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Three challengers emerge for County Commission seat
HARTINGTON — Hartington-area Republicans will have three candidates to choose from as they look to replace retiring Cedar County Commissioner Dave McGregor in District 3.
Justin Heikes filed paperwork Friday to place his name on the ballot. He joins two other Republican candidates in the race. The filing deadline for this year's election was Monday.
No Democrats filed for the seat. Unless a write-in
candidate emerges before the October deadline, the winner of the May 12 primary election will be sworn in next January as the new District 3 Cedar County commissioner.
The Wynot School Board race is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched local contests. Seven
candidates initially filed for three seats. Incumbents Todd Pinkelman, Laurie Schulte and Susan Lenzen are seeking re-election and will be joined on the ballot by challengers Shasta Hans, Michael Klug and Ryan Boeckman.
Steve Wieseler had also filed but withdrew from the race last week.
Cedar County Clerk Jessica Schmit said that had Wieseler remained in the race, Wynot voters would have selected school board candidates in the primary because more than twice as many candidates had filed as there were seats available. With his withdrawal, that will no longer be necessary.
All three incumbents on the Hartington-Newcas- tle School Board have also filed for re-election. Jason Dendinger, Candice Climer and Ian Lange will appear on the ballot.
They will be challenged by Bryce Grutsch, who filed paperwork with the Cedar County Clerk's Oce on Feb. 19. This marks Grutsch's first bid for public oce.
On the Hartington City Council, all three incumbents have filed to seek another term. Mayor Mark Becker and council members Cody Christensen and Colin Kathol submitted their paperwork prior to the deadline. No challengers filed for those seats.
At the state level, District 40 Sen. Barry DeKay is up for re-election. No one filed to run against him.
Two candidates with Cedar County ties have also filed for governor. Randolph native Sheila J. Korth-Fo - cken has filed as a Republican and will challenge Gov.
Jim Pillen in the May primary election. Former state Sen. Lynne Walz is seeking the governor's oce on the Democratic ticket. Walz is married to Hartington native Chris Walz.
