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After This Weekend's Caucus, A New Frankfort Mayor

Credit Jimmy Emerson / https://www.flickr.com/photos/auvet/14984748055

Frankfort residents will know the name of their next mayor after Republican precinct chairs choose a successor for Mayor Chris McBarnes this weekend.

Frankfort Clerk-Treasurer Judy Sheets, Frankfort City Council member Eric Woods, and Frankfort Board of Works member Ken Estes will make their case to hold the mayor's office at a caucus Saturday morning in Frankfort's city council chambers. 

Clinton County Republican Party chairperson Jim Moyer says up to 20 Republican precinct chairs could select the new mayor this weekend—and the majority vote rules.

"All three of the candidates are well-known," Moyer says. "All three are well-qualified. It could easily happen that nobody gets ten on the first ballot."  

Each candidate gets three minutes to address the caucus. Precinct chairs will then vote in a secret paper ballot.  Moyer says while he doesn’t typically encounter tie votes, he would be allowed to cast a deciding vote as the caucus chair. But since he’s also a precinct chair, he won’t take that option.

“So I would tell them—folks, we’re going to keep balloting until somebody changes their mind,” Moyer says.

If either Sheets or Woods becomes mayor, their positions will also be filled in a caucus.

McBarnes, who announced his resignation in January, will end his time in office Feb. 28. His replacement will be sworn in March 2. 

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