MONROE — Early returns indicate that two of the four Monroe City Council races are neck and neck, with the other two showing a larger gap.
Incumbent Tony Balk had a large lead over challenger Thomas Layson for Position 4.
Also, for Position 2, Geoffrey Thomas had a healthy lead over Brian Lipscy.
Challenger Chad Minnick had a slight lead over Councilman Marc Mechling for Position 6.
For the council’s at-large seat, Bob Riordan and Robert Zimmerman were in a dead heat.
Councilman Jeff Frye ran unopposed for re-election for Position 5.
Thomas said his professional experience in city and county planning and his community volunteerism make him the better choice.
Thomas could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.
Balk said he worked hard in the campaign, visiting voters at their homes and sending out postcards.
"I’m pleased and excited to see that I’m in the lead, but it’s still early. I hope it holds," Balk said. "I’m also surprised at the low turnout. I thought we would have more in Monroe."
Small-business owner Minnick said he would be happier if he were leading by a wider margin.
"We may not even know until next week," Minnick said of the close race. "I think one thing I’ve learned in all this is that there’s a good group of people in this town that are willing to give their time to spend on the city council."
Riordan, who was in a race that was too close to call, said it’s going to be a long night — or possibly even a week, based on the closeness of early returns.
"I don’t know how I feel," he said. "It’s going to be a long race."
Zimmerman said it’s thrilling to be in such a close race.
"It’s not about winning or losing, it’s about the opportunity to represent the people that I’ve spoken to the last few months and fight for the issues that are concerning them," he said. "Right now it’s just a matter of sitting back to let the people speak."
Reporter Jennifer Warnick:
425-339-3429 or
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