Voters will head to polls Tuesday

An array of issues and races awaits voters at the polls in Tuesday's municipal elections.

Voters in Cape Girardeau will decide whether to repeal an ordinance that would allow bow hunting for deer within city limits, and they will determine which of three candidates take two seats on the Cape Girardeau School Board. In Jackson, five candidates are vying for two school board seats.

The only countywide election in Cape Girardeau County will be for the public health center board, since the county commission chose not to place a use tax question before voters. A half-cent sales tax will be on the ballot in Gordonville as the city attempts to fund its wastewater system, and Delta residents will vote on a $1.5 million bond issue to combine and improve the city's waterworks and sewage systems. Voters who live in Jackson's Ward 3 will have a choice of alderman candidates with incumbent Mark Dambach facing Michael Steinhilber. Incumbents in all other wards with expiring terms and Mayor Barbara Lohr do not have challengers for their seats.

Use taxes will be voted on in Bollinger, Perry and Scott counties, and in Perryville. If voters approve the use taxes, counties would be allowed to collect a tax on out-of-state and person-to-person vehicle purchases.

The amount of the tax charged would be equal to the sales tax rate charged in each county. In Bollinger County, the tax rate is 1.625 cents on the dollar; in Perry County, the rate is 1.875 cents; and in Scott County, the rate is 1 cent.

Perryville's rate also would be 1.875 percent.

Government officials have attempted to educate voters on the positives of use taxes, which would boost revenue that currently can't be collected due to a Missouri Supreme Court ruling made in 2011.

Bollinger County voters also will decide whether to pay for a new library, extension center and archive complex with a tax increase that would add 37 cents per $100 to the current 20 cents per hundred dollars assessed valuation tax in the county's library district.

Special elections

The Kelly School District will hold a special election in which voters will decide on a $3 million bond issue to fund construction of classroom and kitchen space.

Cape Girardeau's ballot question on repealing the ordinance that would allow deer hunting also is a special election.

The issue of whether or not urban hunting should be permitted is one that stretches back to 2012 when the city council formed a committee to study the topic. The committee recommended a management program to the council, which, in turn, narrowly passed an ordinance last summer to allow hunting. Opponents of the ordinance then gathered enough petition signatures to suspend the ordinance. The council in September did not vote to repeal the ordinance, creating the city's first-ever referendum.

During the winter, the Missouri Department of Conservation conducted a density survey of the city's deer population, finding that Cape Girardeau has an average density of 37 deer per square mile -- an amount the department said is similar to densities seen elsewhere in the state where communities have taken action to reduce the herd.

Supporters of an urban hunting program say too many deer cause damage to property and pose a hazard to drivers, while opponents maintain bow hunting is not safe in urban areas and there are alternatives to reducing the herd.

Opponents also have recently voiced concern over the wording of the ballot question. If in favor of repealing the ordinance, which means urban hunting would not be allowed, a voter would check the "yes" box. If a voter wanted urban deer hunting to be allowed per city ordinance, they would check the "no" box.

City manager Scott Meyer said if voters decide not to repeal the ordinance, it will go into effect when the council holds a special meeting April 5 to review final election results. Hunting would not be allowed until the opening of the state's autumn bow hunting season.

A special election also will be held in Cape Girardeau's Ward 6 to fill a vacant seat on the city council. Wayne Bowen is the only candidate who filed for the seat.

School boards

The two candidates who receive the highest number of votes in the April 2 election will claim the seats in each district. Terms are three years.

In Cape Girardeau, incumbent Phil Moore is seeking to retain his seat. Jeff Glenn, a public relations consultant, and Adrian Toole, a retired financial officer of a local company and longtime Cape Girardeau Central High School sports booster, also are seeking to join the board.

In Jackson, two longtime school board members, Gerald Adams and Dan Stover, are being challenged by three district-student parents, Brad Noel, Alaina Hinze and Michele Irby. Common Core Standards, a standards-based grading system used by the district, and communication between the board and parents have emerged as issues in the race.

In Scott City, there is a three-way race between an incumbent, Lisa Schaefer, and two challengers, Gary Elders and Bobby Underwood.

There also are contested races for seats on the Scott City Council, Perryville board of aldermen, other area school districts, health boards and fire districts.

Turnout

Voter turnout for municipal elections is never very strong, local county clerks say.

Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers bases her prediction for voter turnout on the number of absentee ballots her office receives leading up to an election.

As of Thursday, about 160 sent in, she said. Clark Summers said she expects about 15 percent of the county's 52,000 registered voters to participate Tuesday.

"People don't seem to be as engaged in the municipal elections," she said.

Perry County Clerk Randy Taylor predicted about 20 percent of the county's 12,800 voters would turn out.

"April's not a real popular time," Taylor said.

Bollinger County Clerk Diane Holzum said 20 to 25 percent -- 30 percent at most -- of voters likely would turn out.

Scott County Clerk Rita Milam said she expected her county's turnout to be low, at 13 percent and no higher than 15 percent.

Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Tuesday.