Balkema will be seeking a four-year term running under the republican ticket, and current trustees Brian Moravek, running under no party affiliation, and Joshua Balkema, running under the republican ticket, will both be running for four-year terms.
Pavilion Charter Township
Seven candidates will be running unopposed for four-year seats in Pavilion Township.
Incumbents Greg Thomas, Dan Frizzo, David Steffens and Edward Cagney will be running unopposed for four trustee positions under the Republican ticket.
Incumbent supervisor John Speeter, incumbent clerk Karen Emily Siegwart, and current treasurer Robyn Maxson will be running unopposed under the republican ticket.
Village of Augusta
In The Village of Augusta all races will be uncontested.
John E. Thomas will be seeking a four-year term for Village President.
Terry L. Burghdoff, H. Valerie Silkworth, and Christina L. Thomas will be on the ballot running for four-year terms and Andrew Ackley, will be on the ballot running for a partial term (ending 12/31/2026).
Wakeshma Township
All five candidates on the ballot in Wakeshma will be running unopposed for four-year positions.
Incumbent Supervisor Jason Gatlin, incumbent treasurer Leanne Munn, and incumbent trustees Barbara Thole and Trevor Bennett will all be running under the republican ticket.
Because Deputy Clerk Michael Fry filed his affidavit of identity as a candidate without party affiliation for the August Primary, his name will appear on the November General Election for the clerk position.
Mayor Running Unopposed in City of Galesburg, 4 Running for 3 City Commissioner Seats
In the Galesburg City Commission election, current mayor Linda Marble will be running unopposed for a two-year seat as a non-partisan candidate.
There are now four candidates running for three City Commission seats on the City Council after two candidates met a October 25 deadline to run as write-in candidates. Roger Frazee and Glen Hawes will be on the ballot running as non-partisan candidates for four year terms and Anthony Tipken and Toni Caswell will be running non-partisan as write-in candidates.
G-A, Athens School Board Races Are Uncontested; C-S Race Uncontested
The school board races in the Climax-Scotts and Galesburg-Augusta Board of Education races are uncontested, however there is one contested race on the Athens School Board.
Incumbents Susan K. Reichert, Lori Bagwell, Trent Piper and Jacqueline Longman are all running unopposed for four-year terms non-partisan in the Climax-Scotts School District.
In the Galesburg-Augusta School District, four candidates are running for three, four-year seats. Incumbents Jessica Eberstein, Nathan A. Smeltzer, and Gary Gillette are on the ballot and Michael Armock is running as a write-in non-partisan. Incumbent Sarah Davidson is running unopposed for a partial term ending 12/31/2026 non-partisan.
In the Athens School District, five candidates will be running for three, four-year terms and there are no candidates on the ballot running for a partial term seat that expires 12/31/2026.
Teri S. Loew, Rachel Hunt, Eric McClure and Erika J. Smith will be on the ballot running non-partisan and Brian Jackson will be running as a write-in non-partisan for the four-year terms.
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