WITH RECORD BALLOTING, VOTERS DEFEAT CITY MANAGER PROPOSAL (50 YEARS AGO)

The city manager form of government was adopted by Cape Girardeau in 1965. At least three efforts were made by supporters of the change to win its approval before it was adopted on July 20, 1965, by a vote of 2,595 for and 2,321 against.

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 1948; page 1

Reprinted from The Southeast Missourian

By a majority of slightly less than 2-to-1, Cape Girardeau voters at a special election Tuesday turned down a proposal to substitute the City Manager plan for the present 30-year-old Commission form of government.

The vote was 2,349 against the proposition to 1,301 in favor of the switch, with only one of the city's 11 wards voicing approval. This was Ward 11, the recently annexed Rodney Vista area, which voted 72 to 57 for adoption of the City Manager plan.

Heavy vote cast

Voters in large numbers went to the polls, despite a slow rain that fell through much of the day. The total of 3,650 votes cast was much heavier than the 2,920 recorded at the last city special election last April when voters approved an airport bond issue.

The vote was a record for special election and far surpassed even the number of votes cast in the last election for mayor in 1944. At a special election last summer for sheriff 2,475 votes were cast. In the last general election for mayor only 2,869 people went to the polls. In the 1940 mayoralty election, however, 5,724 votes were cast.

While Ward 11 carried the issue, the other 10 wards went heavily against it. The biggest adverse majority was in Ward 9, the Foursquare Church polling place, where 412 voted no and 139 yes votes, a difference of 273. Ward 8, A.F.L. Hall, voted 199 to 56 against. Ward 10, Smelterville, polled 90 to 14 in opposition to change.

Close in Ward 3

In Ward 3, Trinity Lutheran Hall, the vote was fairly close with a difference of only 23 votes. The no vote showed 255 and the yes vote was 232. The heaviest vote was cast in Ward 4, Fairground Park, where a total of 632 ballots were marked. There the vote against the change was 351 to 281 in favor.

Election day was marked by feverish activity from the time the polls opened until they closed.

In some sections of town workers went from door to door with marked ballots showing how to vote against the proposal.

Telephones were employed to urge people to vote, and automobiles and trucks were used to transport voters to the polls.

Nature of opposition

Opposition to the proposal sprang from several sources.

City officials worked actively against it. Reports that all the city employees would lose their jobs if City Manager carried were heard frequently.

Downtown property owners, professing to fear that flood control, which has been hanging fire for 21 years would be endangered by the adoption of City Manager government, were organized against it.

Officers of some of the labor unions came out against it and were active in opposition.

Operators of beer taverns were rallied against the proposal by the claim that the City Manager might be "dry," that drastic regulations might be put into effect against such establishments.

The law provides that after the proposal is defeated it cannot be submitted to the voters again for another year.

Cape Girardeau became the third Missouri city in eight days to reject the proposal. On Feb. 18 Mexico voters decided against changing, 834 to 790. On Feb. 17, Fulton voters went against the proposal, 1,101 to 733. Previously, on Feb. 3, Marshall voters adopted the plan, 1,160 to 843, becoming the 12th Missouri city to make the change, and yesterday the town of Slater, also in Salene County, approved it.

Had long been discussed

The election was the culmination of a campaign dating back to Jan. 8, when The Missourian announced it would begin circulation of petitions asking the City Council to call a special election to see if the people desired a change to City Manager form of government.

Prior to that for years the plan had been discussed in the city. As far back as 20 years ago it had been mentioned. In the 1930s there was discussion and in 1940 it was again seriously considered. Following the war the matter had again been brought up by numerous sources with many advocating that the people be given the opportunity to vote on the matter and last summer was discussed at a series of public meetings.

After presentation of the petitions, signed by 1,698 citizens, to the city on Jan. 14, the council on Jan. 19 set the date of the election and Mayor R.E. Beckman issued a proclamation calling for the vote.

Watch elsewhere

The Cape Girardeau election was watched with interest throughout the district and state. In Malden, where serious consideration is being given the plan, the campaign was closely watched. Sikeston kept an eye on it, and interest was further stimulated when a service club heard an address on the subject. Poplar Bluff, which once defeated the issue, also observed the local situation.