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No local races = low voter turnout

With only one local contest on the ballot, light voter turnout was expected in Fayette County for Tuesday’s primary election.

Indeed, that was the case, with only 2,533 of the county’s 15,129 voters (16.74 percent) going to the polls.
One of the things that boosted the turnout total to that level was the Republican presidential primary. While Mitt Romney won Illinois on Tuesday, Rick Santorum won in Fayette County, 986-636.
Ron Paul received 225 votes, Newt Gingrich was fourth  with 178 votes, and Rick Perry tallied 10 votes.
On the Democrat side, incumbent President Barack Obama received 368 votes in Fayette County.
With such light voter turnout, election work in the office of Fayette County Clerk and Recorder Terri D. Braun was completed within two hours of the closing of the polls at 7 p.m.
The only local contest was in Ramsey 1, where Timothy Pryor defeated Richard Challans, 43-19, for the Republican precinct committeeman spot.
While Tuesday’s election allowed voters to choose party representatives for the general election in November, a number of ballot spots remain vacant. Many of those spots will be filled by local parties during the county conventions on April 18.
Also on April 18, Braun’s office will hold a lottery to determine which party will have the top spots on the general election ballot.
Unofficial vote totals for Fayette County are as follows:
• U.S. Representative-15th District – John Shimkus-R, 1,827; Michael Angela-D, 381.
• State Senator-54th District – Kyle McCarter-R, 1,800; D, Danny Stover, 396.
• State Representative-107th District – John Cavaletto-R, 1,778; No Democratic candidate.
• Fayette County Circuit Clerk – Mary Sue Ruot-D, 438; No Republican candidate.
• Fayette County State’s Attorney – Joshua Morrison, 1,734; No Democratic candidate. Incumbent Stephen Friedel, a Democrat, has not yet decided whether he will seek re-election.
• Fayette County Coroner – Bruce Bowen-R, 1,859; No Democratic candidate.
• Regional Superintendent of Schools – Julie Wollerman-D, 359; No Republican candidate.
Fayette County Board
All 14 seats on the county board are up for election in November.
Of those candidates who are currently on the general election ballot, all but Bryce Kistler, in District 6, are incumbents.
• District 1 – Democrats Loy Staff, 72, and Jean Finley*, 96; No Republican candidates
• District 2 – Jeffrey Beckman-R, 221; and John Daniels Jr.-D, 52.
• District 3 – Stephen Knebel-R, 264; and Glen “Whitey” Daniels-D, 50.
• District 4 – Republicans Dean Bernhardt, 209, and John Blythe, 209; No Democratic candidates.
• District 5 – Republicans Keith Cole, 221, and Darrell Schaal, 246; No Democratic candidates.
• District 6 – Republicans Kistler, 198, and Glenn Gurtner, 232; Joe Kelly-D, 63.
• District 7 – Republicans Wade Wilhour, 237, and Troy Pattillo, 218.
Precinct Committeemen
Tuesday’s election was held to fill Republican and Democrat committeeman spots in each county precinct, though many ballot spots were vacant.
Totals for those receiving votes on Tuesday are as follows:
• Avena 1 – D-Fleeta Guffey, 13.
• Avena 2 – No candidates.
• Bear Grove 3 – R-Scott Workman, 59.
• Bowling Green 1 – D-Nelson Sarver, 19.
• Carson 1 – No candidates.
• Hurricane 1 – D-Ben Davidson, 8.
• South Hurricane 1 – No candidates.
• Kaskaskia 1 – No candidates.
• LaClede 1 – R-Gwendolyn Loy-Ware, 74.
• Lone Grove 1 – No candidates.
• Loudon 1 – D-Allen Wright, 19.
• Otego 1 – No candidates.
• Otego 2 – D-Bruce Hall, 10.
• Pope 1 – No candidates.
• Ramsey 1 – R-Richard Challans, 19, and Timothy Pryor, 43; and D-Fred Bauerle, 25.
• Ramsey 2 – R-Ronald Wilson, 57; and D-James Bolyard, 32.
• Sefton 1 – R-Mark Schaub, 67.
• Seminary 1 – No candidates.
• Shafter 1 – R-Matt Hall, 55.
• Sharon 1 – D-John Cearlock, 14.
• Vandalia 1 – R-Dan Palecek, 45; and D-K. Randall Braun, 12.
• Vandalia 2 – No candidates.
• Vandalia 3 – No candidates.
• Vandalia 4 – R-Michael Hall, 38.
• Vandalia 5 – D-Charles Ruot, 8.
• Vandalia 6 – R-Randal “Chad” Feldpouch, 82; and D-Ken Kessler, 15.
• Vandalia 7 – D-Brian Donnals, 25.
• Vandalia 8 – R-Randy Pollard, 83; and D-Glen Daniels, 23.
• Vandalia 9 – No candidates.
• Wheatland 1 – D-Denise Stine, 11.
• Wilberton 1 – No candidates.

Bret Brosman gets ready to vote at the polling place in Wesley Hall at First United Methodist Church on Tuesday afternoon. Vandalia 3 election judges are, from left to right, Gary Ehrat, Joan Siebert, Lynda Schulte and Michele Barker.

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