Five Democrats Win Seats In Various Town Elections

Once again, the Republican Party took most of the seats available in the municipal elections; however, the Democrats placed five of their 13 candidates in office Tuesday.

In North Webster, the new town clerk will be Democrat Alice "Betsy" Luce, who received 144 (53.33 percent) of the votes over Republican Lisa Strombeck-Francis, who received 126 votes (46.67 percent.

Kay Andrews was re-elected to a fifth term on the town council. She was the only incumbent to make it past the town caucus held in September.

Andrews received 158 votes (20.65 percent), while fellow Republican Jon Sroufe got 206 votes, or 26.93 percent.

This is Sroufe's first elected position, although he has served on several prominent community boards.

The Republicans will be joined by Democrat Jane Shepherd, who received 177 votes (23.14 percent). This is the first time two women have served on North Webster's town council at the same time.

Shepherd and Luce are sisters.

Challenger John Routh received 134 votes and James Chapman received 90 votes.

In Mentone. newcomer Barbara Ross received 132 votes (100 percent); she had no challenger.

Mentone voters also selected a Democrat, Timothy Croy, to represent them on the council.

He received 102 votes (22.72 percent), followed by Republicans Mark Hughes, the incumbent, who received 96 votes (21.38 percent), and Jack Simpson, who received 80 votes (18.82 percent).

Challenger Forrest Kantner received 72 votes; Terry Reed, 56 votes; and Lynn Phillips, 43 votes.

In Silver Lake, Republicans were overwhelmingly approved, with Angela Glass receiving 176 votes (87.56 percent) over Democrat Dawn Pruitt, who received 25 votes (12.44 percent).

The town council is composed of Republicans Thomas A. Waite, who received 141 votes (23.66 percent); Ronald Jones, 136 votes (22.82 percent); and Stanley Williams, 111 votes (18.62 percent).

Williams is a former town councilman, serving from 1996 to 1999.

The men defeated Democrat challengers, incumbents Gale Owens, Brenda Wadkins and Janice Horn. Owens received 89 votes; Wadkins, 58; and Horn received 33 votes. Independent Wilbur Brake, also a former town councilman, received 28 votes.

In Pierceton, Democrat Janet Castle was unchallenged and received 96 votes (100 percent).

A new member, Robert Tenney, a Republican, will join incumbents Jerry Kreger and Terry Hill. Tenney received 84 votes (26.75 percent); Kreger, a Republican, received 75 votes (23.89 percent; and Hill, a Democrat, received 64 votes (20.38 percent.)

Republican challenger Rex Alley received 47 votes (14.97 percent) and Democrat and incumbent Ron Hall had 44 votes (14.01 percent).

Countywide, 22 percent of registered voters turned up at polling places Tuesday - 2,286 voters out of a possible 10,215.