Ballot crowded in Climax Village Council race

By Bruce Rolfe

All positions will be contested in the Climax Village Council election November 6.

The deadline to file an affidavit of identity and a nonpartisan petition to be placed on the November 6 ballot was July 23, however according to Chief Deputy Clerk/Register John Curran  the write-in deadline is October 25.

Interim President David Miller will face Bill Lewis on the ballot for a four-year term as Village President.

There are six candidates on the ballot running for three, four-year seats.

Current Village Trustees Alyssa Schwili, Janet Sutherland, Arlene R. VonHout and Nicholas Ludwig will join Cathy Weissert and Denise Munor Pyle running for three seats.

While Benjerman Moore will be the lone candidate on the ballot seeking a partial term (ending 11/30/2026) trustee seat, the Kalamazoo County Clerk office said Joshua Fleisher filed paper work to run as a write in candidate for the partial term.

Voters can vote on election day, vote in person through early voting, which must be offered from Saturday, October 26 through Sunday, November 3 for at least eight hours a day, or cast an absentee ballot, which must be available for issuance September 26.

Climax Township


There will be four incumbents and one new candidate running unopposed for seats on the Climax Township Board.

Sarah DeBoer, who defeated Murat Bates in the August Primary under the Republican ticket for Climax Township clerk, will be seeking election to the position that current clerk Marcia Lewis held for many years but is not running for re-election.

Incumbent Richard Thierjung, running under the Republican ticket, and Cheryl Bates, running under the Democrat ticket, are running unopposed for the two trustee positions. Current treasurer Steven Walman and incumbent supervisor Trent Piper, are also running under the Republican ticket unopposed.

Charleston Township


All positions on the Charleston Township Board ballot will be uncontested and all candidates are incumbents.

Current supervisor Jerry VanderRoest will be running for a four-year term under the Republican ticket, current clerk Alese LePert, will be running for a four-year term under no party affiliation, current treasurer Kim Balkema will be seeking a four-year term running under the Republican ticket, and current trustees Brian Moravek, running under no party affiliation, and Joshua Balkema, running under the Republican ticket, will both be running for four-year terms.

Pavilion Township


Seven candidates will be running unopposed for seats in Pavilion Township.

Incumbents Greg Thomas, Dan Frizzo, David Steffens and Edward Cagney will be running unopposed for four trustee positions under the Republican ticket.

Incumbent supervisor John Speeter, incumbent clerk Karen Emily Siegwart, and current treasurer Robyn Maxson will be running unopposed under the Republican ticket.

Village of Augusta


In The Village of Augusta all races will be uncontested unless there are write-in candidates that meet the October 25 deadline.

John E. Thomas will be seeking a four-year term for Village president.

Terry L. Burghdoff, H. Valerie Silkworth, and Christina L. Thomas will be on the ballot running for four-year terms and Andrew Ackley, will be on the ballot running for a partial term (ending 12/31/2026).

Wakeshma Township


All five candidates on the ballot in Wakeshma will be running unopposed for four-year positions.

Incumbent supervisor Jason Gatlin, incumbent treasurer Leanne Munn, and incumbent trustees Barbara Thole and Trevor Bennett will all be running under the Republican ticket.

Because Deputy Clerk Michael Fry filed his affidavit of identity as a candidate without party affiliation for the August Primary, his name will appear on the November General Election for the clerk position.

Four Running Unopposed for
Board of Education Seats in C-S, G-A School District


Four current members of the Climax-Scotts Board of Education will be running unopposed for four-year terms in the November election.

Current board president Sue Reichert, board vice-president Trent Piper, and trustees Lori Bagwell and Jacqueline Longman will be seeking four-year terms, running as non-partisan candidates.

All four candidates on the November ballot for Board of Education seats in the Galesburg-Augusta School District will be running unopposed.

Jessica Eberstein, Nathan Smeltzer, and Gary Gillette are running as non-partisan candidates for three, four-year seats and Sarah Davidson is the lone candidate running for a partial term ending 12/31/2026 as a non-partial candidate.

––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
https://www.legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available