What is a vote canvas?
The canvassing process includes counting ballots, tabulating votes by election district and certifying the results of all official primary and general elections and question-submitted elections. It is the process which produces official election results, whether it is the official number of valid votes cast for each candidate for each elected office, or the official number of valid Yes and No votes cast on an issue in a question submitted election.
For local elections, there are always two canvasses: The original canvass and the final canvass. For national and state elections, there are always three canvasses: The original, intermediate and final canvass.
Canvassing begins with the counting of ballots on election night and culminates with the county canvass or the state canvass, depending on the election. The county board of canvassers, which is composed of the members of the County Commissioner, conducted the final canvass in the April city/school general election.
During the days between the election and the county canvass, the county election officer prepares the tabulated results from the original canvass, and groups all provisional ballots, challenged ballots and issues referred by the original canvass boards in preparation for the county canvass.
The tabulated results are presented to the county canvassers along with issues that need to be resolved. The county board of canvassers has the statutory duty to make the final decisions as to which ballots are valid and which are invalid. This includes making all final decisions about voter intent on mismarked ballots, write-in votes, and provisional and challenged ballots.
Neither the canvassing board nor the county election officer is authorized to open sealed ballot containers or envelopes except challenged/provisional ballots referred to them.
In local elections for which the county board of canvassers conducts the final canvass, the certified results are official and final. They may not be changed except: (1) by court order as the result of an election contest in a general election, or (2) as the result of an objection to a primary nomination.
Challenged/provisional ballots
The county election officer presents the groups of challenged/provisional ballots to the county board of canvassers at the regular canvass meeting after the election. The canvassers review the reasons why the ballots are challenged/provisional and decide whether to count them. Care is taken that voters’ names and the manner in which they voted are not disclosed to the public or the canvassers. The canvassers make the final decision as to whether each challenged/provisional ballot is valid. Provisional ballots that are deemed invalid are not opened.
Information provided by Barton County Election Officer Donna Zimmerman.
The Barton County Commission met early Monday morning as the Board of Canvasers to canvas the results of last Tuesday’s general election. The totals reported as of the end of the evening on election night remained unofficials until this was done.
Below are the finalized election results posted by the County Clerk’s Office Monday with 2,843 total votes, up from 2,828 on election night. There are 17,314 registered voters in the county so the overall voter turnout was 16.42 percent.
Council positions were for the cities of Great Bend, Hoisington, Ellinwood, Claflin, Albert, Galatia, Olmitz, Pawnee Rock and Susank. School board spots were for Great Bend, Hoisington, Ellinwood and Claflin. Spots for the Barton County Board of Trustees and Ellinwood Hospital District Board were also up for eclection.
In addition, there were mayoral elections in Great Bend, Hoisington, Ellinwood, Albert, Galatia, Pawnee Rock and Susank. There was also a special question on establishing a recreation commission in Ellinwood.
An asterik (*) next to a listing denotes the winner(s).
City elections unofficial results
Great Bend
(Mayor and four City Council positions)
Mayor
*1,049 votes for 59.3 percent, Mike Allison, Great Bend
715, votes for 40.42 percent, Randy S. Myers, Great Bend
Council
• 159 votes for 49.07 percent, Mitchell K. Haney, Ward 1, Great Bend
*164 votes for 50.62 percent, Edwin O. Roberts, Ward 1, Great Bend
1 vote for a write-in for .31 percent in Ward 1
• *682 votes for 99.13 percent, Wayne Henneke, Ward 2, Great Bend
6 votes for a write-in in Ward 2 for .87 percent
• 218 votes for 45.23 percent, Thomas Boor, Ward 3, Great Bend
*264 votes for 54.77 percent, Allene Owen, Ward 3, Great Bend
• *171 votes for 97.16 percent, Dana C. Dawson, Ward 4, Great Bend
5 votes for a write-in for 2.84 percent in Ward 4
Hoisington
(Mayor and four City Council positions)
Mayor
*89 votes for 93.68 percent, Clayton Williamson, Hoisington
6 votes for a write-in for 6.32 percent
Council
• *22 votes for 100 percent, Gerald Donovan, Ward 1, Hoisington
•* 27 votes for 90 percent, Michael F. Aylward, Ward 2, Hoisington
3 votes for a write-in for 10 percent
• *22 votes for 100 percent, Dean Andereck, Ward 3, Hoisington
• *21 votes for 80.77 percent, Christina R. Smith, Ward 4, Hoisington
5 votes for a write-in for 19.23 percent
Ellinwood
(Mayor and two City Council positions)
Mayor
*358 for 95.98 percent, Frank A. Koelsch, Ellinwood
15 for a write-in for 4.02 percent
Council
*312 votes for 40.21 percent, Alan M. Brauer, Ellinwood
*262 votes for 33.76 percent, Irlan Fullbright, Ellinwood
196 votes for 25.26 percent, Kenneth A. Lebbin, Ellinwood
6 write-in votes
Claflin
(Three City Council positions)
*52 votes for 19.77 percent, Doug Hubbard, Claflin
28 votes for 10.65 percent, Richard Tennant, Claflin
*72 votes for 27.38 percent, Kelly M. Nixon, Claflin
*73 votes for 27.76 percent, Kirk Schneweis, Claflin
35 votes for 13.31 percent, Leon Oberle, Claflin
Albert
(Mayor and five City Council positions)
Mayor
*38 votes for write-in Rod Cushenberry for 100 percent
Council
*28 votes for 16 percent, Martheda (Marty) Hanhardt, Albert
*31 votes for write-in Stan Ewy
*31 votes for write-in Charles Keller
*30 write-ins for Robert Ritterhouse
*28 votes for write-in Joann George
Galatia
(Mayor and five City Council positions)
Mayor
*13 votes for 92.86 percent, Steve Wilhelm, Galatia
1 for a write-in for 7.14 percent
Council
*14 votes for 20 percent, Gary Anschutz, Galatia
*14 votes for 20 percent, Dennis L. Funk, Galatia
*13 votes for 18.57 percent, Michael Guertin, Galatia
*14 votes for 20 percent, Kevin Polzin, Galatia
*14 votes, for 20 percent, David H. Strecker, Galatia
1 write-in for 1.43 percent
Olmitz
(Three City Council positions)
*17 votes for 22.08 percent, Kevin Bahr, Olmitz
*18 votes for write-in Dave Bitter
*11 votes for write-in Jim New
Pawnee Rock
(Mayor and three City Council positions)
Mayor
*38 votes for 55.07 percent, Gary L. Adams, Pawnee Rock
31 votes for 44.93 percent, Galen L. Zortman, Pawnee Rock
Council
*41 votes for 24.55 percent, Vickie Alsup, Pawnee Rock
*42 votes for 25.15 percent, Barry A. Jack, Pawnee Rock
*41 votes for 24.55 percent, Nickolle Parret, Pawnee Rock
30 votes for 17.96 percent, Chasity Tower, Pawnee Rock
13 write-ins for 7.78 percent
Susank
(Mayor and five City Council Positions)
Mayor
*8 votes for write-in Dennis Trapp
2 votes for write-in Jeff Cotten
Council
*9 votes for write-in Jackie Mater
*8 votes for write-in Jeff Cotten
*8 votes for write-in Bill Luerman
*7 votes for write-in Lyle Brown
*7 votes for write-in Mike Hickel
School elections unofficial results
Barton County Community
College Board of Trustees
(Three positions at large)
*1,975 for 33.04 percent, Leonard F. Bunselmeyer Jr., Great Bend
*2,075 for 34.72 percent, Don Learned, Great Bend
*1,897 for 31.74 percent, John E. Moshier, Hoisington
Unified School District 428,
Great Bend
(Three positions at large)
*1,403 for 32.19 percent, Joyce Carter, Great Bend
*1,407 for 32.28 percent, Larry G. Kutina, Great Bend
*1,524 for 34.96 percent, Kevin Mauler, Great Bend
USD 431, Hoisington
(Positions 2, 4, 5 and 6)
• *147 votes for 98.66 percent, Don Fisher, Position 2, Hoisington
2 write-ins for 1.34 percent5
• *150 votes for 100 percent, Sara Tarlton, Position 4, Hoisington
• *138 votes for 97.18 percent, Steven Ray Little, Position 5, Hoisington
4 write-ins for 2.82 percent
• *141 votes for 99.3 percent, Maggie McCain Alderdice , Position 6, Hoisington
1 write-in for .7 percent
USD 355, Ellinwood
(Three positions at large)
*439 votes for 35.2 percent, Stephen L. Billinger, Ellinwood
*440 votes for 35.28 percent, Janice Birzer, Ellinwood
*358 votes for 28.71 percent, Ronda Sjogren, Ellinwood
10 write-ins for .8 percent
USD 112 Central Plains
(One position)
13 votes for 28 percent, Bert Besthorn
*32 votes for 71 percent, Tony Zink
Ellinwood Hospital District
(Two positions open)
*385 votes for 49.74 percent, Diann O’Neal, Ellinwood
*381votes for 49.22 percent, Joyce Schulte, Ellinwood
8 write-in votes for 1.03 percent
Ellinwood Joint Recreation USD 355 & City
*301 Yes, 61.17 percent
188 No, 37.83 percent
