Weather may put freeze on city, school turnout

Polling places ready for action

Voters motivated by proposed school consolidation might show up in force for today’s primary election for city and school board seats.

Or they might just stay home because of snowy streets and bitter cold.

With those forces at play, Douglas County Clerk Patty Jaimes wouldn’t hazard a guess at how many voters could turn out for today’s primary. The polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

“I don’t think I’ll make any predictions,” Jaimes said. “I think (the weather) will have some impact on the turnout. But if it’s not snowing, it may not have that big an impact, because the streets are clear.”

If advance voting is an indicator, turnout may be up.

Jaimes said Monday that 860 votes had been cast through advance balloting, up from 672 during the 2001 primary election.

“More and more people are aware that advance balloting is available and are taking advantage. A good reason is what took place over this weekend,” she said, referring to a snowstorm that closed schools in some area towns.

During the 2001 primary, 5,326 total votes were cast, or about 13 percent of registered voters.

In today’s Lawrence school board primary race, the field of 13 candidates will be thinned to eight. In the city commission race, a field of 11 hopefuls will be narrowed to six.

Voters can select up to four candidates for school board and as many as three for city commission.

The school candidates are Brent Garner, Samuel Gould, Cille King, Eddie Lehman, Gordon Longabach, Mary Loveland, Rich Minder, Scott Morgan, Sue Morgan, Leonard Ortiz, Michael Pomes, Ron Powell and Cindy Yulich.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today for primary elections that will narrow the candidates for Lawrence school board and Lawrence City Commission. Voters in the 9th Precinct will cast ballots at Hillcrest School, 1045 Hilltop Drive, where a sign was already up Monday afternoon when children left the school. For a map of polling places, see page 2B.

The city candidates are Zachary Bassin, Gregory DiVilbiss, Lee Gerhard, Lynn Goodell, Dennis “Boog” Highberger, August “Gus” Lafayette Huber IV, Eddie Lehman, Ken McRae, G. Wayne Parks, Mike Rundle and David Schauner.

Incumbent school board member Scott Morgan said if weather reduced voter turnout, that would work against incumbents.

“I don’t think it particularly helps me,” said Morgan, who is seeking re-election to a four-year term.

Presumably, those satisfied with the current board’s plans would be less motivated to fight the elements than those voters seeking to upend the status quo.

The school board primary has concentrated on how candidates view a proposed $59 million bond issue for school construction and renovation. The bond vote is April 1.

A controversial element of the bond plan is closure of East Heights and Centennial schools. The bond includes $9.2 million to expand Cordley and New York schools to handle students from East Heights and Centennial.

Four of the board’s seven seats are up for grabs. Winners would take office July 1.

Three of the commission’s five seats are open. Winners would take office April 8.

Lehman, running in both races, said he had a chance to survive the school board primary, but doubted his chances in the city commission race. There’s too much money and too few spots in the latter campaign, he said.

“I learned a lot of things,” said Lehman, who filed at nearly the last minute in January. “Start earlier, get a lot of money.”

Also today, voters outside Douglas County will narrow the fields of candidates for Basehor City Council, Leavenworth City Commission, Wellsville mayor, Williamsburg City Council and Tonganoxie City Council and mayor.

Voters also will cut candidate lists for school board seats in these districts: Easton, Tonganoxie, Oskaloosa, Valley Falls, Central Heights and Appanoose-Pomona-Williamsburg.

The general election is April 1.


— Staff writers Tim Carpenter and Mark Fagan contributed to this story.