Personal ties impact Jackson races

Jackson voters cited personal ties and friendships as some of the leading reasons for their choices Tuesday as they chose school board members, a mayor and an alderman in Ward 3.

Turnout was good, with checks at three of four city precincts showing that by 2 p.m., 20 to 30 percent of voters had cast ballots. Two years ago during a contested mayoral race, 35 to 40 percent of Jackson's registered voters cast ballots, according to figures supplied by the Cape Girardeau County Clerk's office.

The Jackson mayor's race is a contest to replace Paul Sander after 14 years. Barbara Lohr, an alderwoman for five years, faces David Reiminger, an alderman for 14 years, and John Graham, a businessman running as a write-in candidate.

The Jackson school board race has four candidates seeking two slots on the board. The candidates include incumbent Gerald Adams, a nine-year veteran of the board, against Marc Harris, Dan Stover and Brian Dameron.

In Ward 3, senior alderwoman Val Tuschhoff faces a challenge from Mark Dambach.

Pat Scully, who voted at the county courthouse, said he voted for Dan Stover in the school board race based on his time as a teacher.

"He taught one of my sons and he did right by my son," Scully said.

Harris received a vote from Toby Crowder, who voted at the New McKendree Methodist Church Annex. Crowder said he has a four-year-old son getting ready to start school, and the fact that Harris has children means they have similar interests in the schools.

"It is time to get somebody who cares about making it the best for his kids," he said.

For Richard Rushin, who voted at the First Baptist Church, choosing a mayoral candidate was tough because he knows both Reiminger and Lohr. He finally settled on Lohr, he said.

"Dave is a great guy and I've known him all my life," he said. "But from Day 1, I thought" Lohr "would be a good mayor."

Crowder, however, said it was a personal knowledge of Reiminger that persuaded him to choose Reiminger over Lohr and Graham.

"Not only does he want the town to thrive, he wants the schools to thrive as well," Crowder said. "He knows Jackson is a growing community and there are a lot of things you've got to keep up with to keep the growth under control."

Graham voters Alanna Smith and Daniel Olney said it was Graham's literature, which raises several criticisms of the way city hall business is handled, that persuade them to case write-in votes.

"He seems to have some better ideas than the rest of them," Olney said after voting at New McKendree.

A city hall decision that is having an impact on pocketbooks, an increase in electric rates, didn't seem to be a big concern to many Jackson voters. Rates went up 40 percent for residential customers, and elimination of an early-pay discount for businesses means that businesses are paying about 54 percent more for electricity.

Bruce Thomas, who voted at the courthouse, said he burned more wood in his fireplaces and is taking other steps to conserve to keep his bills under control. And he doen't blame the aldermen for the rate hike. "It hasn't been devastating to me," he said. "And I feel those people have the best interest of the city at heart."

Look for updated election news beginning soon after the polls close at 7 p.m. by checking back at www.semissourian.com. And pick up Wednesday's Southeast Missourian for complete election coverage.