VOTER TURNOUT LIGHT IN SCOTT COUNTY ELECTION

Scott County voter turnout was light Tuesday for local, school board and a few special ballot issues. There were few contests in the races for city offices.

Slightly more than 20 percent, or 5,324, of the county's 26,019 register voters cast ballots.

David Matthews and Jan Sargent Felker won the two seats up for grabs for the school board in the Sikeston R-6 School District, which encompasses Sikeston, Miner and Morehouse. Matthews received 2,001 votes and Felker 1,492. A third candidate, Duane Highley, received 1,213 votes.

In the Kelso School District, incumbent Frank Glueck and Reatha Paul defeated Russ Mothershead and Doris Jansen for the board's two open seats. Glueck received 271 votes, Paul 167 votes, Mothershead 127 and Jansen 77.

The Scott County Central School Board election saw former teacher and basketball coach Ronnie Cookson winning the most votes with 240. He will be joined on the board by incumbent Kay Boley Griffin, who received 191 votes. Incumbent Gary Kesler lost his re-election bid with 120 votes. Mark Freed was unopposed in his race for a one-year unexpired term.

The two incumbents on the Oran school board won re-election. Mike Wheeler garnered 250 votes and John Betrand 204. Challenger Dan Heeb received 136 votes.

The Kelly School District also returned one of two incumbents to its board. Incumbent Rita Milam received 297 votes in Scott County, plus two from Mississippi County. Newcomer David Hamm received 273 votes in Scott County and four Mississippi County votes defeating incumbent John Felter, who received 226 votes, plus six from Mississippi County.

Two tax issues facing the citizens of Kelso were overwhelmingly approved, 104 for and 18 against in approving a half-cent sales tax. And by a vote of 110 to 11, voters approved a tax levy increase.

In Oran, voters approved a special bond issue to build a new water tower by a 128-50 vote.

Scott County voters also gave their overwhelmingly approval to two constitutional amendments facing Missouri voters. Amendment 3 was approved 4,057-1,031, an 80-to-20 percent margin. Amendment 4 passed with 75 percent approval, or 3,660-1,243.

Miner had the most municipal races Tuesday. Only Phyllis J. Hepler, candidate for city collector, ran unopposed.

Miner Mayor Betty Barnes survived a strong challenge from Cindy Cole, winning 163-150. Incumbent Norma Tatum likewise faced stiff competition, defeating challenger Steve Hampton by six votes, 96-90, for the Ward I city council post.

Results for the Ward II council election in Miner were not available because of the official write-in candidacy of Jim Wills, who was challenging incumbent Tom Brock. The final results were expected later today.

Morley had two contested races for city office. In Ward 1, Hallie Granville defeated incumbent Ricky Isaacs for a two-year term 57-25. In Ward 2, Ronnie Cookson defeated Candy Wright, 59-3.

In its other races, Joan Berry was elected mayor of Morley and Jerry May was elected to a one-year unexpired term on the city council for Ward 1.

Benton had one contested race for its Board of Alderman, the result of which was a tie. Randall Grady and Jim Arteme both received 30 votes for alderman in Ward 2. Phyllis Minner received nine votes.

Officials in the county clerk's office said Tuesday that they were not certain how the election would be decided.

Barry Urhahn ran unopposed in his bid for Benton's board in Ward 1.

Turnout was extremely low in Commerce, where four candidates vied for three seats on the city's board of trustees. Dixie Jane Johnson High received three votes, Alan Wright two votes and David "Buck" Hanners one vote. The fourth candidate, Buddy Vetter, received no votes.

Many of the municipal elections throughout the county had no contested races.

In Sikeston, Josh Bill and Jerry Pullen were elected without opposition to at-large council seats.

Oran Mayor Tom Urhahn was re-elected without opposition, and Marcia Roslen was unopposed in her bid for city collector. In the Oran City Council elections, Ronald Diebold was elected in Ward 1, Leroy Eftink in Ward 2, Jean Neal in Ward 3 and Walt E. Madigan in Ward 4.