Staff writer
It was a small crowd in the courthouse hall Tuesday as election votes were counted.
Commissioners Randy Dallke, David Crofoot, and Jonah Gehring, Marion resident Gene Winkler, Marion city council member Ruth Herbel, and city council candidates Darvin Markley, and Zach Collett sat in the hallway watching numbers being posted on an electronic screen.
Marion
Four people contended for two Marion city council seats.
Early voting gave 106 votes to Zach Collett, 86 to Chris Costello, 64 to Darvin Markley, and 22 to Katherine Young.
That trend continued through final voting with Collett getting 263 votes and Costello getting 217. Markley garnered 168 votes and Young was given 60.
Peabody
In other contested races, five candidates ran for two Peabody city council seats.
Catherine Weems took the top number of votes at 124. Next behind her was Lindsay Hutchison with 86.
Kim Nellans garnered 69 votes, incumbent Travis Wilson got 46 votes, and Stephen Rose got 33.
Goessel
Three candidates ran for two Goessel city council seats.
Evan Esau came in first with 64 votes, Duane Adrian second with 58, and Cynthia Gaddis was edged out at 24 votes.
School boards
Challenger Steven Janzen won USD 408 school board position 4 by a landslide, with 492 votes to incumbent Katherine Young’s 93.
Incumbent Jan Helmer edged out challenger Clara Sprowls for USD 408 school board position 5. Helmer got 322 votes and Sprowls 268.
Eight candidates filed for three open positions on USD 410 school board.
Scott Winter was top winner with 339 votes. Sara Wichert came in a close second with 327. Jessey Hiebert came in third with 278.
Among the others, Chasen Gann and Ashley Kleiber tied for 184 votes, Heather Christner got 72 votes, Douglas Bibens, 26, and Louis Simmons, 37.