Extremely Low April 7 Voter Turnout

By Carol Kincaid

   Of the
2,957 registered voters in Knox County, there were only 577 ballots cast, a
19.51 percent.  The April 7, 2009
Municipal election is the only one scheduled for this year.

  Considering
the fact that Proposition 1 was to continue the existing ½ cent sales tax for
the General Fund, and there were two Knox County R-I School Board members
selected, it appears to be a rather low voter turnout. Both items could have a
big effect on the County’s future.

   The
results that follow are “unofficial” as they are not yet certified.  Proposition 1 passed with 481 in favor, and
87 against.

   The
selection of two School Board members was a fairly close race, Rhett Hunziker
received 293 votes; Craig A. Miller, 389; and Karen K. Hall, 397.

   Write-in
candidates are allowed to file up until the Friday before the election,
otherwise  if a name is written in on
the ballot, it does not count.

   While
Baring had one write-in for Mayor, no one had filed.  Russell Schultz got 12 votes for the two-year term on the Baring
City Council.  The one-year term had no
filing, though there was one write-in vote.

   In Edina’s
First Ward, Gordon Edwards, incumbent ran unopposed and received all 62
votes.  In the Second Ward of Edina,
Craig Miller took all 48 votes cast.  
Tom Morgret also made a clean sweep in the Third Ward, with a total of
71 votes.

   There was
one write-in vote for Hurdland Mayor, but no filing.  No votes and no candidates for the Hurdland West Ward 1-year
term. Lisa VanDyke took all three votes for the Hurdland East Ward 2-year
term.  Julie Lewis took all three votes
for the Hurdland East Ward 1-year term.

   Loretta
Goodwin filed prior to the election for the Knox City Marshall/Collector and
received 13 write-in votes.  In the Knox
City South Ward Rex D. Browning received 10 votes for the one year term, and
there were 4 invalid write-in votes.  In
the Knox City South Ward-2-year term Michael E. Rash received 18 votes, with one
invalid write-in vote.  Cheryl L. Adair
received 15 votes for the 1-year term in the Knox City North Ward, with one
invalid write-in vote.

   For the
Newark Village Board 2-year term Meg Glover received 9 votes, Tonya E.
Kincaid  earned 6 votes, and write-in
candidate James Benner received 4 votes.

   On the
Novelty Village Board Patricia Carlson received 21 votes, as did Joe Simmons.

   Some Knox
County voters have a say in other county elections: Lewis County. C-1
election.  Terry Faulconer received one
vote and Johnnie Schultz received one vote.  
In the Clark Co. Water District 1 Grover Gamm received 5 votes and Kirby
Clark received 3.  In Clark Co. Water 2
James Hudnut received 3 votes and Danny L. Dannenhau earned 5.  In Macon Co. Water 1 and Macon Co. Water
District 4 there were no votes cast.

   County
Clerk Debbie McCurren said she was pleased that everything went as smoothly as
it did.  There were no machinery
problems, and only one or two election judge replacements.  She praised her judges and expressed her
gratitude to them.

   McCurren also
said that there is still a need for more judges, especially in Baring, Knox
City, and Newark areas.  Election judges
receive $100 compensation, plus mileage to serve.