2023 Voter Guide: Candidates running for city, village board elections in Madison County
Welcome to the Belleville News-Democrat’s Voter Guide for the mayoral, city council and village board races in the April 4 election in Madison County.
The News-Democrat has contacted the candidates running in contested seats for mayor, city council and village board and asked them to complete a candidate questionnaire.
While this article has information about candidates in municipal races in Madison County, you can go to this page at bnd.com to get links to read about candidates running for local and school board positions across the metro-east.
Here are the responses from the Madison County candidates who have replied: (The candidates are listed alphabetically.)
Collinsville City Council
NAME: TONY FUHRMANN
Age as of April 4, 2023: 63
Campaign website or social media page: Tony Fuhrmann for Collinsville City Council
Office seeking: Collinsville City Council
Are you an incumbent? No
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No
Occupation: Director Madison County Employment and Training
Education: Master of marketing research, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: None
Who are your top three campaign contributors? Self-funded
Why are you running? I have partnered with the city of Collinsville on several projects professionally and have seen the innovative approach to government and the vision for the future of the city and I want to be part of that future.
What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? The continued emphasis on economic development in the city. Economic development leads to the ability of the city to provide the best police protection, fire department services and city services to make Collinsville a city where people want to live.
I will continue to work with city administration to attract new businesses to Collinsville.
Why should people vote for you? I bring years of experience both in the public and private sectors. That combined experience allows me to apply business principles to the city government. This will lead to more efficiency and more effectiveness in city government.
The BND has not received a response from the following Collinsville City Council candidates: Catherine Demers and Anthony Hausmann.
Edwardsville City Council Ward 3
NAME: CLEMMESCIA C. JACKSON
Age as of April 4, 2023: 37
Campaign website or social media page: jacksonforward3.com and Clemmescia Jackson on Facebook
Office seeking: Ward 3 alderman
Are you an incumbent? No
Have you run for public office before? No
Occupation: Realtor
Education: Grambling State University
Highlight your civic involvement: Volunteered with Edwardsville Little Tigers Football Club and Edwardsville Wrestling Club and served on the LTF board.
Who are your top three campaign contributors? Myself and RPAC (REALTORS Political Action Committee)
Why are you running? About five years ago, I noticed that my neighborhood wasn’t as well-kept or as safe as the neighborhoods that my friends lived in. I noticed that we always had potholes on almost every street. We had standing water on the sides of streets during summer months and frozen water on sidewalks during winter months. I have three children in the school district, and I don’t plan on moving anywhere, so I felt the need to inquire about what I saw as a need in my community, my ward and my neighborhood. In addition to my inquiry to the city, I began to speak with my neighbors and residents in my community to get an understanding of their concerns. I took those concerns to the city and saw there was a need for assistance. I have been partnering with the city since. I also noticed that there was a huge gap when it came to communication between the city, city hall and/or city officials. I believed that I could help bridge the gap in communication as well.
What is the top issue in your race and how would you address it? There are many pressing issues that our city faces. I believe the top Issue affecting my candidacy/position is strategic growth planning. Our city is more focused on expansion and growth. Growth pertaining to a city is always a great thing. However, for sometime now we have neglected our already existing communities, neighborhoods, infrastructure, buildings and residents. As alderwoman, I plan to utilize my expertise and experiences to help our city make sound strategic decisions that are not only beneficial to the smart growth of our city but that benefits each and every resident of all genders, classes, races and household makeup. I plan to utilize the connections and assets of the city to obtain any and all assistance that is offered to help build a better city.
Why should people vote for you? As a former military child and spouse, I had the opportunity to travel to, through and live all over the United States. My time and connection with the military broadened my ability to communicate, interact and relate to many different groups, ethnicities and classes of people. As a small business owner, I understand the importance of setting, meeting and balancing budgets. My expertise as a Realtor would allow me to aid the city in responsible growth and expansion. I am anchored in my community. I volunteered with Edwardsville Little Tigers Football Club, as well as Edwardsville Wrestling Club. I also served on the LTF board. I am passionate about partnering, working with, aiding and helping bridge the gap between the city and the residents of Edwardsville.
NAME: ANDREA MIRACLE
Age as of April 4, 2023: 51
Campaign website or social media page: Miraclefor3rdward.com
Office seeking: Ward 3 alderman
Are you an incumbent? No
Have you run for public office before? No
Occupation: Stay-at-home mom
Education: Bachelor’s degree in marketing from Texas State University
Highlight your civic involvement: PTO president at Woodland Elementary School; Booster Board president at Edwardsville High School; Edwardsville Arts Center board member; education co-chairman and executive board secretary for Edwardsville Community Foundation; and appointed member of the City of Edwardsville Plan Commission
Who are your top three campaign contributors? I am proud to say that my campaign is not taking any money from corporate or special-interest PACs, and my contributions have come from friends and family, such as Marsha Miracle, Bart Solon and James Gehring.
Why are you running? After serving the community for more than 20 years through various organizations, boards and foundations, this felt like the natural next step to serve Edwardsville in a more impactful way.
What is the top issue in your race and how would you address it? Residents of Ward 3 have real concerns about over-industrialization. We need development to sustain economic and community growth. As alderman, I will fight for thoughtful and responsible growth. I will advocate for less light pollution; opportunities and support for locally-owned businesses; and protection of our green spaces.
Why should people vote for you? I will use my knowledge and experience from working within city government to make educated recommendations to the City Council to ensure we can all be proud of the future Edwardsville while we protect the parts of it we love.
Edwardsville City Council Ward 7
NAME: ELIZABETH GRANT
Age as of April 4, 2023: 53
Campaign website or social media page: Elizabeth Grant for Alderman Ward 7 on Facebook
Office seeking: Ward 3 alderman
Are you an incumbent? Yes
Have you run for public office before? No
Occupation: Speech professor
Education: Master’s degree in speech communication from Eastern Illinois University
Highlight your civic involvement: Past president of Edwardsville YMCA board (2019-2021); Personnel Committee chair at YMCA currently; committee member for Edwardsville Y Gala on April 15, 2023; in charge of Kid Zone at Rotary Criterium; Friends of the Wildey Theatre and Fashion Show emcee; Driving Angel for Faith in Action; and member of Jackie Joyner-Kersee Golf Tournament, Committee; Finance and Administrative Committee and Community Services Committee.
Who are your top three campaign contributors? N/A
Why are you running? I’m curious about local government. I feel like I can advocate well for the citizens of Ward 7 by connecting them to agencies that can address their concerns.
What is the top issue in your race and how would you address it? Responsible growth; addressing traffic issues; keeping residents’ lives at the forefront; keeping Edwardsville a vibrant place for families to thrive by keeping our community safe, accessible and eco-friendly.
Why should people vote for you? I’m honest, I’m curious and I’m willing to listen.
NAME: SHELLY KEEVEN
Age as of April 4, 2023: 56
Campaign website or social media page: N/A
Office seeking: Ward 7 alderman
Are you an incumbent? No
Have you run for public office before? No
Occupation: Administrative assistant and certified life coach
Education: Paralegal certificate; Life coach certificate
Highlight your civic involvement: I am currently a member of St. Boniface Catholic Parish. I volunteer at St. Boniface and Father McGivney Catholic High School, and I help with several local Shriners events. I formerly served on my subdivision homeowners association for three years.
Who are your top three campaign contributors? N/A
Why are you running? I believe my organizational skills, passion for our Edwardsville community and belief in truly transparent government will serve the citizens well if I am fortunate enough to be elected.
What is the top issue in your race and how would you address it? I believe it is important for all residents of Edwardsville to continue to enjoy the quality of life we have in this wonderful community. I want to ensure equal opportunity for all and government transparency as our community continues to grow.
Why should people vote for you? I have been a resident of Edwardsville for 10 years. I am an ordinary citizen who uses common sense to guide my decisions.
Granite City Ward 4
NAME: BRAD EAVENSON
Age as of April 4, 2023: 67
Campaign website or social media page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071667601121
Office seeking: Alderman Ward 4, Granite City, IL
Are you an incumbent? Yes
Previous offices sought: Granite City Park Board of Commissioners (Elected); Granite City Alderman Ward 6 (Appointed then Elected); Village of Pontoon Beach (Elected two terms); Granite City Alderman Ward 4 (Elected 2019 and incumbent 2023)
Occupation: Retired Granite City School District administration
Education: Attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Belleville Area College (now Southwestern Illinois College)
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement: As the alderman of Ward 4 for the last four years, I’m proud to have started Neighborhood Watch groups in our area. We increased transparency to the community through our Facebook page making sure residents were better informed about the business of their city. We’ve added several new businesses to in the city with several more to open soon. We worked to improve our housing stock by tearing down deteriorated homes and businesses. We recently completed the construction of a new events center that will open soon. I was a member and the chairman of our Granite City Planning and Zoning Commission prior to holding elected offices. I also served on our Santa’s Holiday Avenue Committee and our Patriots in the Park Committee for over 20 years.
Who are your top three campaign contributors? We fund our own campaign with our personal funds.
Why are you running? I’ve been involved for 30 years in various elected and appointed positions. I enjoy trying to improve our city and to be a small part of moving our city forward. We have much work to do, so I have decided to run once again in 2023.
What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? I think the continued transparency to residents is important. Granite City lost so many jobs in the mid- and late-1970s when industry left our area. That resulted in a loss of population and a decrease in median income. Our goal now is to bring new development to the city, especially on Route 3, and to hopefully attract businesses that will bring in higher wages. By improving our housing stock, we hope to attract younger families here who will invest in the community.
Why should people vote for you? I think I’ve been a good representative for not only the people in my ward but throughout the city. I have over 1,500 followers on my aldermanic page, many from outside my ward. People want to know what’s going on and for elected officials to be transparent and accessible. I believe that’s the only promise a candidate can offer. I can’t promise to fix a street or to create new jobs, but I can definitely deliver on the promise to keep them informed and to answer their call when needed.
NAME: LEWIS GILES
Age as of April 4, 2023: 75
Campaign website or social media page: None
Office seeking: Alderman 4th Ward
Are you an incumbent? No
Previous offices sought: Executive Board for Service Employees International Union (SEIU) LOCAL 1
Occupation: Retired veteran/part-time bus driver
Education: Finished high school and two-year technical college
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement: Post 307
Who are your top three campaign contributors? No one
Why are you running? To help and improve our community
What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Waste – Make sure everyone has the right to pick their service
Why should people vote for you? I am loyal and committed to doing the work that I am elected to do.
Granite City Ward 5
The BND has not received responses from the following Granite City Ward 5 candidates: Kimberly Benda, James Hawkins.
Highland City Council
NAME: GARRY KLAUS
Age as of April 4, 2023: 72
Campaign website or social media page: None
Office seeking: Highland City Council
Are you an incumbent? No
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No
Occupation: DoD contractor explosives, system safety, specialist team lead supporting PM Ammo’s Principal for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health (PESOH) mission.
Education: Advanced Program Management Course; Bachelor of science in business administration Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, VA; Professional Certification in Project Management, Florida Institute of Technology, Alexandria, VA
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: 27 years as a Marine; martial arts business owner 2004-2016; Martial artist 1980-present; President of the Association of Aviation Ordnancemen 1994-1998, City of Highland Optimist Member 2016 - present.
Who are your top three campaign contributors? Me, myself and I.
Why are you running?
I am seeking the City Council office of the city of Highland for the same reason I joined the Marine Corps in 1968. “Ask not what your country can do for you...but ask what you can do for your country.” Just change the word country to city of Highland.
Honor and privilege to pass on my in-depth knowledge, experience and expertise as a martial arts self-defense instructor / business owner; Leader, manager and supervisor of billions of dollars defense programs.
What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it?
1st Exercise to my fullest team leading & building, leadership, management and God-fearing Christian skills to support the “hard working taxpayers” of Highland and ensure their “interest & well being” is properly voiced & addressed.
Question / challenge when a vote comes up (What is the value added for “hard working taxpayers” of Highland?).
I will be working for the “Taxpayers” of Highland.
2nd Try to complete within the 1st 6-month period an onsite visit of all Highland assets to include i.e., vehicles, equipment, tools, buildings, vacant lots, and city of Highland employees.
Discuss with the Subject Matter Experts (SME) what is and what is not working, what is and is not needed, what is nice to have and what should we have / got to have.
Find out what the SMEs’ top three priorities are.
3rd Try to complete within the 1st 6-month period acquire an appreciation and understanding of the budget.
Are there some things we can live without vis must haves.
Delays in procurement usually equal more $$$ down the road.
Current day cost growth is across all items to include wages.
Need to appreciate each budget line item, value added, study it, understand it…and vote to the best of my understanding the issue.
Why should people vote for you? Marine Corps leadership 27 plus years; Management / supervisor of major defense acquisition program requirements from (cradle to grave) 45 plus years; Martial arts business owner 11 years, instructor 43 years and martial artist 54 years (Satisfying city, county ordinances, state and federal regulation requirements); Sound judgment, common sense, integrity, loyalty.
NAME: WILLIAM A. NAPPER
Age as of April 4, 2023: 73
Campaign website or social media page: None
Office seeking: Highland City Council
Are you an incumbent? No
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No
Occupation: Journalist
Education: Degree from Central Texas College but have attended many colleges and universities over a 20-year period of being in the military service.
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: The Highland Knights of Columbus Council #1580; the Highland VFW, the American Legion (Lee Iten).
Who are your top three campaign contributors? None
Why are you running? Because I believe that I have the skills to represent the silent majority such as the senior citizens, those who are under employed such as young folks who have children and have to work two or three jobs to live from day to day.
What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it?
Taxes and fees for water, sewer and electricity.
Better parks, and art programs for families, etc.
Bringing more business to town, especially visitors from the interstate who could stop to eat and shop in Highland. We do a poor job of attracting traffic to stop as they pass by on the interstate. We don’t have one sign that directs traffic to stop!
Why should people vote for you? Because I am the best qualified candidate. I have lived in many cities and in several nations during my 20+ years in the military and we need people on the council who are energized and ready to serve the community! Moreover, we need to allow the citizens to feel like their ideas count and that the council appreciates their ideas because this town belongs to every resident.
NAME: SARAH SLOAN
Age as of April 4, 2023: 43
Campaign website or social media page: Sarah Sloan City Councilwoman of Highland (Facebook)
Office seeking: City Council
Are you an incumbent? Yes
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) City Council
Occupation: Office manager
Education: Bachelor’s degree in elementary education
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Membership: Highland Jaycees (past president), Highland Rotary Club (past president), Highland Moose, Chamber of Commerce Ambassador, 2022 Chamber Member of the Year
Who are your top three campaign contributors? Not contributors… but supporters! Local businesses, community, family/friends
Why are you running? My journey isn’t over! I want to continue making a positive impact in my community.
What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Offering great services while dealing with lower revenues during these difficult financial times.
Why should people vote for you? People know that I am always available and involved. I support our local businesses and give as much support as I can. You ask me a question and if I don’t know the answer, I will get you the answer. I have accountability and love for our city.
The BND has not received responses from the following Highland City Council candidates: Mike Blackburn and Neil Nicolaides.
Madison City Council Ward 1
The BND has not received responses from the following Madison City Council Ward 1 candidates: Derrick Crawford, Dreeta Jenkins.
Madison City Council Ward 2
The BND has not received responses from the following Madison City Council Ward 2 candidates: Mark Crochrell Sr., Doris Harrell.
Madison City Council Ward 3
NAME: STEVE HAMPSEY
Age as of April 4, 2023: 75
Campaign website or social media page: N/A
Office seeking: Alderman Ward 3
Are you an incumbent? Yes
Previous offices sought: Alderman Ward 3
Occupation: Retired (Owner/operator Hampsey & Sons Sewer Svc Inc.)
Education: High school
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement: As chairman of the Building and Lands, Streets and Alleys, and member of the Recreation committee, I have worked with the mayor and city council to make improvements in infrastructure and recreation areas. Also, we have worked diligently to continue to provide new and affordable housing to the citizens of Madison.
Who are your top three campaign contributors? N/A
Why are you running? I have enjoyed my time on the city council and would like to help complete the projects that the mayor and city council have started.
What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Bringing more businesses and affordable housing to the city that will better the health and well being of the citizens of Madison
Why should people vote for you? I will continue to listen to the concerns of the citizens of my Ward and try to bring about a fair and realistic result for them.
The BND has not received responses from the following Madison City Council Ward 3 candidate: Ralph “RT” Miller.
Madison City Council Ward 4
The BND has not received responses from the following Madison City Council Ward 4 candidates: William Garrett, Harvey Haynes.
