FALLS CITY - Richardson County voters retained Humboldt Mayor Robert Mendenhall, chose Rick Karas for county board and filled three seats on the Humboldt Table Rock Steinauer School Board.

A recall election for Humboldt Mayor Robert Mendenhall was scheduled after 121 valid signatures were confirmed, but voters favored retaining the mayor on a vote of 219 to 161.

Mayor Mendenhall noted the city's dire financial position when he took office. His solution to meet payroll by selling farmground that had been set aside for an airport was stopped by petition. He plan for a city sales tax was rejected by a single vote in the primary.

The mayor asked voters to complete his term as he commended the city staff and said the city's finances are steadily improving.

Republican Rick Karas defeated Democrat Philip Hitchcock for the District 3 seat on the Richardson County Board. Karas has 981 votes compared to 374 for Hitchcock.

The top three vote getters on Richardson County ballots for HTRS school board were Kyle Hilgenfeld, Michael Kanel and Cyrstal Dunekacke.

 

 

Richardson County Ballot 16 of 16 precincts

President

Donald Trump, 2,981

Joseph Biden, 981

Senate

Ben Sasse, 2,941

Chris Janicek, 669

US House

Adrian Smith, 2,927

Mark Elworth, 779

County Board District 2

David Sickel, 1,256

County Board District 3

Rick Karas, 981

Philip Hitchcock, 374

State Legislature

Janet Palmtag, 1,057

Julie Slama, 2,815

Falls City Council Ward 1

Amber Holle,  525

Falls City Council Ward 2

Kaylie Ractliffe, 377

Falls City Council Ward 3

Carla Rhodd, 382

Falls City Council Ward 4

Jim Wisdom, 301

Humboldt mayoral recall

Vote to remove, 161

Vote to retain, 219

 

Humboldt City Council Ward 1

Larry Stauffer, 135

Humboldt City Council Ward 2

Stacey Edmundson, 169

HTRS school board (vote 3)

*Kyle Hilgenfeld, 756

*Michael Kanel, 683

*Crystal Dunekacke, 608

Grant Reynolds, 286

Leah M. Reyes, 389