By Bruce Rolfe
After featuring contested races in the Climax-Scotts School District, City of Galesburg for the Mayor seat and the Augusta Village Council in the previous two issues, the Climax Crescent is providing basic information with names of candidates who will appear on the November 3 ballot for three local uncontested races along with names of the candidates on the ballot for a contested school board race in Athens.
Two state proposals will also be covered below.
The deadline for write-in candidates was October 23 at 4 p.m.
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. November 3.
Climax Village Council
Running unopposed for three, four-year seats on the Climax Village Council is David Dell, Joshua Fleisher, and Mark E Waterhouse.
The terms of Joline Chaney and Carolyn Chaney and partial term of Ben Moore expire.
G-A School Board
Running unopposed for four, four-year terms on the G-A School Board is Christy Corsi, Sarah Davidson, Diana Shoup, and Laura Wilks, all incumbents.
City of Galesburg
Running unopposed for three, four-year terms on the Galesburg City Council is Judy Finnie, Alejandro S. Gonzalez, and Guillermina Harnden.
The terms of Carol Wortinger, Stanley Chovanec, and Ryan Harnden expire December 31, 2026.
There are four contested races locally.
City of Galesburg
Running for one, two-year term as City Mayor is Ryan Harnden and Glen Hawes.
Both are currently serving on the Galesburg City Council as trustees.
Current Mayor Linda Marble is not running for re-election.
Climax- Scotts Community Schools
Running for three, four-year terms on the Climax-Scotts Board of Education is Dominic Bushouse, Amanda Eyre, Kevin W. Langs, Garrett Meade, Tiffanie Myers, and Terri VandeGiessen. Vande Giessen is the lone incumbent.
Village of Augusta
On the ballot running for three, four-year seats is Andy Ackley, Kim Carlton, Ann Daly, Kelsey Kooiker and Randy Padgett. Ackley, Carlton and Daly are incumbents.
Athens School Board
On the ballot running for four, four-year seats is Wendy Converse, Judi Henckel, John Knowles, Jeffrey A. Penick, Hilary Setlak and Karlee Wheeler.
Penick, Setlak and Knowles are incumbents.
On the ballot running for one, partial term ending December 31, 2028 is Percy Dervan and Sam Wheeler.
There will be two state proposals on the ballot.
Proposal 2026-1
A proposal to convene a constitutional convention for the purpose of drafting a general revision of the state constitution.
Shall a convention of elected delegates be convened in 2027 to draft a general revision of the State Constitution for presentation to the state’s voters for their approval or rejection?
Proposal 2026-2
A proposed initiated law to prohibit campaign contributions from certain regulated utilities and government contractors and apply campaign finance laws and regulations to additional types of political communications.
The proposal would:
• Prohibit regulated electric and gas utilities, contractors with over $250,000 annually in government contracts, and people and organizations with substantial connections to these utilities/contractors from making direct or indirect campaign contributions to those who run for or hold offices that impact them.
• Expand laws regulating spending on political communications, including those requiring disclosing donor information, to apply to communications clearly identifying candidates or ballot questions, even if they do not expressly advocate voting for/against them.
• Expressly apply the law requiring disclosure of who paid for political communications to internet political communications.
Should this proposal be adopted?
Absentee voting (voting by mail):
The following information is from the Kalamazoo County Clerk and Register of Deeds office.
Friday, October 30, at 5 p.m.: Deadline to request an absentee ballot online or by mail for delivery by mail.
Monday, November 2, at 4 p.m.: Deadline for registered voters to request an absentee ballot in person at their city or township clerk’s office.
Tuesday, November 3, at 8 p.m.: Deadline for completed absentee ballots to be received by the voter’s local clerk or deposited in an authorized ballot drop box.
According to the Kalamazoo County Clerk and Register of Deeds office, if returning an absentee ballot within two weeks of Election Day, voters may want to consider taking it to their local jurisdiction’s drop-box or bringing it to an Early Voting site or their precinct on Election Day to avoid any potential mail delays.
Early voting:
Early in-person voting started October 24 and will continue through Sunday, November 1, 2026, for nine consecutive days. Voters must use the early voting location designated for their city or township.
Locations and additional information are available at https://www.kalcounty.gov/451/Early-Voting.
Voters can also visit Michigan.gov/Vote to check their registration, find their polling place, request or track an absentee ballot, and view their sample ballot.
After featuring contested races in the Climax-Scotts School District, City of Galesburg for the Mayor seat and the Augusta Village Council in the previous two issues, the Climax Crescent is providing basic information with names of candidates who will appear on the November 3 ballot for three local uncontested races along with names of the candidates on the ballot for a contested school board race in Athens.
Two state proposals will also be covered below.
The deadline for write-in candidates was October 23 at 4 p.m.
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. November 3.
Climax Village Council
Running unopposed for three, four-year seats on the Climax Village Council is David Dell, Joshua Fleisher, and Mark E Waterhouse.
The terms of Joline Chaney and Carolyn Chaney and partial term of Ben Moore expire.
G-A School Board
Running unopposed for four, four-year terms on the G-A School Board is Christy Corsi, Sarah Davidson, Diana Shoup, and Laura Wilks, all incumbents.
City of Galesburg
Running unopposed for three, four-year terms on the Galesburg City Council is Judy Finnie, Alejandro S. Gonzalez, and Guillermina Harnden.
The terms of Carol Wortinger, Stanley Chovanec, and Ryan Harnden expire December 31, 2026.
There are four contested races locally.
City of Galesburg
Running for one, two-year term as City Mayor is Ryan Harnden and Glen Hawes.
Both are currently serving on the Galesburg City Council as trustees.
Current Mayor Linda Marble is not running for re-election.
Climax- Scotts Community Schools
Running for three, four-year terms on the Climax-Scotts Board of Education is Dominic Bushouse, Amanda Eyre, Kevin W. Langs, Garrett Meade, Tiffanie Myers, and Terri VandeGiessen. Vande Giessen is the lone incumbent.
Village of Augusta
On the ballot running for three, four-year seats is Andy Ackley, Kim Carlton, Ann Daly, Kelsey Kooiker and Randy Padgett. Ackley, Carlton and Daly are incumbents.
Athens School Board
On the ballot running for four, four-year seats is Wendy Converse, Judi Henckel, John Knowles, Jeffrey A. Penick, Hilary Setlak and Karlee Wheeler.
Penick, Setlak and Knowles are incumbents.
On the ballot running for one, partial term ending December 31, 2028 is Percy Dervan and Sam Wheeler.
There will be two state proposals on the ballot.
Proposal 2026-1
A proposal to convene a constitutional convention for the purpose of drafting a general revision of the state constitution.
Shall a convention of elected delegates be convened in 2027 to draft a general revision of the State Constitution for presentation to the state’s voters for their approval or rejection?
Proposal 2026-2
A proposed initiated law to prohibit campaign contributions from certain regulated utilities and government contractors and apply campaign finance laws and regulations to additional types of political communications.
The proposal would:
• Prohibit regulated electric and gas utilities, contractors with over $250,000 annually in government contracts, and people and organizations with substantial connections to these utilities/contractors from making direct or indirect campaign contributions to those who run for or hold offices that impact them.
• Expand laws regulating spending on political communications, including those requiring disclosing donor information, to apply to communications clearly identifying candidates or ballot questions, even if they do not expressly advocate voting for/against them.
• Expressly apply the law requiring disclosure of who paid for political communications to internet political communications.
Should this proposal be adopted?
Absentee voting (voting by mail):
The following information is from the Kalamazoo County Clerk and Register of Deeds office.
Friday, October 30, at 5 p.m.: Deadline to request an absentee ballot online or by mail for delivery by mail.
Monday, November 2, at 4 p.m.: Deadline for registered voters to request an absentee ballot in person at their city or township clerk’s office.
Tuesday, November 3, at 8 p.m.: Deadline for completed absentee ballots to be received by the voter’s local clerk or deposited in an authorized ballot drop box.
According to the Kalamazoo County Clerk and Register of Deeds office, if returning an absentee ballot within two weeks of Election Day, voters may want to consider taking it to their local jurisdiction’s drop-box or bringing it to an Early Voting site or their precinct on Election Day to avoid any potential mail delays.
Early voting:
Early in-person voting started October 24 and will continue through Sunday, November 1, 2026, for nine consecutive days. Voters must use the early voting location designated for their city or township.
Locations and additional information are available at https://www.kalcounty.gov/451/Early-Voting.
Voters can also visit Michigan.gov/Vote to check their registration, find their polling place, request or track an absentee ballot, and view their sample ballot.
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