Incumbent Tommy Melton is top vote getter

COLUMBUS — Republicans will keep the majority of the seats on the Polk County Board of Commissioners, as has been the trend the past several years, according to unofficial results from the Polk County Board of Elections Tuesday night.

Incumbent Republican Tommy Melton was the top vote getter and won a four-year term. Newcomer Paul Beiler, also a Republican, also won a four-year term.

Incumbent Democrat Ray Gasperson held onto his seat, winning a two-year term in third place.

Candidates Chrelle Booker and Carolyn Ashburn, both Democrats, lost by 851 and 1,032 votes, respectively.

Write-in candidate Mari Cartwright, a Republican, received 1,260 votes.

Melton received 5,102 votes over Beiler’s 4,894 votes and Gasperson’s 4,780 votes.

Early voting had Gasperson in the lead over Melton by 270 votes, with Gasperson receiving 3,149 votes over Melton’s 2,879 votes and Beiler’s 2,721 votes.

Booker received 2,620 early votes and Ashburn received 2,465 early votes.

Melton won every precinct except for Tryon and Green Creek.

Beiler won in Green Creek by one vote over Melton, 808 to 807, and Gasperson won in Tryon with 1,108 votes over Melton’s 779 votes and Beiler’s 712 votes. Booker was second in Tryon with 1,048 votes and Ashburn was third with 974 votes.

Gasperson had the most absentee votes with 175, followed by Booker and Ashburn each with 157 votes, Melton with 130 votes and Beiler with 126 votes, according to unofficial results.

Commissioners will be sworn into office during the first meeting in December, scheduled for Monday, Dec. 3.

New commissioner Paul Beiler will join incumbents Melton and Gasperson, along with current commissioners up for re-election in 2020, Jake Johnson (R) and Myron Yoder (R).

Tuesday night’s results are unofficial until the board of elections canvasses the votes on Friday, Nov. 16. As of late Tuesday night, there were 85 potential absentee ballots to be returned and 35 provisional ballots to be confirmed or not confirmed.

The Bulletin will have additional details on Tuesday’s election later in the week.