City Council incumbents sweep election, keep seats

City Council incumbents Joel Fritzler, Chris Wissmann and Corene McDaniel swept the City Council elections Tuesday, with McDaniel defeating challenger Kevin Clark by just six votes.

McDaniel wrung her hands in anticipation while Clark sat stoic, waiting more than three hours for Makanda’s 1st Precinct to submit its ballots so Carbondale’s absentee and early voting ballots could be counted. The election saw low voter turnout, as only 1,825 voters hit the polls compared to 3,912 in the June 2007 election. Fritzler led with 901 votes, 72 ahead of Wissmann.

“I think people trust me and think that I’m doing a good job,” Fritzler said. “They were disappointed with Saluki Way and they appreciate the fact that I stood firm and voted against it.”

Fritzler said he expected to come in third, but throughout the night, McDaniel and Clark jumped in and out of third, finishing at 79 and 790 votes. McDaniel said her heart was in her throat and she wondered if she should have done more in her campaign. She said she had come in first in previous elections.

“You can’t take anything for granted,” McDaniel said. “ You can’t take the voters for granted. I’m happy. I’ll take third.”

The other candidates ranked: Justin Stofferahn with 250 votes; Yolanda Dean with 248; and Pawel Sawicki with 220.

Clark shook hands with the winners, hugging McDaniel before leaving City Hall. He said the loss would not deter his efforts to improve Carbondale and help the community.

“I’ll be in a position to continue the work that I do in the community through my non-profit organization,” Clark said. “I’ll continue working at the Women’s Center in my capacity as the development specialist and it’s pretty much the same. Not much has changed. I just won’t be sitting on the council.”

The night before the election, many Carbondale residents received automated phone calls sponsored by the SIU College Democrats disparaging Clark.

Wissmann said he was disappointed to see Clark, the candidate he worked so hard to campaign with, lose. McDaniel has sat beside Wissmann on the council since he was elected and he appreciated her presence, he said.

Wissmann said he was intimidated by the trust voters put in him to help the city through its pension problems and economic struggles.

“I’m tired and I’m glad that it’s over,” Wissmann said. “That people think that I’m qualified and able to guide us through some of that is very intimidating. It’s not going to be an easy thing to do. It’s not a great time to be in city government.”

Student turnout was low. The 23rd Precinct at Grinnell Hall saw no voters and the 22nd Precinct at Grinnell Hall saw only five. The 21st Precinct at University Hall saw 24 voters. The 24th Precinct at Evergreen Terrace saw 36 and the 25th Precinct at Lentz Hall saw 34.

Outside of the student-dominated precincts, student turnout was equally low, said Charles Daugherty, the 2nd Precinct election judge. He said many candidates on the ballot ran unopposed, which does not motivate voters.

“I would say that we don’t have that many real contests,” Daugherty said.