Oran's mayor wins tie-breaking special election

BENTON, Mo. -- Voters in Oran re-elected Mayor Tom Urhahn Tuesday in a special election forced by a tie vote in the regular election April 8.

By a vote of 253-220, Urhahn defeated challenger Ron Diebold in a race where nearly one-third more people cast ballots than voted in the April race.

The election was one of three in Scott County forced by ties in the April balloting. In the other races held Tuesday, Richard Griffin defeated Susan Godwin to win a third term on the Scott County Central Board of Education by a vote of 156-117. Griffin and Godwin were vying for the third available seat to be decided this year.

In the third tie-breaker election, voters in Miner, Mo., selected Mitch Thompson over Betty Barnes by a vote of 187-185.

The voter turnout in each of the elections exceeded the April turnout. Voters cast paper ballots that were counted at the polling stations. Tally sheets with the results were read by election officials in front of candidates and reporters in the Scott County Commission chambers.

County Clerk Rita Milam said she couldn't account for the higher turnout. "I don't have a clue unless they campaigned harder," she said.

The paper ballots kept the cost of the special election to a minimum, Milam said. "We try to use paper ballots when there is just one issue," she said. "It is just so much cheaper."

None of the jurisdictions voting Tuesday overlap.

Griffin, treasurer of the school board, said he stepped up his effort compared to April in order to pull out the victory. In fact, he said, he had not campaigned during the first round of voting.

'I did get out and walk and talk to everyone in the community," he said. "I got some good support, and I saw people I hadn't seen in years."

Turnout was higher, Griffin said, because voters knew their ballot mattered. "I guess they thought their vote really counted this time."

In the Miner election, Thompson regained the mayor's seat he held from 2004 to 2006. Barnes was the incumbent.

While he said he was unable to campaign heavily because of work commitments, Thompson said he had strong help from friends. "I am proud to see the citizens get out and vote."

In each contest, the candidates chose to have a second vote rather than draw lots to decide the race. The election went as smoothly as could be expected, Milam said.

"I am just glad there weren't any ties," she said. "That would not have been good."

rkeller@semissourian.com

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