SCOTT COUNTY VOTERS' PREFERENCES MIRROR NATIONAL AND STATE CHOICES

BENTON -- Scott County voters fell in line with the state and nation in Tuesday's election, although President Bill Clinton defeat of Bob Dole was hardly a landslide -- only 400 votes or 3 percent of the total.

Clinton took Chaffee, Scott City, Haywood City and Commerce while Dole claimed Kelso, Oran and Miner. Sikeston was close but also went Republican by eight votes.

Democrat Jay Nixon won Scott County's vote for attorney general by almost 3,500 votes over Republican Mark Bredemeier. Cook won Scott County by nearly 2,000 votes over Republican John Hancock.

The voters of Scott County supported the re-election of Gov. Mel Carnahan by 9,074 votes to 5,878 for Republican Margaret Kelly. In the election of state senator for the 27th District, Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, defeated Democrat Rick Althaus 8,707 to 6,216.

Sheriff Bill Ferrell, Assessor Teresa Houchin, Public Administrator Sonny Alcorn, Coroner Scott Amick and Surveyor Norman Lambert were on the November ballot but had won their seats in the primary election.

In the District 2 county commission race, Dewaine Shaffer, who had previously served in that seat, defeated Republican Kelley Swain by almost 1,400 votes.

Shaffer said he concentrated on campaigning in the smaller towns of the county and the strategy paid off. He claimed a decisive victory in Haywood City, 65 to 4 votes, and New Hamburg, 212 to 110. Shaffer also pulled in clean wins in Chaffee, 915 to 554, Oran, 488 to 236, and Scott City, 1,113 to 800.

Scott County also voted to retain Missouri Supreme Court justices Ronnie L. White and John C. Crow.

Proposition A, which would have raised the minimum wage higher than the national standard, was soundly voted down in Scott County, with 11,103 no votes to 3,366 yes. A proposition establishing a state department of aging was voted down, 7,605 to 5,500. A proposition removing water plants from regulation as a public utility was supported. A "rainy day fund" proposition to provide an operating reserve in low-revenue years was barely defeated in the county, 6,519 to 6,464.

The sales tax supporting the state's parks was easily supported, 8,344 to 4,923. The proposition on congressional term limits was supported, 6,686 to 6,185.