Published: November 02, 2009 06:29 pm      

Puhr to run for 104th district

DANVILLE — The contest is set in the 104th District.

Democrat Mike Puhr of Danville filed with the State Board of Elections on Friday, becoming the last candidate to put his name in to run for the seat.

Puhr is in his third term as an alderman for Danville. He is operations manager at Sunset Memorial Park where he’s been employed for 36 years. Puhr said he plans to have an announcement rally in the near future signifying his jump into the political ring.

He said his effort to gather 1,200 signatures to run for the office “shows the seriousness of the campaign.”

The 104th District seat is held by State Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville. He has confirmed plans to retire at the end of his term.

At this point, the 104th District appears to be the only state legislative office connected to Vermilion County that will see any competition in the November general election. According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, no one but incumbent Democrat Mike Frerichs of Champaign has filed for the office.

Incumbent Republican Shane Cultra of Onarga was the only candidate to file in the 105th District, which includes the northern part of Vermilion County.

While there will be no primary election races among local state legislators, the seats in one county board district are a different issue. Five Democrats filed — four on Monday alone — to run for two seats in County Board District 5.

Only one candidate filed petitions to run for the county’s supervisor of assessments office.

The state primary election is scheduled for Feb. 2.

Here is a final list of candidates who filed petitions for office:

-- 104th District State Representative: Republican Chad Hays; Democrat Mike Puhr

-- 105th District State Representative: Republican Shane Cultra of Onarga

-- 52nd District State Senator: Democrat incumbent Mike Frerichs of Champaign

-- Sheriff: Republican incumbent Pat Hartshorn of Danville

-- Treasurer: Republican incumbent Sue Stine of Danville

-- County Clerk: Democrat incumbent Lynn Foster of Danville; Republican Dennis Miller of Danville

-- Supervisor of Assessments: Republican Matt Long of Danville

-- Superintendent of Schools: Republican Cheryl Reifsteck of Danville

-- Fifth Circuit Judge vacancy: Frank Young of Danville, Eric Neuman and Brian Bower of Charleston and Matt Sullivan of Paris, all Republicans

-- County Board

District 1 (two seats) — Republican Todd Johnson of Hoopeston; Democrat Danny Lee Danner of Hoopeston; Democrat Travis Taylor of Hoopeston; Republican incumbent Gary Weinard of Hoopeston

District 2 (one seat) — Republican Charles “Chip” Mattis of Potomac; Democrat Sue Ponder Miller of Oakwood

District 3 (two seats) — Republican incumbent Steve Fourez of Fairmount; Republican David Stone of Catlin; Republican in-cumbent Bill Grubb of Danville

District 4 (one seat) — No filings reported

District 5 (two seats) — Democrat incumbent Orick Nightlinger of Danville; Democrat incumbent Chuck White of Tilton; Democrat John Criswell of Tilton; Democrat Darrell Health of Danville; Democrat Robert “Jim” Watson of Tilton

District 6 (one seat) — Republican incumbent Russ Pollitt of Danville

District 7 (two seats) — Democrat incumbent Scott Kair of Danville; Republican Craig Golden of Danville; Democrat incumbent Mike Dodge of Danville; Republican Steve Green of Danville;

District 8 (one seat) — Democrat Robert Boyd of Danville

District 9 (two seats) — Democrat incumbent Jim McMahon of Danville; Democrat Larry Davis of Danville

-- Board of Review

District 1 — Democrat Amanda Shepherd of Danville

District 2 — Republican incumbent Robert Huffman of Danville

District 3 — Democrat incumbent Robert McMurray; Democrat Michael Cundiff of Oakwood