Slusser Victorious in Chairman Race
Unofficial primary election results released
by Randy Pierce
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated to include candidate quotes.
MADISON COUNTY — In a hotly-contested Republican primary election race on Tuesday, March 19, Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler was defeated in his quest for placement on the November ballot for another four-year term by Chris Slusser, the county treasurer, by a margin of 11,704 to 7,156 with all 191 precincts reporting.Slusser offered that he finds his victory by such a predominant margin to be “validating” while acknowledging the support from those who offered it as part of his campaign.
Prior learning of the final results, Slusser shared, “I voted in my first Republican primary in 1996 when I was an 18-year-old college freshman. There weren’t many Republicans on the ballot back then here in Madison County. I was sitting in my constitutional law class that night at Lewis and Clark Community College, when I jokingly asked the professor if we could extra credit for voting.”
“The professor was an attorney, Phil Alfeld (who later became a Madison County associate judge),” Slusser explained. “He said, ‘Do you have your card? If so, hold it up.”
“Back then, they would give you a red card if you asked for a Republican ballot and blue if you asked for a Democrat ballot. The card was your proof of voting. I proudly held up my red card. Mr. Alfeld chuckled and said, ‘wrong color…no extra credit for you.’ That was my first introduction to Madison County politics. My, how things have changed these past 28 years.”
Prenzler, issuing an announcement the morning after the primary, firstly offered his appreciation to all of his supporters then commented, “Madison County voters made their decision and I certainly wish the best for the county and all those who won their elections.”
He then added, “There will be time for more discussion, but now’s a time for moving forward.”
The results were similar, yet not quite as far apart, in the race for circuit clerk of Madison County with Patrick McRae earning 10,193 votes compared to 7,528 for Stephen J. Adler.
The incumbent circuit clerk, Thomas McRae, is retiring from that position at the end of his current term of office. His son, Patrick McRae of East Alton, is currently chief deputy treasurer in Slusser’s office. Adler, of Alton, is a former county deputy administrator and former county board member.
Incumbent county board member Ryan Kneedler was unsuccessful in fending off a challenge from Linda Wolfe, who had 440 votes in the District 22 primary race over her opponent’s 404. Both reside in Collinsville.
Jason Palmero of Glen Carbon, who currently holds the District 26 county board seat, prevailed over his opponent, Douglas Matthews, also residing in Glen Carbon, by a margin of 366 to 291.
In District 24, which takes in parts of Edwardsville and Glen Carbon, the incumbent, Charles “Skip” Schmidt, did not file for reelection. In that primary contest, Fred Schulte of Edwardsville received 450 votes compared to 398 for Dwight Kay of Glen Carbon.
Incumbent office holders at the county level filing without opposition for the March primary were State’s Attorney Tom Haine of Alton and Auditor David Michael of Highland while Nicholas Novacich of Granite City was the only candidate seeking the office of coroner currently held by Stephen Nonn.
County Board members Chris Guy of Maryville, District 25, and Paul Nicolussi of Collinsville, District 23, appeared on the primary ballot without opposition.
