Staff writer
Of the 604 votes cast in Marion’s city election last week, quite a few went to write-ins or were left blank.
Two full terms on the city council seats were won by Timothy Baxa with 449 votes and Amy Smith with 421 votes. Incumbent Ruth Herbel followed up with 239 votes.
The three candidates had write-in competition. Billy the Kid, Bob Brookens, Darvin Markley, Isaac Hett, Joan Meyer, Michael Sigel, Nanette Lowry, None of the Above, Pam Newlin, Robert Crawford, Ryan Newell, Someone Other Than a Follower, and Florence resident Tom Britain also got votes.
An unexpired term held by Kevin Burkholder, appointed to the position after the death of Chris Costello, drew several write-in candidates in addition to the 496 votes for Burkholder. They included Anyone but Him, Bigfoot, Duane McCarty, Eric Meyer (with three votes), Gene Winkler, disgraced former police chief Gideon Cody, Greg Houston, Joan Meyer (with two votes), Kelly Shaft, Neal Whitaker, No, Other, Timothy Baxa, Todd Winter, and Amy Smith.
Sole mayoral candidate Mike Powers won the vote with 542. His write-in competition included Batman, Bob Brookens, Doug Regnier, Greg Carlson, Joan Meyer (with three votes), Kelly Shaft, Lisa Adame, “Mrgo” Yates, Mike Regnier, Other, Powers is a Fake, Powers is a Joke, Ruth Herbel (with two votes), Ryan Newell, and Someone Honest.
In the Hillsboro mayoral race, Lou Thurston won handily with 277 votes. His write-in competition included Anybody Else, Anyone, Charlotte Kennedy-Takahashi, Don “Kenning,” Donald Duck, and Elmer Fudd.
Mickey Mouse got a vote for Peabody City Council, Hillsboro City Council, and Chisholm Trail Extension District.
“Nobody” got a vote for Florence mayor.
In the race for five positions on Durham City Council, write-ins saved the day. Besides Shirley Flaming and Nancy Lorraine Wedel, Jarid Rosenberger, Lisa Sutton, and Michael Sorensen were elected.
Unexpected write-in votes for Chisholm Trail Extension District included Donald Trump, Jesus, Any, Anyone, No One, Doe, Don’t Know, Eric Meyer, Go Marion Record!, Goofy, I Don’t Know, Me, Mickey, Mouse, No Idea, No Name, Nobody, None of the Above, None of the Above II, Nope, Not Sure, November, Patrick “Maholmes,” Randal G. Brazil, Ruth Herbel, Ryan Newell, Santa “Clause,” Scooby, Superman, Taylor Swift, Unknown, Whomever, and WTF.
Donald Duck, Anyone but Her, and X got votes for Peabody-Burns school board.
Anyone Else (with two votes), None of the Above (with two votes), Anybody but Nick Kraus, and Someone Else got votes for Marion-Florence school board.
Anybody Else got a vote for Centre school board.