In the primary election for Clarkdale Town Council, the two incumbents running for re-election, Ben Kramer and Bill Regner, both will remain in their seats for another four year term.
On Aug. 28, four candidates vied for the two spots held by Kramer and Regner. In addition to the incumbents, former police officer Bob Ingulli and registered nurse Eileen Sydow competed for the seats.
Yavapai County may still be counting votes, but as of press time, the total tally for the four candidates stands at 1,743 votes. Regner received the most votes at 530, or 30.41 percent, followed by Kramer at 510 and 29.26 percent, Sydow at 403 and 23.12 percent, and Ingulli at 289 and 16.58 percent.
According to state law for nonpartisan elections, candidates win the primary outright, avoiding a runoff election in November, if they receive votes above a certain threshold, calculated at the total votes divided by the number of seats, then divided by two. In this case, the threshold is 436, meaning that both Regner and Kramer successfully won without needing to go to the general election.
At a debate on July 23, both Kramer and Regner emphasized their experience and argued that keeping incumbents in would be the best way to maintain stable growth for the town.
“The election results suggest to me that Clarkdale’s voters understand that in addition to thoughtfulness and being reasonable, experience is the most important attribute in their elected officials at this time given the shortterm and long-term challenges Clarkdale is facing,” Regner wrote in an email. “At the same time, very strong messages of a desire for more youth and gender diversity seem clearly sent. I am grateful to the people of Clarkdale for their trust and support and will strive to live up to their expectations.”
Kramer wrote in an email: “The town of Clarkdale is run by an innovative and vibrant team which strives to provide an exceptional experience to residents and visitors alike. The confidence of the voters fills me with an incredible pride and I am excited to be an active part of its bright future.”
Jon Hecht can be reached at 634-8551, or email jhecht@larsonnewspapers.com
