Bonus, Jeff Smith win seats
Incumbent Democrat Kenny Bonus and Republican challenger Jeff Smith each won seats on city council Tuesday, according to unofficial results from the election.
With all precincts reporting, Bonus lead the four candidate race with 1,159 votes followed by Smith with 1,115, according to unofficial results posted online by the county Bureau of Elections.
Incumbent Democrat Kathy Kline, who was running for her fourth consecutive term, received 843 votes and Republican candidate Jim Kemple received 750, according to the unofficial results.
“I'm extremely pleased,” Bonus said while joining Ben Smith, the mayor-elect of Butler, at a victory party at Reclamation Brewery on Main Street.
Bonus said the election result came from hard work on the campaign trail.
“I knocked on over 1,830 doors and met many people in different neighborhoods. That's the only way to get to know people,” Bonus said.
Smith said he was confident about winning after spending Election Day at polls talking to voters.
“I was optimistic today. I got a lot of good feedback from voters at the polls. I think the message of dealing with the neighborhoods resonated with voters,” Smith said.
A full report appears in Tuesday's Butler Eagle.
