April 9th Municipal Election Results

Here are highlights of Tuesday's local elections in east-central Illinois.

Urbana Mayoral and Township Races

Laurel Prussing has won a third term as mayor of Urbana.

With all precincts reporting, Prussing, a Democrat, defeated her Republican challenger Rex Bradfield, 1818 votes to 1090. That comes out to 62.52% of the vote for Prussing, to Bradfield's 37.48%

This is the 2nd time that Bradfield has run against Prussing. He was unsuccessful in his earlier challenge in 2009.

Also in Urbana, Democrat Dan Stebbins won 1,594 votes, or nearly 60 percent of the total, to win re-election as Cunningham Township Assessor. Stebbins defeated challenger Laura Sandefur, a fellow Democrat who ran as an independent.

Longtime Cunningham Township Supervisor Carol Elliott did not seek re-election. A fellow Democrat, Michelle Mayol, won her seat without opposition.

Champaign Races

Williams A. Kyles II won re-election to the District 1 on the Champaign City Council, defeating her predecessor Gina Jackson, 213 votes to 149. Kyles won a second term with nearly 59 percent of the vote.  District 1 provided the only contested city council race in Champaign --- the other districts saw incumbent re-elected without opposition.

In City of Champaign township races, Democrat Andrew Quarnstrom upset incumbent Republican Pam Borowski. Quarnstrom, a firefighter, received 1643 votes, or 53 percent of the total, to Borowski's 1442.

Township Assessor Brian Christie narrowly won re-election over Democratic challenger Wayne Williams. Christie won 51 percent of the vote. His 1588 votes bested Williams by 78 votes.

Danville City Council

Two newcomers will be joining the Danville City Council.

Voters in Ward Three chose former city employee R.J. Davis over incumbent Alderman William “Bill” Gilbert, by a vote of 169 t0 79.

Davis already had a role in the direction of Danville city government. In the 1980s, he was part of a lawsuit that led to change in Danville’s form of government, from commission to its current mayor-aldermanic format.

Meanwhile, in Ward Two, Frank Hoskins defeated a fellow newcomer, Darrell R. Heath, 134 to 121. Hoskins will succeed Alderwoman Lois Cooper, who did not seek re-election.

Incumbent won the other Danville City Council races. Michael Puhr defeated Janis Ostiguy in Ward Five. Steve Foster beat Al Reynolds by a two to one margin in Ward Seven.

Mahomet

Patrick J. Brown easily defeated incumbent Debra Coffin Braunig to win election as Mahomet village President. Brown won 636 votes, or nearly 78 percent of the total. Braunig won 180 votes.

Rantoul

Rantoul Mayor Neal Williams was defeated by Chuck Smith in a close race. Smith won 881 votes (53 percent) to Williams' 761 votes.

Homer Village Board

Opponents of providing water services to a new coal mine seem to have predominated in the election for three seats on the Homer Village Board.

Incumbent Roy Woodmansee II, Susan Forsyth and Kevin Knott were the three frontrunners in the  six-candidate race, with 154, 128 and 109 votes respectively.. However, Knott had previously announced his withdrawal from the race. Challenger Billy Mitchell is the next candidate in line, with 108 votes. Woodmansee, Forsyth and Mitchell have all stated their opposition to the mine. Voters rejected the other two village board candidates, incumbents Larry Mingee and outgoing village President David Lucas.

Raymond Cunningham, a supporter of the mine project, won election as Homer village President, without opposition.

Decatur

Voters re-elected three incumbents to the Decatur City Council.  Jerry Dawson, Pat McDaniel and Julie Moore-Wolfe were the top vote-getters in the race, with 5710, 5323 and 5225 votes, respectively. They defeated challenger Derrick Thaxton, who came in fourth with 2632 votes. Another challenger, Craig Wilson, withdrew from the race too late to get his name removed from the ballot; he still received 1434 votes.

Hoopeston

Hoopeston Mayor Bill Crusinberry won another term in office, defeating challenger Jeramy Dobkins, 696 votes to 204. Crusinberry won 77 percent of the vote.

Douglas County Referendum

Voters in Douglas County have approved a one-cent sales tax to fund school construction projects, by a count of 2346 to 1755.

With all 19 precincts reporting, about 57 percent of ballots cast were in favor of the sales-tax referendum.

Revenue from the sales tax can be used to build or renovate school buildings and related facilities. Champaign and Macon Counties have already passed such sales taxes.

Bethany

In the Moultrie County town of Bethany, an alcohol proposition was rejected 305 to 143. 68 percent of voters rejected that proposal that liquor sales be prohibited in the village.

Charleston

Larry Rennels has been elected mayor of Charleston, according to figures posted online by Coles County election authorities.

With all 21 precincts in the city reporting, Rennels received 1192 votes, or 65.6% of the total. Brian Myerscough was second with 536 votes, or 29.5%. Troy A. Richey received 89 votes, for 4.9%.

Rennels will succeed current Mayor John Inyart, who decided not to see re-election.

Electric Aggregation

Voters in unincorporated DeWitt County have rejected an electrical aggregation proposal, by a vote of 360 (Yes) to 277 (No).

But they're about the only community in east-central Illinois that thought that way on Tuesday. Voters in other communities said yes to aggregation programs, in which local government hosts a group purchase of electricity for residents and businesses, in order to get a better rate.

In Champaign County, eletrical aggregation propositions passed in Fisher, Sidney, Tolono and Philo.

In Vermilion County, the question passed in Danville, Hoopeston, Catlin, Fithian, Muncie, Oakwood, Ridge Farm, Rossville, Tilton and Westville.

Argenta, Long Creek, Maroa and Macon passed electric aggregation in Macon County. Clinton voters approved it in DeWitt County. And Dalton City voters passed the question in Moultrie County.

Several other area communities have already approved electric aggregation in east-central Illinois, and several programs are up and running. Electric customers usually have the freedom to opt out of the program.

IL 2nd Congressional Dis. Special Election

The only congressional election held in Illinois Tuesday has been easily won by former State Rep. Robin Kelly, according to the Associated Press.

Kelly, a Democrat from Matteson had been widely expected to win the special election, over Republican community activist Paul McKinley. The strongly Democratic 2nd Congressional District includes part of Chicago's Sun-Times, the south suburbs, Kankakee and nearby rural areas.

Kelly says she'll continue to talk about gun control in Washington and in the2nd District. Kelly is in favor of an assault weapons ban.

Kelly easily won the special primary in February. The main issue in that race quickly became gun control and Kelly's campaign received a $2 million boost in ads from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's super PAC, including ones on television targeting her opponents. 

Kelly will fill a U.S. House seat left vacant when Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned in November. Jackson has pleaded guilty to charges accusing him of misspending campaign funds.  

More Election Results

Links to detailed county election results in east-central Illinois are listed below.