No surprises as filing closes for Cape County elections

The last day of filing brought no new candidates in the open contest for Jackson mayor. And in Delta, six candidates filed for four seats on the Board of Aldermen.

The last time the mayor's job in Jackson changed hands in 1993, Paul Sander defeated 20-year incumbent Carlton Meyer.

When voters go to the polls April 3, they will choose between businessman John Graham and two current members of the Jackson Board of Aldermen, David Reiminger of Ward 2 and Barbara Lohr of Ward 3.

The other contested race in Jackson will be between Mark Dambach and incumbent Ward 3 Alderwoman Valeria Tuschhoff. In Ward 2, where Kerry Hoffman is stepping down, Cape Girardeau County emergency operations coordinator David Hitt will return to the board. Hitt was an alderman from 1993 to 2001. In Ward 1, incumbent Phil Penzel filed without opposition, and in Ward 4, incumbent David Rauh is unopposed.

In Delta, at least two aldermanic seats will be won without a contest. All four board members received their job by appointment. Under state law, appointees serve only until the next election. Two seats are being elected to fill one year remaining on unexpired terms, while two other seats will be filled for a full two-year term.

Not all the candidates have chosen whether to seek to fill out a term or to seek a full term, city clerk Billie Snowden said.

The candidates in Delta are:

• In Ward 1, Dale Hobeck is seeking to retain for a full two years the seat he received by appointment in August. Ricky Cobb, who was appointed in September, is running but did not declare which post he wanted, Snowden said. And former Mayor Hughes Lesch filed for the remainder of the unexpired term.
• In Ward 2, none of the three candidates have stated a preference for which term they are seeking, Snowden said. Alderwoman Bonnie Bradshaw, Alderman Dennis Bowers and Harold G. Looney all filed for office.

Candidates may contact city offices and decide whether to seek a full term or the remaining portion of an unexpired term, Snowden said. Snowden must certify the list of candidates to the county clerk's office no later than Tuesday.

While there are 24 political subdivisions wholly or partially within Cape Girardeau County that had slots for candidates, not all will have candidates on the ballot, county elections director Patty Schlosser said. Where the number of candidates seeking office equals the number of available seats, no election is necessary under state law.

For example, incumbents Roland Sander and Diane Howard are the only candidates for seats on the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center board, eliminating the need for an election.

Where no candidate is filed, the post can be filled by write-in candidates, Schlosser said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

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