STURGIS, S.D. – Alex Usera and Mark Chaplin were elected to the Sturgis City Council in a special election held Tuesday in Sturgis.
In Ward 1, Usera received 69 votes to 67 for challenger Ryan Klima.
The Ward 1 seat opened on the Sturgis City Council when Councilor Mike Bachand resigned from the council in October.
There were 136 total votes cast in the Ward 1 race, with 30 of those being absentee.
In the Ward 3 race, Chaplin received 75 votes to 61 for Richelle Bruch, 50 for David Murtha and 47 for Jennessa Dempsey.
The Ward 3 council seat was vacated when Councilor Don Lanpher resigned in October.
There were 234 votes cast in the Ward 3 race. One ballot was deemed a spoiled ballot so only 233 were official. There were 59 absentee ballots cast in the Ward 3 race.
Votes cast in the election will be canvassed at the Thursday, Jan. 9, meeting of the Sturgis City Council. The Thursday meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers at Sturgis City Hall, 1040 Harley-Davidson Way.
Kevin Forrester, who is currently the Acting Mayor after Angela Wilkerson resigned in October filed petitions to run for mayor in this special election, but he was the only one to do so, so his name was not on the ballot. He will be sworn in as mayor on Thursday and will serve in that capacity until a new mayor is seated in May.
Those council members elected will be sworn in at the Jan. 21 city council meeting. They also will only serve on the Sturgis City Council until May.
