By Anelia K. Dimitrova
The unofficial election results for the Nov. 4 city and school elections in Cedar Falls are in, but the three-way race for Ward 3, the only contested seat in this election, is yet to be decided.
The runoff election between challenger Tom Nagle and incumbent Daryl Kruse will take place on Dec. 2., according to the Black Hawk County Elections Office. On Nov. 4 Nagle garnered 514 votes or 37.74 percent, and Kruse 432 votes or 31.72 percent. Bob Manning, who also vied for the seat, received 410 votes or 30.10 percent.
Nagle told the Cedar Falls News Hub that he wants to thank the voters for their support and that he looks forward to the runoff election.
“Now is the time to keep the momentum going,” Nagle said. “My focus on transparency, engagement, and common sense has been well received in the community and it shows in tonight’s results. It’s time to get back to work to secure the win in December.”
Learning of the election results, Kruse told the Cedar Falls News Hub: “All I can say is it’s now on to phase two.”
In the uncontested races for city offices, two candidates–the mayor and the councilperson-at-large–who are elected by voters from the whole city, made a good showing. Mayor Danny Laudick received 4,956 votes or 97.66 percent and Councilwoman-at-large Kelly Dunn got 4,211 votes or 96.05 percent.
Dunn told the Cedar Falls News Hub that she looks forward to her next term.
“I plan to continue to advocate for the professional people who work for our city, to speak up when I hear or smell BS, to stick to policy unless public conversation teaches me there should be an exception and to support development but not give away the farm,” she said.
“I want to take care of what we have, continue progress in planned CIP projects such as the Hearst, College Hill and a new fire station/public safety building. Basically, I want to make sure we keep the momentum on the projects we have planned and take care of the citizens in our community by sticking to economic policy that has served us well in the last four decades.”
In Ward 1, incumbent Gil Schultz won reelection to a second term, uncontested. He received 864 votes or 97.85 percent.
Ward 5 candidate Craig A. Fairbanks ran uncontested and received 1,010 votes or 93.61 percent.
School Board Elections
In the school board slate, where five candidates vied for three full-term seats, longtime former school administrator Kim Cross secured a seat on the board with 3,806 votes or 25.67 percent. Incumbent Lowell Stutzman, the president of the school board, won reelection with 3,334 votes or 22.49 percent and Grace Rogers received 3,112 votes or 20.99 percent.
Brian Wingert garnered 2,553 votes or 17.22 percent. James McCullagh received 1,963 votes or 13.24 percent. Candidate Susie Hines, who will fill a partial term, received 4,634 votes or 98.26 percent.
The results will be canvassed by the board of supervisors next week, after which the numbers will be considered final.