AMBOY – With a three-way mayoral race and a couple of aldermanic seats up for grabs in Amboy, voter turnout remained low for the April 4 consolidated election. Despite decent weather, just slightly over 26 percent of Lee County voters showed up at the polls on Tuesday.

For the position of Amboy Mayor, John Schamberger received 442 votes to defeat incumbent Tom Nauman, who received 219 votes and former mayor Frank Mekeel, who got 28 votes.

Ward One Alderman Brett Dewey amassed 146 votes, running unopposed; for Ward Two Alderman, William Bontz received 194 votes besting Donald Clayton who received 74. In the race for Ward Three Alderman, David J. Shaw got 206 votes to beat Charles Sachs who had 30. 

Running unopposed were Amboy Township Supervisor Dennis McCoy, 748 votes; Amboy Township Clerk Glen Foss, 699 votes; and Amboy Township Highway Commissioner Tom Bulfer, 741 votes. All three were incumbents.

Five candidates ran for four (four-year) seats on the Amboy District 272 Board of Education. Katie Pratt received 929 votes, Elsa Payne 974, Carol Schnaiter 870, Tony Becker 774 and Brian Fox 717. (Winners of school board seats will be determined after the official election results are completed within the next two weeks.)

In Sublette, Michael Vaessen ran unopposed for Sublette Village President receiving 93 votes and Brenda Vaessen was the lone candidate for Sublette Village Clerk receiving 87 votes.

The three candidates elected as Village Trustees in Sublette were Julie Kessel (48 votes), Brian Wilson (86 votes) and a write-in candidate (54 votes). Larry Ellis came in fourth (37 votes). Scott Hanson received 93 votes for an unexpired two-year Village Trustee term.

In Franklin Grove, David Atkinson received 175 votes compared to 29 for Tony Schaneberg in the race for village president.

In the decision to impose a retailers’ occupation tax in the county for a new jail, the measure passed by a 3908-2215 margin.