OGALLALA - Thousands of voters in Ogallala cast ballots for write-in candidates during Tuesday's General Election, driven largely by a heated debate over a proposed casino rezoning in the city.

The controversy began in early October, when the Ogallala Planning Commission heard extensive public testimony on a contentious rezoning request. Following hours of impassioned debate, the commission ultimately voted 5-3 against recommending the rezoning.

Despite this decision, the Ogallala City Council revisited the issue in late October and voted 4-1 to approve the rezoning application. The Council’s decision has been divisive, prompting strong reactions from the community, with many residents worried about potential changes a new casino could bring to the area.

In response, several community members took the unusual step of entering the City Council race as write-in candidates for this week’s General Election. According to Keith County election officials, incumbents Kevin Block and Dustin Holstein retained their council seats with 1,208 and 1,115 votes, respectively.

Five Ogallala residents ran as write-in candidates, garnering over 1,000 votes in total. Leading the write-in candidates was Austyn Dupeire, former chairman of the Ogallala Planning Commission, who secured a council seat with 366 votes. Dupeire narrowly edged out fellow write-in candidate Darryl Weddington, who received 345 votes.