Democrats hold onto most seats, offices in St. Clair County
Democrats in St. Clair County government kept control of the six contested countywide offices on Tuesday’s ballot, as well as the County Board, according to unofficial results.
St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern won a fourth term as chairman.
“We ran a great campaign, going into neighborhoods, and we had a good, positive message, and that’s the key to any campaign,” Kern said.
Most of Kern’s support came out of the western part of the county. Going east, challenger Rodger Cook had more support.
“We represent everyone,” Kern said. “I look forward to continuing to addressing the needs of the entire county.”
Kern said he had not spoken with Cook as of midday Wednesday.
Cook did not immediately return a phone call to the BND.
The closest countywide seat was the race for circuit clerk. Incumbent Kahalah Clay, a Democrat, has a 1,229-vote lead over Dallas Cook, the Republican Belleville City Clerk.
St. Clair County Clerk Tom Holbrook said Wednesday there were 2,481 vote-by-mail ballots yet to be returned, out of the 11,413 ballots sent out.
However, there are usually about 20 percent of vote-by-mail ballots that don’t get returned of the total that are sent, and Holbrook said he expects only a few hundred to come between Election Day and the countywide canvass in two weeks.
Vote-by-mail ballots had to be postmarked by Election Day.
Democratic incumbents Michael Costello, county recorder; and Patty Sprague, auditor; also won their re-election bids, according to the unofficials results.
Democrat Angela Grossman-Roewe, a current County Board member, is set to join the Board of Review after defeating Republican County Board member Ed Cockrell for the position. She was trailing until the East St. Louis vote was reported. Grossman-Roewe will replace Claire Prindable, a Democrat.
In the coroner’s race to replace the retiring Rick Stone, Calvin Dye Sr., a Democrat, defeated Republican Carl Officer, former East St. Louis mayor.
Republicans in the county gained one seat on the County Board, but Democrats still hold a 20-9 majority on the board.
County Board member Mike Baker was the lone incumbent on the ballot to be ousted, according to unofficial results from Tuesday.
Baker, a Democrat, lost to Republican Kevin Dawson, in District 20, which covers the Mascoutah area.
Also set to join to the County Board is James Haywood, a Democrat in District 25, who defeated Republican Ron Gerlach.
Haywood will take the seat held by his wife, Lorraine.
Scott Tieman, a Democrat, defeated Republican David Raynaud in District 26, a seat currently held by Democrat Larry Stammer, who lost in the primary. Stammer had voted with Republicans when it came to issues such as MidAmerica Airport.
Republican Bryan Bingel was unopposed in his bid to become the District 7 County Board member and replace Cockrell.
Also set to join the board is Democrat Steve Gomric, who defeated Republican Ryan Stookey in District 17, which is a seat being vacated by Democrat Curtis Jones.
Vote totals
Unofficial vote totals that include precincts under the jurisdiction of both the East St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners and the St. Clair County Clerk’s office.
St. Clair County Coroner
Democrat Calvin Dye Sr.: 65,324 votes
Republican Carl Officer: 49,770 votes
St. Clair County Circuit Clerk
Democratic incumbent Kahalah Clay: 58,531
Republican Dallas Cook: 57,302
St. Clair County Auditor race
Democratic incumbent Patty Sprague: 62,095
Republican Gary Cornwell: 53,425
St. Clair County Recorder’s race
Democratic incumbent Michael T. Costello: 63,683
Republican Amanda Ruocco: 52,263
St. Clair County Board of Review
Democrat Angela Grossman-Roewe: 59,908
Republican Ed Cockrell: 55,300
County Board
District 2
Joan McIntosh, Democrat: 2,326
Elton Thomas, Republican: 344
District 4
S. Gene Rhoden, Democrat: 1,481
Nick Miller, Republican: 2,557
District 9
C. Richard Vernier, Democrat: 2,585
LaKeisha D. Coleman, Republican: 1,349
District 10
Dixie Seibert, Democrat: 2,164
Lester Byrd, Republican: 1,645
District 11
Jerry Dinges, Democrat: 2,050
Nicholas Joseph Wiesbrock, Republican: 1,376
District 14
Bob Trentman, Democrat: 2,737
Mark Alan Kern, Republican: 1,222
District 16
June Chartrand, Democrat: 1,999
David Langford, Republican: 1,478
District 17
Steven Gomric, Democrat: 2,395
Ryan Stookey, Republican: 2,019
District 19
Jana Armstrong Moll, Democrat: 1,200
C. David Tiedemann, Republican: 1,391
District 20
Mike Baker, Democrat: 1,622
Kevin Dawson, Republican: 3,001
District 22
Kirk Caponi, Democrat: 2,044
Michael O’Donnell, Republican: 3,117
District 24
Marty Crawford, Democrat: 2,596
Jason Madlock, Republican: 729
District 25
James Haywood, Democrat: 2,276
Ron Gerlach, Republican: 731
District 26
Scott Tieman, Democrat: 2,045
David Raynaud, Republican: 1,806
This story was originally published November 9, 2016 at 1:41 PM with the headline "Democrats hold onto most seats, offices in St. Clair County."