Challenger Hickman wins one Troy city council race, incumbents win others
May 6—TROY — Troy residents will see a new person representing the 3rd Ward on Troy City Council beginning in January with newcomer Madison Hickman defeating incumbent Samuel Pierce.
Hickman received 54.6 percent of the vote, to 45.4 percent for Pierce, according to unofficial final results posted Tuesday night by the Miami County Board of Elections.
Unofficial votes showed in the council's 6th ward, incumbent Jeffrey Schilling narrowly retained his seat by a 51.2 percent to 48.8 percent vote ratio over challenger Sherrie Foster.
In the race of four candidates for three at-large council seats, the incumbents came out on top. The unofficial vote for those seats showed Todd Severt with 30.5 percent, Susan Westfall with 29.1 percent, Lynee Snee with 21.4 percent and newcomer Kay Friedly with 18.95 percent.
The Board of Elections still must review and count provisional ballots before certifying the election results.
The three incumbents could have another competitive race in November, however, with the filing Monday by an independent candidate to seek an at-large seat.
The petitions by John "Bryan" Begg have to be reviewed by the elections board for certification by July 15. If he is certified, the three top vote recipients from Tuesday will be on the November ballot along with Begg in a race for three seats, said Laura Bruns, county elections director.
A November race in the 1st Ward will feature incumbent Jeffrey Whidden, a Republican, and Jeffrey Harris, a Democrat.
In the 3rd Ward, Hickman late Tuesday thanked those who supported her in her first run for a council seat.
"I'm incredibly honored and grateful to have earned the support of the Third Ward," she said. "This campaign was always about bringing our community's voices to the table, and I'm ready to get to work on their behalf. Thank you to everyone who believed in me, asked tough questions and shared what matters most to them — I won't take this responsibility lightly."
Pierce said that while the election outcome was not what he had hoped, he was "incredibly" proud of the campaign and conversations held along the way.
"Troy is my home. I love this city deeply, and that love doesn't change with the results of an election," Pierce said. "I want to thank everyone who supported me, encouraged me, and believed in our vision for a stronger, more connected community," Pierce said. "Though I won't be serving on City Council, I remain committed to this city and to doing my part to help it thrive. There's still work to be done, and I'll keep showing up-for Troy, for our neighbors, and for the future we all care about."
Schilling will return to council for another two-year term.
"I would like to thank the voters of the 6th Ward for giving me this opportunity to represent them for the next two years. I would like to thank all the voters who voted today for exercising their civic duty," Schilling said. "I would like to thank the Miami County Board of Elections staff for all the work they did to make this election possible and thank all the poll workers, for their dedication and work helping the residents of Troy vote today."
Foster said that, "While the results weren't what we hoped for, I'm proud of the campaign we ran and grateful to everyone who supported and believed in our vision. I remain committed to serving our community and working toward a better future for Troy."
In the at-large race, Severt said he thanked those who voted, campaigned or "shared a kind word in this endeavor. I appreciate the opportunity to work for the citizens of my hometown and will continue to promote accessibility and engagement in the community."
Westfall said she is "very honored that the voters have given me the chance to run in the November election. I would love to continue to serve as an 'at large' member of Troy City Council and look forward to representing this amazing community."
Snee thanked those who voted and those who participated as candidates. "I appreciate the citizens placing their confidence in me to continue to represent them on the Troy City Council, and I look forward to earning their vote again in November in the general election," Snee said.
All other council seats, including that of president, held by William Rozell, were unopposed. Also unopposed were Kristie Marshall in the 2nd Ward, Bobby Phillips in the 4th Ward and Bill Twiss in the 5th Ward. Voters also elected a new city treasurer in William Whidden, a Republican. Current treasurer Melvin Shane did not file for re-election.
Council members will be paid $9,207 annually beginning in January 2026. The president's seat will pay $9,863 annually.
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