Lake County Gazette

Scott Gartner knocked off Antioch Mayor Larry Hanson in the consolidated elections, ending the incumbent's 26-year run of power.

According to the Daily Herald, unofficial totals showed Gartner ahead of Hanson by a nearly 2-1 margin — with Stacy Hanson finishing a distant third. 

In the days leading up to the election, Gartner argued that change was desperately needed.

"The town's become stagnant, and it's time for new ideas and new visions," Gartner previously told the Lake County Gazette about his challenge to Mayor Larry Hanson. "I think it just needs someone to work for all the residents in Antioch and not just the people that have always been taken care of."

Gartner, an attorney by trade, said he got into the race because he does not like the way politics are trending across the country and in his neck of the woods.

"It was very evident this town was ready for a change," he told the Herald in the wake of his triumphant. "I thought about running the last two terms, but I know Larry and didn't want to run against him."

The owner of a local small business, Gartner said he is committed to revitalizing the county by supporting local businesses and recruiting new ones. Much of his plan centers on lowering the tax burden on businesses to make it easier for them to operate.