By By KATHIE HEMPEL / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Niles City Mayor Mike McCauslin has no competition for his office as the deadline for petitions passed at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, without any other candidates filing.
Also unopposed, failing write-in competition come Nov. 6, is first ward councilmember Georgia Boggs and second ward incumbent Daniel Vandenheede.
Twelve-year veteran Robert Chute, has some advice for those now running for his council seat. Betty Arndt of 1412 Oak St. and Brent Wright of 1425 Oak St. both will be running for the third ward opening.
"Twelve years is long enough, even though I still enjoy it. Those who are running need to get involved now and come to the meetings. They need to get up to speed now. That's what I did and it worked out well," Chute said.
Chute said he noticed Arndt was at the last council meeting on Monday.
Arndt said she knew Chute was retiring and as she likes the way the city was headed. She thought she would sign on to help keep it going in that direction.
"I particularly like what we have done downtown and with the parks. I have lived in Niles for 15 years," Arndt said.
In the fourth ward, incumbent Bruce Williams will face Bob Burch in the November election.
Niles City Clerk Ruth Harte said no primary election is required.
"Primary elections are only held when more than twice the number of those needed to fill the seat turn in petitions. This is according to state law. If five had filed for any one seat, then we would have had to hold the primary in August," Harte said.
While write-in ballots are rare, Harte said, that it has happened that someone files to run as a write-in candidate, before the two weeks prior to the November election deadline.