Jackson voters will decide one contested race in April

This story has been edited to correct that Sander, not Hahs, was appointed on the board of aldermen in one reference. The Southeast Missourian regrets the error.

There is very little competition at the bigger institutions on Cape Girardeau County's April ballot this year. The area's two largest school districts -- Cape Girardeau and Jackson -- will have no contested races, while there will be just one contested on the Jackson Board of Aldermen. The races will reside in the smaller school districts and villages in the county.

Five of six members on the Jackson Board of Aldermen will face no opposition in the April election.

Ward 4 Alderman Tommy Kimbel faces a challenge from Steven Lee.

Mayor Dwain Hahs is among those running unopposed. First elected in 2015, he is seeking his third, two-year term, city clerk Liza Walker said.

Those running for aldermen also are seeking two-year terms, except for Ward 1 Alderman Paul Sander, a former mayor of Jackson, who is running for a one-year, unexpired term.

Sander was appointed last August to fill the Ward 1 vacancy created by the resignation of Phil Penzel, who resigned so his construction firm could bid on the Jackson police station project.

There are no Cape Girardeau City Council seats up for election this election cycle. Those seats are up for election only in even-numbered calendar years.

Jeff Glenn is seeking re-election to the Cape Girardeau Board of Education, and Matthew J. Welker is running for the other three-year term.

Welker, the son of former Cape Girardeau public schools superintendent Jim Welker, is seeking to fill the position being vacated by Adrian Toole, who is not seeking re-election.

In the Jackson School District, board member Brian Thompson is seeking a new term. Paul Stoner is a candidate to replace Dan Stover, who is not seeking re-election.

But both Thompson and Stoner are assured of taking office even though their names will not appear on the ballot. That's because school districts and a number of other local governments don't have to hold elections if the number of candidates equals the number of positions to be filled, said Allen Seabaugh, supervisor of elections for Cape Girardeau County.

But candidates still must be listed on the ballot in cases such as the Cape Girardeau School District, where there is a ballot issue, he said.

In this case, the district has a $12 million bond issue on the April ballot.

In a subsequent email, Seabaugh wrote there are "many entities (fire and water districts) not holding elections" because the number of candidates equals the number of positions to be filled.

There are contested school board races in the Delta, Oak Ridge, Advance and Meadow Heights school districts.

Candidates James Gloth, Amy White and Meredith Cox Scherer are vying for two three-year terms on the Delta school board. Evelyn Nussbaum and Matt Huffman are seeking a one-year, unexpired term on the board, according to the Cape Girardeau County Clerk's office.

Voters in the Oak Ridge School District will decide among four candidates for two seats on the school board. The candidates are Ronald Tracy, James Urhahn, Robert Eisenhauer and Christ Layton.

Candidates David Kennedy, Adam Cato and Chase Robins are vying for a one-year, unexpired term on the Advance school board.

Four candidates are running for two seats on the Meadow Heights school board. They are Jerry Boyd, Wyatt Bollinger, Paul Alexander Lochirco and Sheila Kay Bess.

There also are contested races for city collector in Delta and village board of trustees in Whitewater.

In Delta, Teresa Lesch Byram and Carla Perry are seeking to fill a one-year, unexpired term for city collector.

In Whitewater, Bonnie Stroder, Nathan Stroder and Jonathan Stidham are vying for two seats on the village board.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641