Absentee votes will decide school election

CAIRO, Ill. -- Four candidates including two incumbents were in a battle for three spots on the Cairo school board late Tuesday night with absentee ballots still to be counted.

School board president Arnold Burris Sr., who has served 16 years on the school board, was in danger of losing his bid for a fifth four-year term.

But Burris, an Alexander County deputy sheriff, expressed confidence that the absentee ballots would put him back on the board. "I think I am in good shape," he said.

Mayberry, Alexander County's 911 coordinator, agreed that Burris would benefit from the absentee votes. But Mayberry said he still was hopeful he'd win a seat on the board. Mayberry said the other three candidates battling for board seats are all "good people" and the district would be well served by any of the them.

Mary Coleman, who worked for the school system for three decades before retiring, headed up the field of eight candidates in votes in Tuesday's election. Coleman had 469 votes, followed by incumbent Vernon Stubblefield with 396 votes, Bobby Mayberry with 374 votes and Burris with 360 votes.

Trailing them were Cairo city clerk Erica Wells with 283 votes; Delbert Irish, 184; Torey Purchase, 180; and Owen Terry Jr., 125.

Coleman campaigned on a theme of doing what's best for the students. "I would like to think that over the course of 30 years, I had established a relationship with not only the parents but the students as well," she said.

"I just want an opportunity to serve."

Stubblefield, who was appointed in January to fill a vacancy on the board, couldn't be reached for comment election night. A relative said Stubblefield went to bed rather than stay up late to await the election results.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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