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Mayoral races highlight spring election

Only three Walworth County cities have mayors -- Delavan, Elkhorn and Lake Geneva -- but those races will highlight the spring election.

The election is April 6, 2010, with primaries Feb. 16 if necessary.

As of last week, only Elkhorn's mayor, John Giese, has announced he won't run for re-election.

"It's just time to get away from it for a while," Giese said.

Two former aldermen, Gary L. Payson Sr., and James M. Boardman Sr., have announced they will run for mayor.

Payson served as alderman in the 1990s and again from 2007 to 2009. He said that he has served on every city committee.

"With the involvement that I've had with city government since the early '90s, I felt that I would bring a lot to the table," he said.

"I was a very busy guy," he added.

Boardman, a former police officer and president of the police and fire commission said he wants to get control of the city back into the hands of the council.

"The council currently operates as a rubber stamp for the department heads of city hall," Boardman wrote in a news release.

Also on the Elkhorn spring ballot will be aldermanic seats for districts 3, 4 and 6. City Council President Ronald Dunwiddie holds District 3, Alderman Scott McClory holds the District 4 seat and Alderwoman Julie Taylor holds District 6.

In Lake Geneva, James Connors has taken out papers in a bid to unseat incumbent Mayor William Chesen, according to City Clerk Diana Dykstra. Candidates have until Jan. 5 to file their nomination papers. Incumbents have until Dec. 28 to file a notice of non-candidacy.

Those watching the city council race in Lake Geneva will need to update their scorecards regularly.

In District 1, the council failed Monday to agree on whether to appoint a replacement for the vacant aldermanic seat that was held for a short time by Spyro "Speedo" Condos, or leave it open until the special election for the seat in April.

The other District 1 seat, currently held by Todd Krause, also will be up for election.

The two races will be clearly marked on the ballot, Dykstra said. Technically, the same person could take out papers and run for both races, but that person could not fill both positions if elected, Dykstra said.

In District 2, incumbent Penny Roeher will run for re-election, and faces a challenge from Alan Kupsik. At least one other person has picked up nomination papers at city hall, so there's the possibility of a primary in the race, Dykstra said.

In District 3, Tom Spellman faces a recall Dec. 22 for a seat that also is up for election April 6. His challenger in the recall, William Mott, also will be on the April ballot.

Dykstra says she is checking with the state election officials to find out if Spellman would be eligible to run for the seat in April if he loses the recall election.

In District 4, Frank Marsala is up for re-election and faces a challenge from Terry O'Neill.

In the city of Delavan, Mayor Mel Nieuwenhuis has filed a notice of candidacy, according to City Clerk Sue Kitzman.

Four council seats also are up for election.

Both seats in District 2 will be up for election, with one seat to have a two-year term, and the other seat with only a one-year term following the resignation earlier this year of Ellen Reddy.

Here's where things get a little complicated, Kitzman said.

Bruce DeWitt, who was named to replace Reddy, is expected to run for the two-year term. He would face a challenge from Samuel Riggs, who has filed nomination papers.

Dave Kilkenny, currently finishing up a two-year term, is expected to run for the seat with the remaining one-year term.

In the other two districts, John Finley's seat is up for election in District 1, and Jeff Johnson seat will be on the ballot in District 3.