WHITE CO. – It’s not an “off” year for White County’s ballot, meaning that the cities and villages alike this election will be choosing their leaders on April 4.
Carmi
The city of Carmi is front and center, where Mayor Jeff Pollard is being challenged by Lance Yearby, after Pollard has had an embattled four years. While Pollard has made considerable advancements within the city of Carmi since 2013, including expanding businesses through such support systems as revolving loans and siting new businesses, detractors aren’t as positive, and seek to point out that Pollard has only enriched himself (he started a business – a small restaurant – and that’s where detractors choose to point). However, the fact is that any advancement is good for downstate Illinois towns where business is concerned, especially given the hideous economic climate the previous presidential administration exposed the various states to in the past eight years.
The Yearby squad has attempted to pick nits with Pollard over the most mundane things during the past two years or so, so his presence on the ballot isn’t too unexpected. But whether he will prevail or not remains to be seen.
There’s also a challenge on the ballot for city clerk: Brian K. Allen and Cynthia Attebury are facing off in that race.
Alderman candidates in Carmi are as follows: Ward One, Jack Bradshaw versus Sheila Jo Headlee; Ward Two, Doug Hays alone on the ballot; Ward Three, for a 4-year term, Doug Redman versus Steve Winkleman; and Ward Four, Tracy Nelson versus Keith Davis.
Burnt Prairie
The little village of Burnt Prairie on the far north portion of White will elect Carroll D. Dozier as their president, since Dozier is alone on the ballot.
There is no candidate in BP for clerk; Mary E. Short is on alone as candidate for treasurer.
There are three positions for 4-year terms as village trustee, but only one candidate, Jerry Rockett.
There are two positions for unexpired 2-year terms on the board of trustees…and no candidates, meaning there will be appointments as opposed to elected officials.
Crossville
There are no ballot challenges in the village of Crossville, meaning that mayor Henry Feldman will serve another term; and the three open positions on the board of trustees will have to see one person appointed, as there are only two on the ballot: Billie F. Mullins and Jeffrey R. Spencer, both of whom will be seated.
Enfield
In the village of Enfield, there’s a race for village president: Tom Harbour and Tim McGehee will be battling on the ballot for that office.
Deborah Stone is on the ballot alone for village clerk, so no contest there; same for village treasurer, which will be held by Angela Carter.
There are three 4-year terms for village trustee, but William M. Black IV is the only one on the ballot, so the rest will have to be appointed.
Maunie
The village of Maunie on the Wabash River has Matthew Pollard on the ballot for village president; Brittany Pollard on as clerk; and Donna Evans as treasurer.
Maunie is also blessed to have a full slate for three for village trustees: Wilma Burnett, Laurie Frashier, and Mark R. Frashier will be doing their civic duty in that respect.
Mill Shoals
In the village of Mill Shoals up in north White, Ronald Gray will hold the office of village president. There are no offices of clerk or treasurer. For the village board of trustees, three folks will hold four-year terms: Joshua D. West, Sheila M. Titzer and Sylvia Jean Murphy.
Norris City
In the village of Norris City, Roy A. Kissel will retain his office as mayor, as he’s running unopposed.
James Crouch will hold the office of village clerk.
Three 4-year terms are available on the board of trustees, and Joe Skaggs, Carl Whipple and Sue James will be taking those, as there are no other challenges.
Phillipstown
There is, however, a challenge for village president in the village of Phillipstown: Stan Maurer is challenged by Eric Henning for that position.
Julie Irwin is alone on the ballot for clerk.
And a full slate of four is on for Phillipstown trustees on the 4-year term side: Chad Whitley, Doyle Irwin, Justin Catlin and Ford Johnson will take those seats.
On the 2-year unexpired terms, there are two available and two running: Cindy Maurer and Kerri Whitley will claim those.
Springerton
In the village of Springerton, Curtis R. Rush will be president; and there are no other single offices, much like Mill Shoals.
However, three 4-year terms are on for village trustee, and those will be filled by Billy C. Harl, Christopher York and Matt Lydick.
New Haven
The village of New Haven sits in part in White and in part in Gallatin; this material was covered in Gallatin’s ballots article, but here they are again: A contest for village president in New Haven has emerged, and that’s between Kevin J. Edmonds and Amy Lashley. As well, there’s a contest for clerk, between Erin Gmerek and Riley Wiggins.
Village treasurer will be claimed by Cathy Duffy.
Terra Abell, Zella Medlin and Brigitte Browning will take the three available trustee seats.
Townships
In the various townships in White, there are few races but, admirably, few blank spots on the ballots.
Mill Shoals Township kicks off the list, with Linda South to take the office of supervisor, Stephanie Taylor will be in as clerk, and Dennis Woodrow as highway commissioner.
Four are on the ballot for four trustee positions; those are Harlan Dozier, Ricky South, Mark Sefton and Bill Terrell.
In Burnt Prairie Township, Sheila Westfall will be supervisor, Marcy Fechtig will be clerk, and Alan Williams, highway commissioner.
Four candidates will fill the four trustee positions: Tim Hunsinger, Dennis Heil, Brandon Barbre and Ben Vaupel.
Enfield Township has challenges in the trustee positions, for those that are attempting to fill the 4-year terms: Bill Williams, Scot Weiss, Zach Cushman, Chris Mitchell, Karen McKinney, Heather Smith and John Gunter are all on the ballot for those terms.
A face-off for highway commissioner is also on the ballot in Enfield Township: Jonathan Anderson and Joe Allen are seeking that office.
Otherwise in Enfield Township, J. Bryan Williams will be supervisor and Ronnie York, clerk.
In Carmi Township, the main offices are single-name features on the ballot: Pam Deig will be supervisor, and Jack I. Martin, clerk; however, there is no name on the ballot for township assessor.
However, the challenges come in with the office of highway commissioner. Jason Draper and Chris McEwing both are running for this.
And then in the township trustee race, there are four positions with six running: Rod Matsel, Mike Baxley, David Hall, Tim Scates, John Romig and Kim Egbert seek those seats.
Indian Creek Township has Kern L. Doerner on the ballot as the lone name for supervisor; Virginia Bryant Norton as clerk; and James Hoskins as highway commissioner. There is a position for township assessor, but no candidate. For the offices of trustees – four seats available – David L. Spence, Luther R. Johnson, Nancy Hill and Jeromy Johnson are on the ballot.
Gray Township, located in northeast White, has no ballot battles.
JD Horton will be supervisor; Janet Woolever will take clerk; and Bill Baxter will be highway commissioner. There is no candidate for township assessor. On the board of trustees, Charles Seifried, Roy Woolever, Paul Bova and Bill Waggoner will carry the four seats.
Hawthorne Township has no challenges: Susan Wenzel will be supervisor, Cynthia J. Attebury will be clerk, and Jeff Kisner will be highway commissioner. Trustees will be Arthur Ackerman, Douglas Ackerman, Don Duvall and Kent Williams.
Down in Heralds Prairie Township, the story is the same: Andrea Hays will be supervisor, Carolyn Williams will be clerk, and Scott Hoskins, highway commissioner.
The township board of trustees will be made up of the four running for the four positions available: Lyndel Chapman, Barry Rynkeiwich, Charles E. Mick and David K. Hays.
There’s a bit of a challenge in Phillips Township, this for the board of trustees, where four will be seated but five are competing: Cindy Hodgson, Terry Oeth, Brad Cox, Nicholas Combs and Ruth Ridenour are the candidates. Otherwise, in Phillips, Diana Campbell is on as township supervisor, Riley Matz as clerk, Denny Coston as highway commissioner, and there is no candidate for assessor.
Emma Township has a set of challenges, the first being for highway commissioner. The choice is between Andrew Holtzclaw and David Delong for that office.
Then, for the township board of trustees, four will be selected from a heavy field: Terry Frashier, Thomas Scates, James Pumphrey, Davy L. Miller, Willam Shockley, Helen (Jo) Allen and Jessica Wooten are giving voters choices for that board.
Otherwise, Gidget Wagner will be supervisor, and Laurie Frashier, clerk.
There are two multi-township assessment districts, but no candidate in Mill Shoals-Burnt Prairie-Enfield. However, for the Emma-Hawthorne-Heralds Prairie district, William Gary Baxley is on the ballot alone, and will take the office as assessor as a result.
Library, schools
One library district will be on the ballot this time, and that’s Norris City’s; Alice Sutton and pat Anderson will fill those two 6-year terms.
There are some school district overlaps, and the first available on the ballot in White is that of New Hope in south Wayne; voters will get to elect Nate Carter, Jason Simpson and Daniel Devous for three of four members of the school board there.
Fairfield Community High School’s district also overlaps into White, and voters there will find Tony Conrad on their ballot for an unexpired 2-year term; and on the 4-year terms, Scott A. Merkle in the incorporated area, and Jeremy Carter, Dana Gilbert, Rebecca August and Brent Ellis in the unincorporated areas.
As mentioned in the Edwards County ballot material, there are no candidates for the waning Grayville CUSD.
At Norris City-Omaha-Enfield (NCOE), Bart Henson, Mike Hite, Karen Weiss, Joe Lane and Scott Riggs will be on White’s ballot for school board.
Gallatin County does have overlap in white, and voters there will fine Richard Case, Rob M. Wood and Gary Clayton on their ballots.
And finally, Carmi-White County CUSD 5 has on the ballot four people seeking three seats for 4-year terms: Kent “Pete” Fulkerson, Lee Hicks, Kelli M. Chapman and Marcie Hoskins.
White County is taxed for Illinois Eastern Community College’s District, Rend Lake College’s District, and Southeastern Illinois College’s District, so the names for those will appear on the ballots, and there are no challenges.
The Regional Board of School Trustees in Edwards, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Pope, Saline, Wabash, Wayne and White will be selected in White, with Larry E. Peterson, Les Oyler, John Metcalf, Fred Blessing, Tim Scates, Patrick Abell and Suzanne Dutton facing no challenges for the full board.