**This is a developing story, check back for updates***
Voters across the region headed to the polls to elect new leaders for cities, villages, schools, and other organizations in the April 2 election.
Effingham County:
In Effingham County, voters said no to a 1% sales tax for school facilities. The vote was 55% no to 45% yes.
Mike Schutzbach garnered 52% of the vote to beat Scott Ealy and Jeff Bloemker in the race for Effingham Mayor. Hank Stephens, Larry Micenheimer, Merv Gillenwater, and Libby Moeller secured seats on the City Council.
For Effingham School Board, Jill Wendling, Robin Klosterman, Bradley Waldhoff, and Jane Willenborg were winners.
The Effingham Park District saw Angie Kronewitter and Mike Cunningham win election.
Jason Rippetoe beat Clarence Pagel for Altamont Mayor, while Dan Milleville, Michael Walker, Todd Slingerland, and Taylor Polk won the race for City Council.
Kerry Wolff, Alan Kollmann, Dane Miller, and Shelly Kuhns will be seated on the Altamont Unit 10 School Board.
In Beecher City, Rita Sue Felty won the Village President race, and Stacey Bowlin, Dail Schonschack, and Leslie Wood won seats on the Village Board.
Bernard Hartke, Daniel Zerrusen, and Jane Summers will serve as Teutopolis Trustees.
Franklin County:
Benton voters elected Fred Kondritz as mayor. He defeated Roy Simpkins with 59% of the vote.
In West Frankfort, Tom Jordan won the mayoral race over Ed Blades by a margin of 52 to 47.
In a crowded field for Benton City Commissioner, the winners were Lee Messersmith, Donald Storey, Cathy Ann Garavalia and Ian Zane Perkins.
The Ward 1 Alderman's race in Christopher went to Marian Smith Furlow over Philip Steinmetz.
In Village Trustee races, in Royalton, the winners were John Thomas Bullock, Kyle Stubblefield and Bennie Kalert. In Thompsonville, the winners were Mikki Fox, Brian Cunningham and John Bush and in West City, voters elected Gordon "Chunk" Rice, Bruce Watkins and Bill Baker.
Franklin County voters approved a 1% sales tax for a new courthouse with 56% saying yes.
Jackson County:
Carbondale: Mayor Mike Henry appears to be on his way to reelection.
Though the results are unofficial, with all precincts reporting, Henry was ahead by more than 200 votes over challenger Nathan Colombo.
Henry says he decided to seek a second term in office to keep working on what he's started.
"I'm ready to go forward. I just really, really want to keep us moving on this same positive path."
Henry says he'll continue his work with leaders at SIU Carbondale, along with Southern Illinois Healthcare, to rebuild and strengthen economic and academic opportunities for the region.
Colombo has been involved in numerous activities in and around Carbondale... and says that's not going to change:
"I see the potential in Carbondale, and I want to be one of the figureheads that helps drive our future potential forward."
Meanwhile in Carbondale's other races:
Tom Grant, Lee Fronabarger, and Adam Loos were elected to the City Council
Jane Adams, Kristen Trimble, and Jessica Sergeev secured spots on the Park District Board
By more than a 2-1 margin, voters said they want to explore merging Park District and City operations.Also in Jackson County, the lone contested race on the Murphysboro Board of Aldermen went to William Pierson in Ward 5. He defeated Herby Voss.
Elected to the Carbondale District 95 Board of Education were Carlee Coplea, Angela Watters and John Major.
Jefferson County:
Donte Moore and Raymond Botch Jr. are the winners of the Mt. Vernon City Council race.
Kent Jackson, Merle Hollmann, and David Edwards received the most votes for Mt. Vernon District 80 School Board.
For Mt. Vernon Township High School District 201 School Board Terry Knowles, Matthew Flannigan, Lora Mellot Greathouse and Johnathan Ashby received majority of votes.
Jessica Case, Steven Tate, Travis Cameron and a write-in candidate won the race for Bluford County School District 318 School Board.
Winners in the Field District School Board race are Benjamin Staley, Amanda Wheeler, and Christine Hayes.
In the Rome School Board race Michael Kroeschen, Kelly Tinsley, and Aaron Woodrome won the election.
For the Spring Garden School Board race Michelle Allen, Benjamin Johnson, Emilee Mygatt and Tifanie Hernandez won the election.In the Summersville District School Board race Shannon Rhoades, Jay Koch, and Sarah Brooke Henninger received the most votes.
In Summersville District 79, nearly 80% of voters say school building bonds should be used to improve the Summerville Grade School.
In Field Township, majority of voters, almost 75%, voted that alcohol or liquor should be prohibited.
Perry County:
Robert Spencer has been re-elected as the Mayor Pinckneyville. He defeated Craig Lazenby and Bruce Cope.
The newest members of the Pinckneyville District 204 Board of Education are Mark Stanton IV, Darlene Vanderjack, James Buza and Janet Szczepanksi.
The winners in the race for the school board in Pinckneyville Grade School District 50 are Paul Nehrkorn, Bill Yates and Greg Conway.
The Du Quoin Unit 300 school board members are Crystal Harsy, Brian Rodely and Kevin West.
The winners in Tamaroa Grade School District 5 are Diedra Restofff, Whitney Melton and Misty Doerflein.Cutler Village Trustees are Mario Dolce, Roy Conway and Ronald Kinkade.
Perry County voters said a resounding no to a half-percent sales tax for public safety with 71% opposing it.
Union County:
Anna voters decided to retain Steve Hartline as mayor.
In a crowded field of seven for four spots on the Anna City Council, the winners were business owners, Kathy Bryan and Bryan Miller, along with former State Senate candidate Michael Bigler and incumbent Martha Ann Webb.
Patrick Brumleve, Larry Hackethal and Todd Dietterle were elected to the Cobden Village Board.
Voters elected Jason Stegle, Trenton Colyer and Jennifer Webb to the Shawnee District 84 Board of Education.Voters said yes to a 1% sales tax to be used exclusively for school facility improvements.
Williamson County:
Voters in Marion have elected a new mayor for the first time in 56 years. Business owner Mike Absher took 44% of the vote, beating three others in the race.
Former Fire Chief Anthony Rinella, who'd stepped in as mayor when Bob Butler retired in 2018, came in second in the race. City Councilman Angelo Hightower was third, with Dennis Ball fourth.
In the Marion City Council race, the winners were Jim Webb, Doug Patton, John Stoecklin, and John Goss.
In Carterville, Rod Sievers, Tom Harness, Doug Brinkley, and Charles Liebenrood were elected to the City Council.
Herrin's City Council race saw Sheila Ahlgren, Randy "Blue" Crompton, Steve Miller, and Bill Sizemore winning.
Spillertown voters registered an emphatic "NO" when answering whether the village should be dissolved. The vote was 60-14 against dissolution.
In School Board elections in Williamson County:
Carterville: Jake McCann, Bradley Griffith, and David Schwarts won seats on the Unit 5 Board.
Herrin: Former Superintendent Mark Collins will fill and unexpired term, while Kelly Green, Steve Young, and Susie Etherton also claimed seats on the board.
And in Marion, Patty Bundren, Marc Henshaw, John Barwick, and Joseph Bleyer were elected to the school board.
Community Colleges:
The John A. Logan Board of Trustee winners were William Kilquist and Aaron Smith.
The winners of the Shawnee College Board were Steve Heisner and Andrea Whittoft, while John Windings easily won an unexpired seat.
