Local News
Elections gear up with candidate filings
The race for the District H seat on the Effingham County Board next year is shaping up as a rematch of the 2006 race.
Both incumbent Mark Percival and former board member Mike Brown have filed for the seat during the filing period that ended Monday.
Republican Percival defeated Democrat Brown in the 2006 general election. Brown had served eight years after defeating Percival in the latter’s 1998 bid for re-election.
Neither man faces primary opposition. District H covers much of the southeast corner of the county, including Dieterich and much of rural Watson.
As a result of filings, it also appears that board districts B and D will have contested general elections next November. As it stands, Republican James Niemann will challenge Democrat incumbent Don Althoff in District B, while Republican incumbent David Campbell will square off against Democrat Gene Jackson.
Campbell was appointed earlier this year to fill the unexpired term of the late Don Cunningham.
Democrat incumbent Larry Vahling was the only District I candidate to file last week. Republican can nominate someone to challenge Vahling after the primary election next February.
Republican Jeff Simpson was the only District F candidate to file last week. Simpson, the longtime Effingham County Supervisor of Assessments, is seeking to replace the retiring Charles Voelker on the board.
As far as countywide offices are concerned in Effingham County, the only contested office will be that of sheriff, where Republican incumbent John Monnet will square off against Kristopher Lipe in the GOP primary. The winner will face the winner of the Democratic primary between Herman (Junior) Willis or Harry Davis.
The other three countywide offices will all be unopposed, unless someone steps in on behalf of the opposition party. County Clerk Kerry Hirtzel and County Treasurer Steve Dasenbrock are both seeking new terms, while Pam Braun of Effingham is hoping to replace Simpson as Supervisor of Assessments.
Hirtzel and Braun are Republicans, while Dasenbrock is a Democrat.
In other area counties, the Primary looks to be uneventful with mostly current county board members and office holders looking to retain their positions.
It was all incumbents who filed for re-election in Fayette County since Oct. 26 with the exception of one newcomer.
Filing to run opposed on the Republican ticket in the Primary for county board seats are the following: District 2, Jeffrey Beckman; District 4, Dean Bernhardt; District 5, Darrell Schaal; District 6, newcomer Glenn L. Gurtner; and District 7, Blaine J. Wilhour.
Filing to run unopposed on the Democratic ticket is Loy Staff for Fayette County Board District 3.
Shelby County Primary also looks to be filled with incumbents seeking to retain their seats on Shelby County Board.
Filing to run on the Democratic ticket are incumbents Richard L. Hayden for District 1, Richard L. Reynolds Jr. for District 8 and Paul Brooks for District 10. Newcomer LaVonne Chaney is running for District 2.
Filing to run on the Republican ticket are incumbents Robert N. Jordan for District 2, Barbara Bennett for District 5, James Warren for District 6; Donald Strohl for District 7; and newcomer Gary Gergenia for District 8.
In Jasper County, County Treasurer and Clerk are the only contested positions. Incumbent Democrat for County Clerk Linda Griffith Huth is running against Republican Gordon Yager.
The field for Treasurer is busy with Connie Griffith, Dustin Granby and Maria Huddleston running on the Democratic ticket and Susan Lindley, Clinton Bigard and Don Hickox on the Republican side.
All incumbents ran for Jasper County Board, with Ron Swick and Brian Leffler filing for District 1.
In District 2, William Weber is running on the Democratic ticket, with Dale Hasket as a Republican.
District 3 has incumbent Democrats Danny Kerner and Mark Smithhenry also running unopposed.
In Clay County, incumbent Republican Brenda Britton is running unopposed for County Clerk.
For Treasurer Steven W. Stortzum is running on the Republican ticket against Jana Tolliver.
Democratic incumbent Sheriff James C. Sulsberger is running unopposed.
For County Board, Democratic candidates are Dale Weber, District D; Joe Rudolphi, District F; Vernon Guinn, District K.
On the Republican ticket for County Board are Janice A. Brooks, District D; Ted Whitehead, District I; Ron King District J.
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