April 6 Election Had Low Turnout In Crawford County
Turnout was just 9.18% for Tuesday’s municipal elections throughout Crawford County.
When voters went to the polls five months ago for the general election, turnout was 68%.
County wide, voters approved two propositions that will keep existing sales taxes on the books.
Locally, the city of Bourbon’s only aldermanic race ended in a tie, Jason Delashmit won a seat to the Bourbon Fire Protection District’s board of directors and Jessica Sutton won reelection to the Crawford County R-1 School Board.
County
Voters in Crawford County had to decide whether or not to continue two sales taxes — capital improvements and law enforcement.
Proposition 1 asked voters to extend the capital improvements sales tax, which helps fund county projects.
Voters overwhelmingly approved the measure 851-554.
The law enforcement sales tax slid through by a more narrow margin — 756-648.
County voters established the tax in 2001 to pay for the jail.
The county has paid off the facility, but the tax is still used to fund repairs and improvements.
Both taxes bring in more than $1 million annually.
Fire Board
Delashmit emerged from a five-way race to unseat incumbent Roger Martin and secure a six-year term on the Bourbon Fire Board.
Martin has been on the board since 2009.
In Crawford County, Delashmit garnered 114 votes — or 39% — and easily topped the other four challengers.
Bob Hofstetter received 84 votes.
Kenny McGraw received 38 votes.
Diane Noltkamper had 25 votes and Martin 18 votes.
There was one write-in.
Alderman
Mary Heywood and Clifford Crawford were each making a bid to fill the seat in Ward 2, but they have tied.
Both candidates received 21 votes.
See more on this story below.
In Ward 1, Margie Brine won a two-year term. The alderwoman has served since October 2019. Last June, she won a one-year term.
School Board
Jessica Sutton prevailed over Deborah Dicus in the race for a one-year term on the Crawford County R-1 School Board.
Sutton received 263 votes to Dicus’ 74.
Sutton was appointed to the seat last September when John Craig moved out of the district and resigned.
The seat will be up for a full three-year term in April 2022.