Cowley Countians may have to wait until Monday to find out for sure who won the seat on the county commission currently held by Gary Wilson, D-Arkansas City. Wilson is only 20 votes ahead of challenger Bob Voegele, R-Arkansas City.
Wilson has 1,864 votes; Voegele has 1,844. County Clerk and Election Officer Karen Brooks said there are 400 provisional and write-in votes yet to count in the commission district 2 race.
She hoped to complete the count Wednesday but won’t officially present her recommendations until the commission meets as the board of canvassers at 9 a.m. Monday in a meeting room across the hall from the clerk’s office.
There are three commissioners. Incumbent Carmelite Clarkson, D – Winfield, was defeated in her bid for a second four-year term by Alan Groom, R-Winfield. Dick Bonfy, the third commissioner, has two years left on is term.
The county’s 60 precincts have 22,786 registered voters. Only 13,568 or 59.55 percent voted. Brooks had predicted between 65 and 75 percent would vote in the presidential race.
There were no problems encountered with the vote machines but Brooks said she will need to purchase several more machines and have more judges available at the polls during the next big race.
