General election: Challengers line up to replace retiring incumbents

KEARNEY — In Kearney and Buffalo County, the 2024 election is about change the face of city government.

In each of the major local elections voters will decide who they want to fill vacancies left by long-term office olders who include:

Kearney Mayor Stan Clouse, who is stepping down after 20 years on the Kearney City Council to fulfill his long-held dream to represent Kearney and Buffalo County in the Nebraska Legislature.

Alex Straatmann, who stepped down from the Kearney Public Schools Board of Education, took one year off from public office, and now is running for a seat on the Kearney City Council.

State Sen. John Lowe, who is term-limited after eight years representing Kearney, Gibbon and Shelton in the Nebraska Legislature.

Each of those leaders leaves big shoes to fill, but the campaigns to fill their vacancies have been strongly contested.

Here's a race-by-race rundown:

Kearney City Council: Only one of the three Kearney City Council members whose terms are ending decided to seek re-election. That was Jonathan Nikkila. The other two whose terms are up — Clouse and Councilman Bruce Lear — decided to retire from the council.

Lear is taking a break from elective office, but Clouse is campaigning to be the District 37 representative in the Nebraska Legislature. Whether Clouse succeeds will depend upon the strength of his opponent, Lana Peister, who is conducting her first campaign for elective office. The 37th District encompasses the city of Kearney as well as the towns of Gibbon and Shelton.

The exits of Clouse and Lear mean that voters will elect at least two new council members. There could be three new council members if incumbent Jonathan Nikkila fails in his bid for re-election, but Nikkila was the leading vote-getter in the May primary followed by challenger Alex Straatmann. Other challengers are Bryce Nelson, Kurt Schmidt and Shawna Meyer.

Kearney School Board: Voters will reduce the field of six candidates to the three who will serve on the KPS Board. Like other races on the Kearney ballot, the KPS race has the potential for three new board members to emerge.

Board chair Steve Gaasch is the lone incumbent and narrowly survived the May primary. Two other incumbents stepped down from the board. Incumbent Kathy Gifford decided not to seek re-election and Dave Brandt stepped down before his term on the board concluded. Amy Barth was appointed to fill Brandt's vacancy and is on the ballot for Tuesday. In addition to Gaasch and Barth, KPS candidates on Tuesday's ballot are Chad Gillespie, Niki Deeds, Casey Schilke and Amanda Smallcomb.

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