News
Aufforth wins election
Scott Wagar
06/19/2012
Ben Aufforth was elected mayor this past Tuesday after defeating Doug Marsden with 66.90 percent of the vote to Marsden 32.96 percent.
MAYOR:
The election for mayor originated when a local Bottineau group started a recall petition against Marsden because of their disapproval in the way he was directing the city.
On election day, city residents spoke loud and clear and gave Aufforth 483 votes, while Marsden received 238 votes, a vote of two to one in Aufforth’s favor.
Marsden becomes the first mayor in Bottineau’s 128 year-old history to be recalled.
Aufforth will begin his duties as mayor starting immediately.
COUNCIL:
In the city council election, five seats were on the ballot with five local residents running for the positions. Greg Bernstein (I), Harley Getzlaff (I), Fred Kainz and Tim Sanderson all won a four-year term on the city council. Bernstein received the most votes with 606 (27.71 percent), followed by Getzlaff with 546 votes (24.97 percent), Sanderson with 487 votes (22.27 percent) and Kainz with 470 votes (21.49 percent).
Steve Brandt ran unopposed and also gained a seat on the city council receiving 633 votes (99.37 percent) for the two-year term of Brad Gangl’s seat, which was left open after Gangl resigned from council early this year after the same local group which filed a recall petition on Marsden, filed one against Gangl for the same reasons.
MUNICIPAL JUDGE:
Rick Hummel was the only name on the ballot for municipal judge and received 589 votes.
In the Park Board election, four candidates ran unopposed for four seats on the board.
Riley Getzlaff and Karsten Bartsch won four-year terms on the Park Board with Getzlaff receiving 627 votes and Bartsch getting 590 votes.
Matt Glasner and Mike Aasen were each voted to a two-year term with Glasner receiving 600 votes to Aasen 545 votes.
OTHER CITY ELECTIONS:
In other city elections in Bottineau County, the final results included:
Lansford:
Lansford city election (Two city council position open): Dara Abernathy - 30 votes, Jeff Dean - 28 votes and Dustin Undlin - 3 votes.
Park Board (Two park board positions): Michele Dean - 33 votes and Curtis Talley - 30 votes. There were also six other write-ins.
Newburg:
Newburg City Council (Two city council positions open): David Heintzleman - 23 votes and Nancy Hunskor - 20 votes.
Souris:
City Council election (Two council positions): Veda Nicholson - 17 votes, Jacquie Robertson - 15 votes and Jami Peck 1 vote.
Park Board (Two park board positions): Jami Peck - 14 votes, Helen Patterson - 14 votes and Susan Anderson - 8 votes. Peck and Patterson each earned a position on the park board.
Willow City:
Willow City Council Election (Two city council positions): Shane Fosness - 43 votes, Brad Fecho - 37 votes and Michael Toenjes - 14 votes.
Westhope:
Westhope City Council (Two city council positions): Glen Hatlestad - 109 votes and Wayne Miller - 107 votes.
Park Board (Two park board positions); Christie Lee - 97 votes, Tom Devilbiss - 9 write-ins, and Ben Cartwright - 10 write-ins. Lee and Devilbiss were elected to four year terms and Cartwright to a two-year term.