A slew of filings will give voters plenty of choices when they head to the polls in the Nov. 4 general election for a number of city and school board races.
Most notably, Iola-USD 257’s Board of Education race got another candidate when Lisa Wicoff filed prior to Monday’s deadline.
She joins incumbents Robin Griffin-Lohman, John Masterson and John Wilson, along with Nathan Cunningham. The top three vote-getters among the five hopefuls will get the school board seats, and will be sworn in next January.
The LaHarpe City Council race also got a little more crowded, when Craig Trester threw his hat in the electoral ring. He joins incumbents Cynthia Carr, Ronald Knavel Sr. and Sharlyn Thompson, along with challengers Harry Lee Jr. and Kendra Michael. The top three will earn Council seats.
The Moran City Council race also will be a contested one with three new filings for two seats. All three who filed are newcomers, Brad Barrere, Michael Stodgell and Candace Tyler. Councilman Lee Roberts, whose seat was up for re-election, is instead running as the only candidate for Moran mayor.
THE IOLA CITY Council will have one contested race, with incumbent Nich Lohman facing Myra Gleason in Iola’s Third Ward, which covers the southwest quadrant of the city.
Former Councilman Mark Peters was the only candidate to file in Ward 2, the northeast quadrant, to fill the seat held by Joel Wicoff, who opted not to run again. Jeremiah Ivy filed to represent Iola’s Fourth Ward, in the southeast part of the town, the only candidate to put his name in the running. He is looking to fill the seat of Benedikt Middleton, who is not running for re-election.
A write-in candidate will be needed to represent Iola’s First Ward, which covers the northwest part of town. Incumbent Joisah D’Albini did not run for re-election, nor did anybody else.
Nobody else filed to face Mayor Steve French in his re-election bid.
THE HUMBOLDT City Council also will require two write-in candidates to fill seats. Nobody filed for the Ward 1, Position 3 seat held by Kent Goodner, nor did anyone file for Ward 2, Position 4, a seat held by Sarah Hart.
Blake McDaniel filed to keep his seat for Humboldt’s Ward 1, Position 4. He will be unopposed in November, as will John Lassman, who filed for the Ward 2, Position 3 seat held by Cindy Holinsworth. Holinsworth did not file for re-election.
Mayor Nobby Davis is the only candidate to file for his seat.
The Humboldt-USD 258 Board of Education will almost certainly remain unchanged after the election, with incumbents Joyce Allen, Nathan Ellison and Ashley Johnson the only ones to file.
FOR MARMATON Valley-USD 256, incumbents Kenneth McVey and Ryan Smith filed for re-election, while Michael Stodgell filed for the third at-large seat up for grabs. Incumbent Jackie Walls declined to run again.
The Allen Community College Board of Trustees also will likely see no changes, with only three candidates — incumbents Becky Nilges, Jenny Spillman and Jessica Thompson — the only three to file.
HARRY Holloway is the only candidate to file for Gas mayor. Richard Morrison filed for the City Council, leaving one other seat to be filled by write-in.
