STURGIS – Sturgis voters Tuesday approved ballot measures that would eliminate the city manager position and reject the action of the Sturgis City Council to sign a host agreement for a flat track race on downtown streets during this year’s 84^th City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

As of Tuesday, April 9, the number of registered voters in the City of Sturgis was 5,222 of which 1,480 or 28% voted in Tuesday’s election.

In the races for Sturgis City Council, Nick Jones won in Ward 1, Ruth Kopp in Ward 2 and Jim Thompson in Ward 3.

Jones faced Jamie Helms and Angela Wilkerson in the Ward 1 race. Jones received 107 votes, Helms, 83 votes and Wilkerson, 40 votes. Wilkerson, who was appointed Mayor last month, still appeared on the ballot as a candidate for council in Ward 1 because the last day a candidate could withdraw their name from nomination was 5 p.m. Feb. 23. She was appointed on March 4 to serve as mayor. 

In the Ward 2 race, Kopp faced Richard Zerbst. Kopp received 278 votes to 63 votes for Zerbst.

In the Ward 3 race, Thompson faced Richelle Bruch. Thompson received 241 votes to 206 for Bruch.

Jesse Blackeman was unopposed in Ward 4.

Those elected will take office at the May 6 council meeting. They serve three-year terms. 

In addition to voting for representatives to the Sturgis City Council, voters in Sturgis also cast votes on two ballot questions.

The first question posed was to decide whether the city manager position should be eliminated from the City of Sturgis government.

The second question on the ballot came via a referendum.

The city received petitions to refer to the voters of Sturgis the Sturgis City Council’s decision of Feb. 20, to sign the Spirit of Sturgis TT Race host agreement for this year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.