Community members on the Nov. 7 ballot

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

Area residents seeking a local elected position had until Thursday, Sept. 21, to submit paperwork to the Fayette County Auditor to get their names on the ballot. 

On Nov. 7, local residents within the 13 incorporated cities in Fayette County will head to the polls to cast a vote in their city council and mayoral races. Of the 13 races, Elgin, Fayette, Hawkeye, Wadena, and Westgate have contested races. West Union is the only town with a public measure on its ballot. 

It should be noted that these are the only candidates whose names will appear on the ballot. That doesn’t mean they are the only people a resident can vote for, as there is always a space to write in someone's name. 

The race gets interesting in Fayette as all five city council members are up this year. All five incumbents — Tiffany Kragnes, Curtis Larson, Patricia Nefzger, Amy Tucker, and Nancy Wulfekuhle — will seek re-election. The five are being challenged by Matt Cowley and Tiffany Stouffer. With Fayette residents asked to vote for five people, the five highest vote-getters will be elected. Incumbent Mayor Andrew Wenthe is running unopposed. 

Hawkeye has two contested races on its ballot. Jeremy James Eickhoff will challenge incumbent Mayor Donald Kelly for his position. Joshua Hanson, Keith Kovarik, and Brent Ungerer will challenge incumbents Terry Buenzow and John Campbell for the three city council seats. Hawkeye residents will be asked to vote for three, with the three highest vote-getters being elected. Allison Rose will not seek re-election to her position on the council.

In Maynard, incumbents Dan Howard (mayor), Kelly Beacom (city council), Rick Howard (city council), Richard Scheffel (city council), and Jennifer Conner (city council) are running unopposed for their positions. 

In Randalia, incumbent Mayor Mark Amos, while incumbent City Councilmember Shane Prochaska and Guadalupe Jensen are all running unopposed. 

Finally, in Westgate, incumbent Mayor Gene Rubendall is being opposed for his seat by Don Bushaw. In the city council race, incumbent Harvey Richards and newcomer Mike Rover are seeking election to the two seats up for election. No one is on the ballot to fill the city council vacancy left by Bruce Mueller, who died last year.