ELECTIONS: MANY RACES FACE VOTERS IN CITIES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS

A rare mayor's race in Jackson, a major, capital-improvements school bond issue in Cape Girardeau, school bond issue proposals in Delta and Jackson, and consideration of repealing the ban on Sunday sales in Perry County are among the issues being considered by area voters Tuesday.

The annual municipal and school elections around Missouri have some added interest this year because a law passed last year increases the size of school boards from six to seven members. That means school boards will be electing at least one new member in Tuesday's election.

Polls across the state will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Cape Girardeau County Clerk Rodney Miller predicted that about 48 percent of the county's 36,000 registered voters will turn out Tuesday.

"Because of the school issue in Cape Girardeau, the mayor's race in Jackson, and some of the other races and issues scattered around the county, I think turnout will be better than normal," said Miller.

Absentee voting in the county was running about four times higher than in 1992, he said.

Voters in the Cape Girardeau School District will be considering whether to approve a 72-cent tax levy to issue bonds for a $25 million project to construct a new elementary and middle school, and to pay for renovations at other buildings in the school district. In addition, voters will consider a 27-cent operating levy increase to provide money for maintenance of existing buildings, including new electrical wiring and retrofitting to withstand earthquakes.

A four-sevenths majority is required for passage of both issues.

In Jackson, Mayor Carlton "Cotton" Meyer is facing a challenge from Alderman Paul Sander, who is trying to unseat the 22-year incumbent.

Jackson R-2 School District voters are deciding whether to issue $4.7 million in bonds to construct a new middle school. The issue will not require an increase in the district's tax levy.

At Delta, voters will consider a $1,050,000 bond issue to construct new buildings and renovate existing ones in the school district. The bond issue would require a levy increase of 53 cents per $100 assessed valuation.

Voters in Perry County will decide whether to repeal its "Blue Law" that bans sale on Sundays of non-essential items. Proponents of the measure contend that sales tax money is being lost because residents of the county are going to adjoining counties on Sunday to shop.

At the Kelly School District near Benton, voters will consider extending the current debt service levy 15 years to 2012 to fund extensive renovations.

In the Cape Girardeau School District, four candidates are vying for three-year terms on the board of education, including incumbents Kathy Swan and John Campbell. Also running are Jack Sterrett and Steven W. Wright.

In the Jackson School District, incumbents Darrell W. Hanschen and T. Wayne Lewis are part of a nine-candidate field. Also running are: Mark Martin, Kelle A. Lane, David Lynn Seabaugh, Vicky McDowell, Wendy Litzelfelner Hayes, Robert A. Francis, and Charles Englehart.

Three of the four aldermanic positions in the city of Jackson on the ballot have races. In Ward 1, Vicki Abernathy is facing David Hitt, in Ward 2 Dave Reiminger is challenging Kevin Sawyer, and in Ward 3 incumbent Val Tuschoff is challenged by Robert "Butch" Wright.

In Ward 4 Jack Piepenbrok does not have an opponent and City Collector Beverly Nelson is also unopposed.

In the Oak Ridge R-6 School District, five candidates are running for three spots: Jerry Mac Schreiner, Kenneth P. Green, Jeff L. Hahs, Judy Abrisz, and Jacqueline Ludwig.

Voters in the Nell Holcomb School District have four candidates to choose from: Jim C. Wills, Robert Rubel, L. Faye Farrow, and Bruce Domazlicky.

Candidates running for six school board positions in Delta are: Don Dinkins, James Bowers, Junior Helderman, Donald Hester, Doyle Parmer, and Wesley Kinder Jr.

Also in Cape County, the East County Fire Protection District has contested races for three positions on its board of directors. Running for a six-year term are Rebecca L. Baylor and Arthur Lueder Jr; competing for the four-year term are Michael Frank, Norman Goehman, and Sharon R. Sticht; and vying for the six-year slot on the board are Gary Fornkahl and Ronald Cotner.

In the Kelly School District, seeking board seats are Carl Stricker, Sondra Buchanan, Tom Beardslee, Tim Wade, and Cindy Bollinger.

Candidates for the Kelso Consolidated District C-7 school board are: Linda Yarbro, Michael K. Westrich, Frank A. Essner, Charles Goodale, and Charles Schwartz.

In Scott City and Chaffee there are four school board candidates.

Running in Scott City are Gale Peetz Dale, Ray C. Smith, Cathy E. Raines, and Michael Ruth.

In Chaffee the candidates are Gregg L. Ourth, James H. Chronister, Randy Dooley and Tom Davenport.

Four council members will be elected in Chaffee Tuesday, and all are running without opposition.

In Scott City, there are races for only one of the four council seats. The race is in Ward 2 between Bob Camp and Kenny R. Holder.

No candidates filed in Ward 1.

On election night, all ballots will be counted in the county seats by staff of the county clerks offices.