Voters trickled out for local elections Tuesday, with only 1,336 checking in at polls county wide.  The general election was for city council positions in the cities of Great Bend, Hoisington, and Ellinwood, and to elect two positions for the Ellinwood Hospital District Board of Trustees.  
Due to the number of candidates who filed, there was no need for a primary.  
In Great Bend, all but the fourth ward city council seat were uncontested.  The race was between newcomer Erika Jo Julian and long-time board member Randy Myers who ran a write-in campaign due to missing the filing deadline.  
Unofficial final results were posted on the Barton County website Tuesday night. The totals will be finalized Monday morning when the Barton County Commission sits as the Board of Canvassers and canvasses the votes.  
Great Bend voters gave an overwhelming thumbs-up to a 10-year renewal of its half-cent sales tax.  Out of 1,095 votes cast, 944 were in favor.  First approved by city voters in 2000, 35 percent of the tax goes to property tax reduction, 45 percent to capital improvement projects and 20 percent goes to economic development.
“This shows the taxpayers and voters in our community realize how important the half-cent sales tax is to the community and we appreciate their support,” said Great Bend City Administrator Howard Partington.
In Ward 4, Julian received 77 out of 129 votes cast, giving her a total of 59.69 percent of the vote.
“I am thrilled to be the voice of the fourth ward,” Julian said.  “I would like to thank everyone who helped with mailing letters, advertising and helping to fund the campaign.”
Six years ago, she and her husband Rick moved back to Great Bend where he was born and raised. Since then, she has taken an active interest in this community by volunteering for numerous events, also by serving as chairperson of the Head Start Policy

Council, as PTO secretary, and is a coach and board member for the Special Olympics.
The couple owns and operates two businesses in Great Bend. “I feel Great Bend has so much to offer, and look forward to being able to finish raising our four children and five foster children in this community we proudly call home.”
Nearly a year ago she began attending city council meetings hoping to better understand the issues facing the community.  
In the Ellinwood City Council vote, incumbent Kathleen Hines was ousted by Kenneth Lebbin. Hines received 100 out of 516 votes.
  As for the other races, the vote totals were as follows:
         Great Bend
• Victoria Berryman, Ward 1  – 161 of 183 votes cast.
• Joel B. Jackson (incumbent), Ward 2 – 392 of 408 votes cast.
• Matthew Hiss, a write-in candidate, Ward 3 – 139 of 171 votes cast.  
     Hoisington
• Nancy D. Farmer, Ward 1 – 11 out of 11 votes cast.
• James Sekavec, Ward 2 – 8 out of 9 votes cast
• Karen Van Brimmer, Ward 3 – 11 votes out of 11 votes cast.
• Brian K. Wilborn, Ward 4 – 13 out of 13 votes cast
All those who filed are incumbents.
      Ellinwood (Three at large City Council positions open, with four named candidates.)
• Rick Wilson (incumbent) – 127 of 516 votes cast.
• Kenneth A. Lebbin – 145 of 516 votes cast.
• Kirk Clawson (incumbent) – 141 of 516 votes cast.
Ellinwood Hospital District (Two at-large positions open with two named candidates.)  
The Ellinwood Hospital District includes all of Lakin Township (including Ellinwood City) and all of Comanche Township except the west two tiers.
• Marvin C. Sessler (incumbent) – 161 out of 330 votes cast.
• Leah Dannebohm – 162 of 330 votes cast.