CAPE COUNTY VOTERS REJECT PLANNING, ZONING MEASURE

JACKSON - Voters in Cape Girardeau County Tuesday overwhelmingly defeated planning and zoning, which for the time being abolishes county planning that was begun 20 years ago.

The issue was placed on the ballot by a petition, after a group of citizens expressed concern about parts of a proposed zoning ordinance drafted by the county planning commission.

The county commission eventually approved the ordinance to take effect Jan. 1, pending the outcome of Tuesday's vote.

Voters defeated the issue by a margin of 14,971 to 10,589.

All four Republican incumbent county officeholders won new terms by wide margins Tuesday. That group of winners included: Treasurer Bill Reynolds, elected to a fourth term; Second District Associate Commissioner E.C. Younghouse, elected to a fourth two-year term; Coroner John Carpenter, who claimed a second term; and Public Administrator John Ferguson who won a second term.

In a hotly contested race for first district associate commissioner, Larry Bock of Gordonville, a Republican, defeated George Cox of Delta. The incumbent, Leonard Sander, lost to Bock in the August Republican primary.

In another close contest, Republican William Syler edged Pete Statler of Jackson for Division I circuit judge in the 32nd Circuit. The circuit includes Cape, Bollinger, and Perry counties.

Turnout Tuesday was a record for Cape Girardeau County as 28,885 voters went to the polls, smashing the previous record set in 1984 of 25,302.

Scott McDowell, who worked with a group organized to oppose zoning known as Citizens Against Unfair Planning and Zoning, admitted he was a little surprised by the margin.

"It's what I wanted but not what I expected," said McDowell. A key part of the group's strategy was to make sure voters in the city of Cape understood the issue and why it was important for them to oppose planning and zoning in the out county area.

McDowell noted that J. Fred Waltz, attorney for the county planning commission, had told planning commission members not to worry about the issue passing because the city of Cape would carry it. But that was not the case Tuesday, which McDowell said is an indication the advertising focus on Cape Girardeau was successful.

"Our forefathers fought many a war for freedom in the United States and we can't let our own government take those freedoms away from us," said McDowell.

McDowell said opponents of the zoning ordinance are not necessarily opposed to county planning and would work with the county commission to come up with a new plan.

Any new plan, however, would require voter approval.

"I'm for planning the county with reasonable rules but only with fair treatment of all concerned; and, absolutely not with selective enforcement," said McDowell. "I hope we can work with one of the commissioners to begin moving toward a workable plan.

"We would be happy to start this anytime they want to."

Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep said earlier that if voters rejected planning and zoning he would not favor taking the matter before the people again without a petition from citizens asking that it be placed on the ballot.

Syler, who assumed the duties of circuit judge on Oct. 1, had one of the closest races of the night as he and his wife followed returns in the county administration building in Jackson.

"I want to thank all the people who came out for me," said Syler. "We ran a full race in a short period of time and I am delighted at the people who came out and helped me in my campaign. This is a great way to meet people in the counties and find out what they want and expect from their circuit judge."

Republicans wound up carrying every race in Cape County that was contested, with Statler and Cox running the best among Democrats.

Cox lost to Bock by a margin of 7,575 to 6,356, while Statler lost to Syler in Cape County 14,655 to 12,526.

In other contested races, Younghouse defeated Lanny Smith in the second commission district 7,761 to 5,558; Reynolds defeated Democrat Orval Thorne for treasurer, 17,311 to 9,663; Ferguson defeated Mitch Herod for public administrator, 15,898 to 10,279; and Carpenter defeated Democrat Harold Cobb for coroner, 15,980 to 11,028.

Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson amassed a huge margin in Cape County over Democrat Thad Bullock - 19,867 to 7,720. Republican State Senate candidate Peter Kinder, who won the 27th District seat, carried his home county over Democrat Betty Hearnes by a margin of 17,244 to 10,636.

In the presidential race, George Bush received 13,464 votes, Bill Clinton 9,605, and Ross Perot 5,199. U.S. Sen. Christopher Bond carried Cape County by a wide margin over Democrat Geri Rothman-Serot of 18,325 to 8,948.

In the governor's race, Republican Bill Webster received 15,080 votes, compared to 12,636 for Democrat Mel Carnahan. For lieutenant governor, State Auditor Margaret Kelly got 16,686 votes, to 10,348 for Democrat Roger Wilson.

Republican John Hancock carried the county by a wide margin in his bid for secretary of state, topping Judi Moriarty 16,303 to 10,541. Republican Gary Melton carried Cape County against Democrat Bob Holden 13,848 to 11,581. Janet Lewis got the most votes of any Libertarian candidate on the ballot with 1,649 votes for treasurer.

Republican David Steelman carried the county by a wide margin over State Sen. Jay Nixon, winning 16,082 to 10,759.

Among the constitutional amendments and ballot issues, the closest one in Cape County was Proposition A that would authorize riverboat gambling. It narrowly failed in the county by a margin of 13,594 to 13,506.

Amendment 4, which provides for crime victims rights, passed by the widest margin - 86 percent, 22,812 to 3,783.

Amendments 12 and 13 that would require legislative and congressional term limits received about 80 percent of the vote in the county.

About 66 percent of county voters rejected Amendments 1 and 2, while Amendment 3 was rejected by almost 60 percent of the vote. Amendment 10 was rejected by 70 percent of county voters, while 67 percent supported Proposition C to expand the duties of the lieutenant governor.

Voters in Cape County supported the retention of all appeals court and Supreme Court judges on the ballot, with support hovering around the 60 percent mark.

Running unopposed, Republican Sheriff Norman Copeland got 21,401 votes; Democratic Assessor Jerry Reynolds 19,826, and Republican Surveyor Carlston Friese got 21,356.