ANR previews general election coverage

With the Nov. 5 General Election now just seven weeks away, the Aurora News-Register is planning profiles of candidates in five local competitive races and will introduce a newcomer who is running unopposed for the Aurora 4R School Board.
In addition to the choices voters will face for the U.S. presidential, Senate and House races, as well as the various ballot issues on the November ballot, voters in Hamilton County will have a number of local elections to decide depending on where in the county they live. Several elections are uncontested, and in one village there are not even enough candidates to fill the open seats on the board of trustees. In several of the county’s political subdivisions, however, there are contested races, and those are the elections ANR will be giving special attention to over the next several weeks.
ANR is in the process of sending out a list of questions to each of the candidates in these races and will publish their responses and their photos. The questions seek biographical information from the candidates as well as their positions on issues facing their particular political subdivision.

Election coverage schedule
The coverage will begin next week, Sept. 25, with a look at the four-way race for three seats on the Hampton Public School Board. Up for re-election are incumbents Megan Faller, Tamara Wiens and Derek Klute. Non-incumbent Mitchell Fagan will be seeking election to one of those seats.
The following week, Oct. 2, ANR will feature races for the Giltner School Board and the Phillips Village Board. In Giltner, the terms of incumbents Brad Schutt, Joseph Happold and Michael Wilson are seeking re-election, and are challenged by Amanda Eastman who hopes to pick off one of those seats. In Phillips, where two seats are up for grabs, incumbent board chair Jim Crawford is seeking to be elected to the board after his appointment to fill out an unexpired term on the board. Newcomers John Briseno and Deanna Weir are also running for election to the village board.
ANR’s Oct. 9 edition will highlight the candidates in a race for a seat on the Aurora Airport Authority. Former airport board member Ross Beins, who ran unopposed in the primary election in May, faces a challenge from Kasey Wessels who is running a write-in campaign.
The Village of Marquette takes center stage on Oct. 16 when its seven-way race for only two open seats on the village board will be the focus of an article. Readers will meet the two incumbents, Richard Archer and Dennis Saum, who are joined by William Gfeller; Jerry D. Jervah, Jr.; Kenny Aerni; Vincent White and Angela Pierce in a crowded field.
Also that week, Aurora voters will be introduced to Chad Carlson who is running unopposed for a seat on the 4R school board.
Finally on Oct. 23, readers will meet two candidates for the Dist. 3 Hamilton County Commission seat currently held by John Thomas who is not seeking re-election. Jessie Merkel, who was the winner of a three-way primary race for the Republican nomination is faced by Ray Simmons, who is running a write-in campaign. The two men will have an opportunity to put their qualifications and positions before the voters in a profile article that week.
The week before the election, on Oct. 30, ANR will present a roundup article, again listing all of the candidates and issues voters will see on their ballots when they go to vote Nov. 5.
Incidentally, Monday, Oct. 7 will be the first day for early voting in person at the county clerk’s office.