By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
The Ellis County Commission, serving as the canvassing board for the 2025 General Election, certified the election for the USD 388 Board of Education, among other races.
No canvass resulted in no changes in the contested races, including the Hays City Commission and the Hays USD 489 school board.
You can see a full list of the official results by CLICKING HERE.
However, some races did not have enough candidates on the ballot and will be filled through write-in votes.
Those are listed below and include the Ellis USD 388 school board, which had no candidates on the ballot in the General Election.
USD 388-Ellis
Nicholas Keller-276
Craig Seibel-248
Bailey Gottschalk-237
Craig Seibel
In a Facebook post announcing his write-in candidacy, Seibel said he was born and raised in Ellis and graduated from Ellis High School. He and his wife have been married for 19 years and have five children.
"I’m actively involved in local youth programs, including coaching through the Ellis Recreation Commission and the Ellis Wrestling Club," Seibel said. "I also help lead a weekly mentorship program for post-Confirmation high school students called Y-Disciple, where we engage in meaningful faith-based dialogue, cultivating relationships built on the foundations of Discipleship with Christ."
Seibel said he ran because he cares about the future of local children and schools, promising a commitment to high standards for staff and students.
He said he aims to establish a foundation of honesty, integrity, goodwill and collaboration, and to support policies that encourage long-term success.
Bailey Gottschalk
In a Facebook post announcing her write-in candidacy, Gottschalk said she is a lifelong Ellis resident and a 2013 graduate of Ellis High School. She and her husband live in Ellis with their three children.
"While our children are not yet in school, that's exactly why I believe now is the perfect time to get involved," she said.
Gottschalk said she hopes to represent young families like her own while also advocating for the long-term interests of the entire community.
Her priorities focus on open communication and fostering strong partnerships among parents and educators.
The Hays Post was unable to reach Nicholas Keller as of this post.
Schoenchen City Council member
Jim Mowry-30
Kyle Zimmerman-14
Thomas Cole Dinges-13
Vern Dreiling-12
Rex Hertle-11
Victoria Council member
Mathew L. Sander-172
Ryan Litcher-157
David Ottley-6
Munjor Improvement District
Darold F Younker-20
Stephanie Leithead-2
Tony Rohr-1
Suburban Estates Improvement District
Steve Pfeifer-4
Brandon Legleiter-2
Terry Bottorf-2
Ellis County Clerk and Election Officer Bobbi Dreiling presented the canvassing board with 32 provisional ballots, 31 of which were accepted and one was rejected.
Dreiling said of the 31 voters, one failed to provide valid identification, 26 moved within the county, two had changed their name, one was linked to a clerical error and one applied for an advance ballot after the deadline.
All 31 were accepted and counted in the final election results. The one rejected ballot was not from a registered voter.
The final voter tally in Ellis County was 4,662, with 20,483 registered voters for a turnout of 22.76%.
Two incumbents and a former school board member were elected to the Hays USD 489 school board.
SEE RELATED STORY: 3 veterans elected to Hays USD 489 school board
Incumbents Shaun Musil, a Nex-Tech employee, and Sandy Jacobs, a retired banker, were the top two vote-getters for the Hays City Commission. The third open seat went to newcomer David Vilaysing, a retired officer with the Hays Police Department.
SEE RELATED STORY: 2 incumbents, 1 newcomer elected to Hays City Commission