Madison County board member David Michael, Republican, defeated Democratic opponent Joe Silkwood by a margin of 56-44 for County Auditor.
"First, I would just like to give a heartfelt thank you to all of the voters of Madison County who have placed their trust in me to be the next County Auditor," Michael stated. "It is truly humbling and a great honor, and I take this trust very seriously and will remember it daily. I also want to thank all of my supporters, friends, and family who encouraged me, volunteered for me, and prayed for me during the race. Their support means the world to me. I would also like to thank my opponent, Joe Silkwood, for running a good, competitive race. Lastly, I would like to thank Rick Faccin, the current Auditor, for his service to Madison County over the years. I know he will continue to serve his community while enjoying retirement. I look forward to getting to work on behalf of the taxpayers of Madison County!"
Michael, who is a certified public accountant (CPA), received 72,906 votes with East Alton Mayor Silkwood receiving 57,695 votes.
"Well we didn't bring home a winner but we sure worked hard, learned a lot about politics, the neighborhoods of Madison County and the people who live here," Silkwood stated on his campaign Facebook page. "Thank you to all of you who were beside me from the beginning - my kids and granddaughter and my close friends - I couldn't have done this without you. To the tireless volunteers who walked in sun and rain and never complained - you're the best. And thank you to all of you who followed me on FB, posted positive comments and voted for me."
Current Auditor Rick Faccin is retiring.
Michael, of Highland, was previously elected to the Madison County Board in 2016. He currently serves on the finance committee, executive committee, planning and development committee, transportation committee, and is chair of the grants committee.
He attended University of Illinois, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting with a minor in Spanish and later earned a master’s degree in accounting. Michael also earned the title of CPA after passing the exams.
Michael currently works full time as the head accounting professor at Kaskaskia College in Centralia and maintains the CFO role with Father McGivney Catholic School. He teaches finance and managerial and tax accounting. He also oversees adjunct professors, among other roles.
He also spent some time studying abroad in Costa Rica, where he taught at schools.