Election counts are updated

Politics in Coulee Dam have changed dramatically as a result of the Nov. 7 election.

Town residents elected a newcomer in politics as its mayor, and also two newcomers to the council.

According to results updated since the election, Larry Price garnered 73.56 percent of the votes in his bid for mayor, defeating Gayle Swagerty, who received 26.44 percent, 192-69.

Swagerty gave up her council seat to run for the mayor’s seat being vacated by Greg Wilder, who chose not to run again.

In council races, incumbent David Schmidt lost his Position 1 seat to newcomer Fred Netzel. Netzel received 173 votes to take 65.28 percent of the vote to Schmidt’s 92 votes, or 34.72 percent.

For the Position 3 seat given up by Swagerty, Marcia Warneke got 169 votes (66.54 percent) to Bruce Bartoo’s 50 (19.69). A third candidate, Timothy Brooks, filed but then changed his mind too late to get his name off the ballot. Brooks received 35 votes for 13.78 percent of the total.

In two contested school board races, the incumbents both won, but received challenges from candidates running for the first time.

Incumbent Carla B. Marconi received 433 votes for 51.24 percent of the vote, while challenger Tammy James-Pino got 412 votes for 48.76 percent.

In the other contested race, incumbent Richard Black received 475 votes for 54.04 percent of the total, while challenger Kelly N. Steffens, got 404 votes for 45.96 percent.