Adams County Board field narrows

QUINCY — The herd was thinned a bit on Tuesday night.

In a large field of candidates, including many first timers, 29 people advanced from the primary in an attempt to fill all 21 Adams County Board seats, which happens every 10 years.

While some have basically secured their slots on the County Board, many still have some work to do before November 8.

Two incumbent board members, Raquel Sparrow (R-3) and David Hoskins (R-7), were defeated in Tuesday’s primary. The top three vote-getters in each district advance to the general election and Sparrow and Hoskins will continue to serve on the County Board until November 30.

A field of six Republican candidates were in District 3, with newcomer Mark Dietrich advancing with the most votes, along with incumbents Dave Bellis and Marvin Kerkhoff. But Kerkhoff only took the third slot by one vote over Jim Fisher, 597 votes to 596 votes. Sparrow finished fifth and Rodney Hermsmeier finished sixth.

Democrat Sarah Lucey advanced as the lone member of her party in District 3, so four people will run for three spots in November.

Hoskins finished fourth out six in District 7’s Republican primary. Incumbents Teresa Bockhold and Joe Zanger were the top two vote getters with former Adams County Sheriff and former Democrat Brent Fischer grabbing the third spot. Jeremy Allen was a distant fifth.

Adams County Democratic Party Chair Kate Daniels was the only Democrat running in District 7, so she advances with the three Republicans to run for the three slots there.

District 1 will have five people running for three seats. Republican incumbent and County Board Finance Chairman Bret Austin, Republican newcomer Keith Callaway, incumbent Democrats Steve DeMoss and Todd Duesterhaus will be on the ballot with Democratic newcomer Stephen Maxwell.

District 2 has four running for three seats. Valerie Maxie was the lone Democrat and she will join incumbent Republicans Ryan Hinkamper, Barb Fletcher and Mark Sorensen. Sorensen was appointed to the seat originally vacated with the passing of Rebecca Weed.

District 4 saw Adams County Board Chairman Kent Snider emerge as the top Republican vote-getter along with fellow incumbent Travis Cooley. Steve McQueen, a first-time candidate who has been active in conservative politics for more than a decade, also advanced. There are no Democrats on the ballot in District 4, although the party could fill any vacancies that remain following the primary.

District 5 will have Democrats Jebora Brock and Thomas Himpsl along with Republicans Jon McCoy, Bob Reich and Tim Finlay running for three seats. Reich is the only incumbent in the field of five, but McCoy has name recognition from his previous attempts to run for Adams County Sheriff and his years of service to that department prior to his retirement.

Distrct 6 will see Democrat Samuel DeMoss and Republicans Les Post, David McCleery and Brad Poulter square off in November. Post and McCleery are the incumbents.