And the Winners are…

Change for Nunda candidates Patrick Murfin and Meredith Reid Sarkees congratulate the winners of the Republican Party Primary, Tom Palmer, Joni Smith,
James C. Schlader, and Kelvin “Lee” Jennings. We look forward to engaging them in a vigorous debate about the future of our township. The vote totals courtesy of McVote are:

NUNDA TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE

Vote for 4

Precincts Reporting 29/29 100.00%

TOM PALMER 581 19.95%
JONI SMITH 540 18.54%
JAMES C. SCHLADER 512 17.58%
KELVIN JENNINGS 480 16.48%
RICHARD MEYERS 412 14.14%
KEVIN SARNWICK 388 13.32%

All four trustee candidates ran together as part of Team Nunda, which was led by powerful Highway Commissioner Don Kopsell, who was unopposed in the primary. Dennis Jagla crushed Alan Weaver, the candidate who ran as a “soft” Republican and who appealed for Democratic support with a disingenuous mailer.

All in all, it was a triumph for the regular Republican political machine and business as usual. Team Nunda can leave out all of those campaign signs already dotting the township. They probably believe that they can sprint toward victory in the April 7 Consolidated Election while hardly breaking a sweat.

But only about 850 voters participated in the primary. They represent, for the most part, the core of party diehards. The spring election is also typically a low turn-out affair. But this time Democrats and the many Independents, who are loath to identify party preference to their friends and neighbors, will be in the mix. And these voters are eager to see the refreshing winds of change and reform blow through this corner of the county as they have blown through Washington. They know that the economic crisis faced by all of us will bring new challenges to township government that can only be met with fresh eyes and hands.

Democrats and Independents have often skipped the spring off-year election because the races are low profile and they have assumed the contests—when there are any—have been decided by an unchallengeable GOP machine. But if we can get only one quarter of the folks who cast Democratic ballots in the 2008 Primary or who in the privacy of the voting booth changed the political landscape of McHenry County forever by decisively supporting Barack Obama, we can win. Yes we can!

It is our job to make sure those Democrats and Independents know what is at stake. You will be hearing from us. We will be reminding you to vote—and to cast your votes only for Sarkees and Murfin.

You can help us get the message out by hitting the PayPal button in the left-hand column and donating now to the Friends of Murfin and Sarkees.

--Patrick Murfin