While some people believe their vote does not matter in the long run, that is not true. Each vote is useful in the decision making process, and it only takes one vote to determine who will be appointed into office or whether a measure will be passed.
Your vote is most important at the local level, because not only is there a smaller pool of votes, but it also directly affects you! To help you with your decisions, here is the information about voting at the local/Platte County level.
City Mayor:
Mayor is a very important part of the election process, because the mayor runs the entire town. The mayor helps break ties, implement policies, and veto/approve legislations.
James Bulkley and Bill Greene are the two candidates in this election. There is not very much information about their background online, but they both have a few interviews that I scoured through. They stand for similar things, and both wish to make the city of Columbus a better place. On October 3, the two gentlemen had a city debate where they talked about issues and expressed their opinions. To get the full overview of the debate, visit newspressnow.com and columbustelegram.com
City Council:
The city council acts as the “legislative body” for the city of Columbus. They are in charge of making laws and presenting them to the mayor and other councils. They create all kinds of decisions, ranging from making a new stop light to prohibiting/allowing drag shows. In this election, the voter picks one candidate for each “ward.”
Ward 1: Charlie Bahr – Bahr has served on the city council since 2004 and gets reelected every term. Outside of city council, Bahr has participated in the Columbus Library Board, was a SkillsUSA coordinator, and was a Boy Scouts Scoutmaster. He currently sits on the Public Property, Safety and Works Committee, and is a member of the Joint Communications Center Committee.
Ward 2: Troy Heimer – Heimer was first elected in 2016 and has served ever since. When he’s not working in the city council, he enjoys camping, hanging out with his family, and hunting. If he wins, this election will begin his third term as Chair of the Public Finance, Judiciary, and Personnel Committee.
Ward 3: Ron Schilling – Schilling, like Bahr, has served on the city council since 2004, and is aiming to be reelected this year. Outside of his city council life, he managed the Columbus Youth Baseball Association for 10 years and playing golf. He currently serves on the Public Property, Safety, and Works Committee, and is a member of the Northeast Nebraska Area Agency on Aging Committee.
Ward 4: AJ Palensky – Palensky is a new candidate, so there is not too much information on him. Assuming he wins, he will take the spot vacated by his predecessor, Hope Freshour.
Columbus School Board:
For the school board, you are required to choose candidates. Lucky for you, there are only 3 to choose from! These three candidates strive to make Columbus Public the best it can possibly be and push for bills and positive changes to be created in its name.
Candace Becher, Douglas Willoughby, and Marv Zoucha are the candidates for the school board election.
For more information, some of the candidates from across these races will be available TONIGHT at an open forum being held at CHS at 6pm.
