Election Update: Results from Moscow Mills, Winfield, Elsberry, Old Monroe, SIlex and Fire District TAx Issue
LINCOLN COUNTY – Proving every vote counts, one election and one ballot issue was decided by a single vote Tuesday night, according to unofficial results.
Moscow Mills voters narrowly rejected a proposal 140-139 that would extend the mayor’s term from two to four years.
Troy’s mayor serves a four-term, but mayors in Silex, Winfield, Elsberry, Foley and Old Monroe each serve two.
While Moscow Mills voters may have rejected one ballot measure, they overwhelmingly approved imposing a use tax by a 175-105 vote, or 62.5-37.5 percent.
The third time proved to be a charm for the proposal as voters twice previously rejected the measure that levies the city sales tax on all purchases from out-of-state vendors, including those online.
Moscow Mills voters also re-elected Amy Volmer (Ward One) and Cody Quist (Ward Two) as to the board of aldermen. Both received 59 percent of the vote, defeating John O’Malley (Ward One) and Melvin Gilbert Jr. (Ward Two).
Winfield Board of Aldermen
The other one-vote race came in the only contested election in Winfield.
Incumbent Sandy Reiss defeated Chris Mitchell 43-42 in her re-election bid in Ward One.
Faith “Punky” Burgess ran unopposed in the Ward Two race.
Nicole Hanson would also be elected mayor after running unopposed.
Winfield/Foley Fire District
Voters in the Winfield/Foley fire district also defeated a property tax levy increase that would have funded a full-time fire department.
The proposal would have allowed for the department to hire professional firemen to man the firehouse during regular business hours, when the volunteers typically are at work.
Voters rejected the measure 549-541, or 50.4-49.6 percent.
Elsberry Election
Elsberry voters had four vacant seats to fill on the April ballot, but candidates filed for only two of them.
Danielle Rockwell easily won her re-election bid with 37 votes compared to 12 for Stacy Knoche in a race for a two-year term in Ward Three. No one filed to run for a one-year term in Ward Three, but there were 14 write-in votes from which the county clerk’s will determine the winner.
Voters provided 11 write-ins in the uncontested race for a two-year term in Ward One as well.
Justin Bange meanwhile was elected in Ward Two to a two-year term.
The Elsberry school board will have a new president after Adam Heitman lost his re-election bid.
While one incumbent, David Killian, was re-elected with 269 votes, Heitman only received 259 votes. Newcomer Carla Talbot won a seat on the school board with the most votes at 447, or 45.6 percent.
Silex Mayor Election
While only Lynne Luckett’s name appeared on the ballot, she had to stave off an official write-in campaign to be re-elected to a two-year term.
Steve McDonald filed the necessary paperwork to be a certified write-in candidate and received 14 votes, but Luckett won the election with 19.
David Rice and Billy Holcomb both ran unopposed to the board of aldermen.
Old Monroe
Finally, in Old Monroe, Gary Dickherber won a two-year term as Ward Two alderman. He defeated Taylor Burket 18-3.
Voter Turnout
According to preliminary figures, less than 15 percent of registered voters participated in the election.
With 6,594 ballots cast out of 44,200 registered voters, the preliminary voter turnout checked in at 14.92 percent.
Moscow Mills voters narrowly rejected a proposal 140-139 that would extend the mayor’s term from two to four years.
Troy’s mayor serves a four-term, but mayors in Silex, Winfield, Elsberry, Foley and Old Monroe each serve two.
While Moscow Mills voters may have rejected one ballot measure, they overwhelmingly approved imposing a use tax by a 175-105 vote, or 62.5-37.5 percent.
The third time proved to be a charm for the proposal as voters twice previously rejected the measure that levies the city sales tax on all purchases from out-of-state vendors, including those online.
Moscow Mills voters also re-elected Amy Volmer (Ward One) and Cody Quist (Ward Two) as to the board of aldermen. Both received 59 percent of the vote, defeating John O’Malley (Ward One) and Melvin Gilbert Jr. (Ward Two).
Winfield Board of Aldermen
The other one-vote race came in the only contested election in Winfield.
Incumbent Sandy Reiss defeated Chris Mitchell 43-42 in her re-election bid in Ward One.
Faith “Punky” Burgess ran unopposed in the Ward Two race.
Nicole Hanson would also be elected mayor after running unopposed.
Winfield/Foley Fire District
Voters in the Winfield/Foley fire district also defeated a property tax levy increase that would have funded a full-time fire department.
The proposal would have allowed for the department to hire professional firemen to man the firehouse during regular business hours, when the volunteers typically are at work.
Voters rejected the measure 549-541, or 50.4-49.6 percent.
Elsberry Election
Elsberry voters had four vacant seats to fill on the April ballot, but candidates filed for only two of them.
Danielle Rockwell easily won her re-election bid with 37 votes compared to 12 for Stacy Knoche in a race for a two-year term in Ward Three. No one filed to run for a one-year term in Ward Three, but there were 14 write-in votes from which the county clerk’s will determine the winner.
Voters provided 11 write-ins in the uncontested race for a two-year term in Ward One as well.
Justin Bange meanwhile was elected in Ward Two to a two-year term.
The Elsberry school board will have a new president after Adam Heitman lost his re-election bid.
While one incumbent, David Killian, was re-elected with 269 votes, Heitman only received 259 votes. Newcomer Carla Talbot won a seat on the school board with the most votes at 447, or 45.6 percent.
Silex Mayor Election
While only Lynne Luckett’s name appeared on the ballot, she had to stave off an official write-in campaign to be re-elected to a two-year term.
Steve McDonald filed the necessary paperwork to be a certified write-in candidate and received 14 votes, but Luckett won the election with 19.
David Rice and Billy Holcomb both ran unopposed to the board of aldermen.
Old Monroe
Finally, in Old Monroe, Gary Dickherber won a two-year term as Ward Two alderman. He defeated Taylor Burket 18-3.
Voter Turnout
According to preliminary figures, less than 15 percent of registered voters participated in the election.
With 6,594 ballots cast out of 44,200 registered voters, the preliminary voter turnout checked in at 14.92 percent.
