MONROE - City of Monroe Wards 5 and 7 saw major aldermanic upsets for incumbents at the polls Tuesday, April 3, while Michael Boyce, challenged by a last-minute write-in candidate, managed to hang on to his seat in Ward 3.
Boyce, who was running for city mayor simultaneously this election, took slightly more than 56 percent of the 285 aldermanic votes cast in his ward. Almost 44 percent of the votes went to write-in candidates. The write-in names have not been officially announced, but only Larry Christopher III publicly announced he was challenging Boyce, just one week before the election, and actively campaigned.
"It was a pretty decisive win," Boyce said, noting that support by the Monroe Chamber of Commerce played a role in Christopher's decision to run and his ability to obtain 125 votes.
"Being outspoken on the council seems to generate bad results for the elected," Boyce said. He noted his own 2010 win over his predecessor Mark Coplien, who, Boyce said, was also known to be vocal.
"I guess the lesson here is to be very quiet and don't try to make any changes," he added.
But Boyce also welcomed the challenge from Christopher.
"It's a good thing when a candidate has an opponent, and wins," he said. "It gives more credibility than just walking in unopposed."
Christopher also said the election results went well, with only a week for his campaign.
"It's not too shabby," he said.
As a first-time candidate for any elected position, Christopher said he enjoyed the experience, and he wants to stay involved with local government and organizations, like the Young Professionals.
"I had a lot of positive feedback, and I had fun talking to people," he added.
With three candidates running in each of their wards, incumbents Charles Koch, Ward 5, and Thurston Hanson, Ward 7, were beat out handsomely by challengers.
In Ward 5, Tyler Schultz, currently a Ward 10 alderman under the old districting boundaries, took more than 52 percent of the votes in the new Ward 5. Schultz had 126 votes compared to 75 votes for Koch. The third candidate, Scott Golackson, pulled out 39 votes.
"I'm pleased with the results," Schultz said, immediately after the election polls were closed and results were printed.
"I'm happy the new fifth ward is pleased with the way I held office (in Ward 10)," he added. "I think this is a referendum in which way the city wants to go."
Schultz also thanked the other candidates in the race.
"I am pleased to have shared the race with two gentlemen," he said. "I think we ran the cleanest race on the ballot locally."
Golackson thought the roster of candidate in Ward 5 were all leaning toward the same goals.
"Tyler is going to do a great job," Golackson said. "We said, all along, Ward Five is going to get someone good, no matter who they vote for.
"We were all fighting to the same thing. Tyler can take over and do the things Chuck and I wanted to do anyway," he added. "I wish him the best of luck."
Koch could not be reached for comment.
Campaigning was not as gentle in Ward 7, where a second attempt to oust Hanson put Louis Armstrong in the council seat.
Armstrong took 61 percent of the 203 votes cast; Tony Gratz came away with 43 votes, leaving Hanson with 33 votes.
The huge margin was the result of "being patient, a two-year wait and a two-year process," Armstrong said.
"I wasn't sure which way it would go," Armstrong said when he heard the vote count. "I was overconfident last time."
Armstrong said the budget was at the center of his win Tuesday. "I was the only one who provided specific ideas and thoughts," he said.
Armstrong said he made contact with the voters multiple times, with direct face-to-face and four mailings, which helped get his message out.
Hanson said the voters on Tuesday chose to pay higher taxes with Armstrong.
"That's the message I get out of this," he said. "I will hold my head high, because I fought for the taxpayer for six years," he added.
Hanson predicts the city will get the same budget and higher taxes that he has voted against in the past.
"The insanity budget, I call it," he added.
Rob McCarthy received three votes in the Ward 7 race, even though he had withdrawn from the race.
The 2012 election took a toll on the city itself, and some are happy to see it go.
"It was a lot of stress," said Gratz. Gratz spent more hours than he intended knocking doors and leaving flyers, to pull in just slightly more than Hanson.
"Good luck to Louie," he said.
Running unopposed, Tom Miller will become alderman for Ward 1, replacing Neal Hunter; and Charles Schuringa, comes back, as alderman for Ward 9. Schuringa was beat out by Tyler Schultz in Ward 10 in 2011. With Schultz winning in Ward 5 Tuesday, Ward 10 will be dissolved.
Boyce, who was running for city mayor simultaneously this election, took slightly more than 56 percent of the 285 aldermanic votes cast in his ward. Almost 44 percent of the votes went to write-in candidates. The write-in names have not been officially announced, but only Larry Christopher III publicly announced he was challenging Boyce, just one week before the election, and actively campaigned.
"It was a pretty decisive win," Boyce said, noting that support by the Monroe Chamber of Commerce played a role in Christopher's decision to run and his ability to obtain 125 votes.
"Being outspoken on the council seems to generate bad results for the elected," Boyce said. He noted his own 2010 win over his predecessor Mark Coplien, who, Boyce said, was also known to be vocal.
"I guess the lesson here is to be very quiet and don't try to make any changes," he added.
But Boyce also welcomed the challenge from Christopher.
"It's a good thing when a candidate has an opponent, and wins," he said. "It gives more credibility than just walking in unopposed."
Christopher also said the election results went well, with only a week for his campaign.
"It's not too shabby," he said.
As a first-time candidate for any elected position, Christopher said he enjoyed the experience, and he wants to stay involved with local government and organizations, like the Young Professionals.
"I had a lot of positive feedback, and I had fun talking to people," he added.
With three candidates running in each of their wards, incumbents Charles Koch, Ward 5, and Thurston Hanson, Ward 7, were beat out handsomely by challengers.
In Ward 5, Tyler Schultz, currently a Ward 10 alderman under the old districting boundaries, took more than 52 percent of the votes in the new Ward 5. Schultz had 126 votes compared to 75 votes for Koch. The third candidate, Scott Golackson, pulled out 39 votes.
"I'm pleased with the results," Schultz said, immediately after the election polls were closed and results were printed.
"I'm happy the new fifth ward is pleased with the way I held office (in Ward 10)," he added. "I think this is a referendum in which way the city wants to go."
Schultz also thanked the other candidates in the race.
"I am pleased to have shared the race with two gentlemen," he said. "I think we ran the cleanest race on the ballot locally."
Golackson thought the roster of candidate in Ward 5 were all leaning toward the same goals.
"Tyler is going to do a great job," Golackson said. "We said, all along, Ward Five is going to get someone good, no matter who they vote for.
"We were all fighting to the same thing. Tyler can take over and do the things Chuck and I wanted to do anyway," he added. "I wish him the best of luck."
Koch could not be reached for comment.
Campaigning was not as gentle in Ward 7, where a second attempt to oust Hanson put Louis Armstrong in the council seat.
Armstrong took 61 percent of the 203 votes cast; Tony Gratz came away with 43 votes, leaving Hanson with 33 votes.
The huge margin was the result of "being patient, a two-year wait and a two-year process," Armstrong said.
"I wasn't sure which way it would go," Armstrong said when he heard the vote count. "I was overconfident last time."
Armstrong said the budget was at the center of his win Tuesday. "I was the only one who provided specific ideas and thoughts," he said.
Armstrong said he made contact with the voters multiple times, with direct face-to-face and four mailings, which helped get his message out.
Hanson said the voters on Tuesday chose to pay higher taxes with Armstrong.
"That's the message I get out of this," he said. "I will hold my head high, because I fought for the taxpayer for six years," he added.
Hanson predicts the city will get the same budget and higher taxes that he has voted against in the past.
"The insanity budget, I call it," he added.
Rob McCarthy received three votes in the Ward 7 race, even though he had withdrawn from the race.
The 2012 election took a toll on the city itself, and some are happy to see it go.
"It was a lot of stress," said Gratz. Gratz spent more hours than he intended knocking doors and leaving flyers, to pull in just slightly more than Hanson.
"Good luck to Louie," he said.
Running unopposed, Tom Miller will become alderman for Ward 1, replacing Neal Hunter; and Charles Schuringa, comes back, as alderman for Ward 9. Schuringa was beat out by Tyler Schultz in Ward 10 in 2011. With Schultz winning in Ward 5 Tuesday, Ward 10 will be dissolved.