Unofficial Results – Approximately 20% Voter Turnout Reported
In an election where every vote truly mattered, voters across Clinton County, Illinois, headed to the polls on April 1, 2025, to shape the future of their local governments. According to preliminary reports—and as depicted in a key image from the County Clerk’s office—only about 20% of eligible voters cast their ballots. Yet those who did vote played an essential role in deciding leadership positions that influence roads, budgets, public safety, and community development.
This article provides unofficial results of the Consolidated Election by city and village, detailing the candidates’ vote counts and percentages. Here, each “I” stands for Independent, reflecting the data provided. Whether a candidate ran unopposed or faced competition, you’ll find exactly who won, who lost, and by what margin.
Please note these results remain unofficial until they are certified by the Clinton County Clerk. If you need more details or want to verify any close races, check the County Clerk’s official website once the certification process is complete.
Village-by-Village Election Results
Below is a breakdown of each municipality, covering positions on the ballot—like mayor, village president, trustees, clerks, treasurers, and other relevant offices—plus the reported votes and percentages.
Village of Albers
Village President (1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Stephen H. Schomaker (Independent): 197 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Schomaker ran unopposed and received 100% of the votes. With no opponents, there were no losing candidates in this race.
Village Trustee (Vote for 3 | 1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Jeff Timmermann (Independent): 182 votes (34%)
- Kevin E. Kenow (Independent): 167 votes (31%)
- Sean P. Kennedy (Independent): 182 votes (34%)
Who Won & Lost
- Three seats were up for grabs, and three candidates appeared on the ballot. All of them won. Timmermann and Kennedy tied at 34%, with Kenow close behind at 31%. No losing candidates since there were exactly three candidates for three seats.
Village of Aviston
Village President (2 of 2 precincts fully reporting)
- Michael Kampwerth (Independent): 285 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Kampwerth faced no challengers, so he carried the race with 100% of the vote.
Village Trustee (Vote for 3 | 2 of 2 precincts fully reporting)
- Gary Rakers (Independent): 264 votes (33%)
- Matthew Kohnen (Independent): 269 votes (34%)
- Ken Leach (Independent): 244 votes (31%)
Who Won & Lost
- Three independent incumbents ran for three seats. Kohnen led slightly with 34%, followed by Rakers with 33% and Leach at 31%. No one else challenged them, so no losses here.
Village of Bartelso
Village President (1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- John B. Wilken (Independent): 44 votes (19%)
- Ryan Hoerchler (Independent): 182 votes (80%)
Who Won & Lost
- Hoerchler won the Village President seat with 80% of the vote. Wilken, the other independent candidate, lost with 19%.
Village Clerk (1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Mike Gebke (Independent): 164 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Gebke was unopposed. With 100% of the votes, no losing candidate here.
Village Trustee (Vote for 3 | 1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Rick Winkeler (Independent): 201 votes (53%)
- Adam Maue (Independent): 175 votes (46%)
Who Won & Lost
- Two names appear for three seats, so both Winkeler and Maue won. Winkeler led slightly with 53%. No one else was on the ballot, so no losing candidate is listed.
Village of Beckemeyer
Village President (2 of 2 precincts reporting)
- Joshua T. Mensing (Independent): 53 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Mensing had no challenger, winning at 100%.
Village Clerk (2 of 2 precincts reporting)
- Lisa Kay Lammers (Independent): 55 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Lammers also ran unopposed.
Village Trustee (Vote for 3 | 2 of 2 precincts reporting)
- Roland G. Kampwerth (Independent): 45 votes (46%)
- Adam Jurgensmeyer (Independent): 51 votes (53%)
Who Won & Lost
- Only two candidates for three open seats. Both succeeded, with Jurgensmeyer leading at 53% and Kampwerth close behind at 46%.
Village Trustee (2-Year Unexpired Term | 2 of 2 precincts reporting)
- No candidate: 0 votes (0%)
Who Won & Lost
- There was no declared candidate for this unexpired term. The position remains vacant as of these unofficial results.
Village of Damiansville
Village President (1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Brandon Rakers (Independent): 99 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Rakers ran alone, capturing 100% of votes.
Village Trustee (Vote for 3 | 1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Norman Horstmann (Independent): 97 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Only Horstmann appeared on the ballot for three seats. He wins his seat; the other two remain open.
Village Trustee (2-Year Unexpired Term | 1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Brian Albers (Independent): 95 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Albers ran unopposed for the unexpired term.
Village of Germantown
Village President (2 of 2 precincts fully reporting)
- Duane G. Ripperda (Independent): 193 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Ripperda had no challenger, so he continues as Village President.
Village Trustee (Vote for 3 | 2 of 2 precincts fully reporting)
- Kenneth Brauer (Independent): 113 votes (17%)
- Roger Rickhoff (Independent): 69 votes (10%)
- Michael J. “Mick” Albers (Independent): 86 votes (13%)
- Jarod Lohman (Independent): 98 votes (15%)
- Keith “Pipes” Lampe (Independent): 62 votes (9%)
- Landon Schroeder (Independent): 137 votes (21%)
- Ashley Winter (Independent): 72 votes (11%)
Who Won & Lost
- This was a crowded field of seven running for three seats.
- Top Vote-Getter: Landon Schroeder (21%).
- Next Highest: Kenneth Brauer (17%).
- Third Place: Jarod Lohman (15%).
- The remaining candidates—Albers (13%), Winter (11%), Rickhoff (10%), and Lampe (9%)—did not earn enough votes to secure one of the three seats, making them the losing candidates in this race.
Village of Hoffman
Village Trustee (Vote for 3 | 1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Mabron L. Spittler (Independent): 63 votes (27%)
- Dennis Nottmeyer (Independent): 40 votes (17%)
- Tammy Travis (Independent): 57 votes (24%)
- Michael Abernathy (Independent): 71 votes (30%)
Who Won & Lost
- Four names, three seats:
- Michael Abernathy (30%)
- Mabron L. Spittler (27%)
- Tammy Travis (24%)
- Those three are the winners, while Dennis Nottmeyer, with 17%, did not secure a trustee seat.
Village Trustee (2-Year Unexpired Term | 1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Robert Jackson (Independent): 55 votes (64%)
- Adam Kasten (Independent): 30 votes (35%)
Who Won & Lost
- Jackson won the unexpired term at 64%. Kasten lost with 35%.
Village of Huey
Village President (1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Jonathan “Jay” Tucker (Independent): 16 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Tucker was the sole candidate.
Village Trustee (Vote for 2 | 1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Nancy Thouvenin (Independent): 18 votes (52%)
- Jessica Tucker-Schauer (Independent): 16 votes (47%)
Who Won & Lost
- Two seats, two candidates. Both secured seats, with Thouvenin slightly ahead at 52%. No losing candidate since the seats match the number of candidates.
Village Trustee (2-Year Unexpired Term | 1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- No candidate: 0 votes (0%)
Who Won & Lost
- No one filed for this seat, leaving it open.
Village of Keyesport
Village President (1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Randall Blankenship (Independent): 21 votes (56%)
- Kenneth Carver (Independent): 16 votes (43%)
Who Won & Lost
- Blankenship emerged the winner with 56% against Carver’s 43%.
Village Clerk (1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Terri Rule (Independent): 31 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Unopposed; Rule stays on as Clerk.
Village Treasurer (1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Marsha Martin (Independent): 28 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Martin also ran unchallenged.
Village Trustee (Vote for 3 | 1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Keith Lentz (Independent): 23 votes (40%)
- Heather Emery (Independent): 34 votes (59%)
Who Won & Lost
- Two names for three seats, so both Lentz and Emery retain their trustee positions. Emery led with 59%; Lentz received 40%. One seat remains unfilled.
Village of New Baden
Village President (3 of 3 precincts fully reporting)
- Robert “Bob” Oster (Independent): 401 votes (59%)
- Randy Joe Linthicum (Independent): 277 votes (40%)
Who Won & Lost
- Oster carried the seat at 59%, defeating Linthicum’s 40%.
Village Clerk (3 of 3 precincts fully reporting)
- Teri Strate-Crane (Independent): 622 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Strate-Crane had no opposition.
Village Trustee (Vote for 3 | 3 of 3 precincts fully reporting)
- Rebekah Brennan-Serena (Independent): 309 votes (18%)
- Deborah M. Kalmer (Independent): 476 votes (28%)
- Christopher S. Locke (Independent): 412 votes (24%)
- Nicole Pederson (Independent): 459 votes (27%)
Who Won & Lost
- Four candidates for three seats:
- Deborah M. Kalmer – 28%
- Nicole Pederson – 27%
- Christopher S. Locke – 24%
- These three top vote-getters won trustee seats. Brennan-Serena, who received 18%, did not secure one of the three seats.
Library Trustee (Vote for 2 | 3 of 3 precincts fully reporting)
- Gregory Lee Sweet Sr. (Independent): 495 votes (46%)
- Diane Hoerchler (Independent): 571 votes (53%)
Who Won & Lost
- Two candidates for two seats, so both were elected. Hoerchler topped the race with 53%.
Library Trustee (2-Year Unexpired Term | 3 of 3 precincts fully reporting)
- James N. Smith (Independent): 572 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Smith was the sole candidate, automatically winning the position.
Village of St. Rose
Village President (1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Dominic Wessel (Independent): 95 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Wessel remained unopposed.
Village Clerk (1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Richelle Bohnert (Independent): 93 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Bohnert had no competition.
Village Trustee (Vote for 3 | 1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Dan Trame (Independent): 94 votes (34%)
- Austin Benhoff (Independent): 90 votes (33%)
- Jared Tebbe (Independent): 86 votes (31%)
Who Won & Lost
- Three candidates for three seats: all won. Trame led slightly with 34%.
Village Trustee (2-Year Unexpired Term; Vote for 3 | 1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Mark Rehkemper (Independent): 95 votes (33%)
- Ryan Fuhler (Independent): 97 votes (34%)
- Jeana Thole (Independent): 93 votes (32%)
Who Won & Lost
- Again, three candidates for three seats. Fuhler had the highest vote count at 34%, while Rehkemper and Thole followed. No losing candidate in this race.
City-by-City Election Results
Now, let’s look at the city-level data. These positions often mirror the responsibilities of village offices—covering mayor, council seats, clerks, and more.
City of Breese
Mayor (4 of 4 precincts fully reporting)
- Kevin Timmermann (Independent): 189 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Timmermann secured the mayoral seat unopposed.
City Clerk (4 of 4 precincts fully reporting)
- Jaclyn “Jackie” Hummert (Independent): 189 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Hummert had no challenger.
City Treasurer (4 of 4 precincts fully reporting)
- Robert J. Venhaus (Independent): 189 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Venhaus also ran alone, capturing 100%.
City of Carlyle
(6 of 6 precincts partially reporting)
Mayor
- Judy Louise Smith (Independent): 207 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Smith faced no challenger. Pending full precinct updates, it appears she retains her seat with 100% of the vote so far.
City Clerk
- Rita Jurgensmeyer (Independent): 205 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Jurgensmeyer also appears unopposed.
City of Centralia
(3 of 3 precincts fully reporting)
City Council Member (Vote for 2)
- Robert “Rob” Jackson (Independent): 124 votes (45%)
- Andrew J. Heser (Independent): 70 votes (25%)
- Marion “Bunny” Garrett (Independent): 81 votes (29%)
Who Won & Lost
- Two seats, three candidates. Jackson won the most votes at 45%. Garrett followed at 29%. Heser lost with 25%, missing out on the second seat.
City of Trenton
(3 of 3 precincts fully reporting)
Mayor
- Andrew G. Weh (Independent): 147 votes (16%)
- David J. Brandmeyer (Independent): 722 votes (83%)
Who Won & Lost
- Brandmeyer took a commanding lead with 83% over Weh’s 16%.
City Clerk
- Karen Buzzard (Independent): 776 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Buzzard ran unopposed and retained her position.
City of Wamac
Mayor (1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Jackie D. “Butch” Mathus Jr. (Independent): 13 votes (76%)
- Jeremy Howell (Independent): 4 votes (23%)
Who Won & Lost
- Mathus Jr. captured the seat at 76% of votes. Howell lost with 23%.
City Clerk (1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Marian Suhl (Independent): 16 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Unchallenged; Suhl keeps the office of City Clerk.
City Treasurer (1 of 1 precinct fully reporting)
- Elisabeth Jackson (Independent): 17 votes (100%)
Who Won & Lost
- Jackson had no competition and remains Treasurer.
Observations & Actionable Insights
- High Rate of Unopposed Races
- Many candidates, from Village Presidents to City Clerks, ran unopposed. This can indicate strong community support for the incumbent (or existing official) or a general lack of challengers.
- Action Point: Voters seeking fresh voices in the future should encourage friends, neighbors, and community leaders to run for office, especially for the seats that had no candidates at all.
- Significant Margin of Victory in Contested Races
- Certain offices saw significant leads—for instance, David J. Brandmeyer in Trenton at 83%, and Ryan Hoerchler in Bartelso at 80%. These wide gaps show a decisive community preference in those areas.
- Action Point: If you find yourself on the losing side, consider engaging with local officials or attending public meetings to have your voice heard between election cycles.
- Several Vacancies
- Multiple unexpired terms received no candidates; some trustee races had fewer candidates than open seats. As a result, local boards may appoint individuals to fill these vacancies.
- Action Point: If you’re a resident, watch for announcements on these open positions. Volunteering or applying for appointment is one way to get directly involved.
- Low Turnout
- Despite the importance of local elections, about 20% of eligible voters turned out to vote, based on the image from the County Clerk’s office. Low turnout often leads to less representative results.
- Action Point: Encourage friends and family to vote, and participate in civic events that promote awareness of local issues and candidates.
Conclusion
Despite the unofficial nature of these results and the relatively low turnout of about 20%, the Clinton County Consolidated Election effectively decides who will guide policy and community initiatives in the coming term. Whether a race was fiercely contested—like mayoral seats in Bartelso, Trenton, or Wamac—or uncontested—like many clerk or treasurer offices—each vote plays a pivotal role in local governance.
Next Steps
- Verify Final Results: Watch for certification from the Clinton County Clerk, which will confirm these numbers.
- Stay Engaged: Attend city council or village board meetings to follow through on campaign promises and hold your newly elected leaders accountable.
- Consider Running: If your community had vacancies or unopposed races, you could make a meaningful impact by considering a run for office or by encouraging someone you trust to do so.
Ultimately, local decisions shape the day-to-day life of residents more directly than many state or national policies. Whether it’s maintaining roads, managing public safety budgets, or improving local parks, these officials have the authority to make real, tangible changes in your neighborhood. With a turnout of only 20%, there is ample room for more citizens to make a difference in future elections. Let’s work together to increase civic engagement and ensure that all voices in Clinton County are heard.
