In addition to the contested races in Columbia, there is a question on the ballot for Valmeyer School District residents, the Waterloo Park District has a contested race and there are  contested races for Monroe County Road District commissioners and Dupo offices. 

Valmeyer question 

Voters in the Valmeyer School District will be able to vote on a public question in the consolidated election regarding how school board members are elected. 

Residents of that school district will have a public question on their ballot asking if board of education members should be elected at-large, allowing for anyone to serve, instead of membership being restricted by a requirement that no more than three members of the board may reside in the same congressional township. 

“It has been difficult to recruit candidates to run for the board who live outside of new Valmeyer,” Superintendent Eric Frankford said as to why the district is seeking this change. “The discussion happens during each election cycle. This cycle, we had the possibility of open seats and needing to fill them with either write-in candidates and/or board appointments.”

There are three school board seats up for election this year, and because of this rule only one of the two candidates who filed to run can be elected. 

Only three board members can live in the same township, and there are already two people who live in the same township as candidates Justin Rohlfing and Stefanie Johnson-Tyberendt.

The proposition must be approved by the majority of votes cast in each township or by two-thirds of all voters who vote on the question.

If it passes, the change will take effect this year and require some restructuring of the board.

If voters do not approve the change, write-in candidates are eligible for election. If none or not enough of those candidates get the votes needed to win, the board will select the person or persons to fill the open seats.

John Niebruegge and Kyle Andres are running as write-in candidates. They must get at least 50 votes to serve on the board, Monroe County Clerk Jonathan McLean said.

Park district race 

Four candidates are vying for three seats up for election on the Waterloo Park District Board. 

Gina Pfund, Keith Buettner, Michael Nolte and Edwin “Scott” Davis Jr. are all on the ballot.

Pfund retired from teaching at Waterloo Junior High School in 2017 after 34 years. She previously ran for park commissioner in 2019 and was an advocate for keeping Sondag City Pool open. 

Buettner currently serves on the park board. He is an electrical contractor. 

 Nolte is also an incumbent. He was previously a member of the Waterloo Citizens for a Pool group and was the parent of a member of the Piranhas Swim Team. 

Davis is a 1999 graduate of Waterloo High School. He is a business professional who has worked in several areas, including photography and finance. 

Road district contests

In a rare turn of events, there are also three contested races for road district commissioner. 

In Road District No. 6, incumbent Richard Heine is facing a challenge from James Breidecker. That district runs roughly from Hanover Road north of Waterloo to Route 156 in Waterloo. 

Road District No. 7 will see a race between incumbent Don Voelker and Brad Luther. That district covers from Route 156 south to LL Road in Maeystown. 

Finally, Road District No. 9 has an election between Jason Niebruegge and Floyd Floarke Jr. That district covers the rural area of B Road in the northwest part of the county to Bluff Road just north of Valmeyer. 

Dupo races

To the north, the Village of Dupo will have multiple contested races. Mayor Jerry Wilson will vie for re-election against current village trustee Chris Ragsdale.

The Dupo Village Board will also have three open trustee seats with six candidates looking to fill those. Candidates who filed are former mayor Ron Dell, Dawn Keys, Allan Moallankamp, Jerry Goodrich, James Smith and Tammy Taylor.