Liquor sales, school board elections among issues on Tuesday’s ballot

De Soto voters will decide Tuesday the matter of Sunday liquor sales.

“We’re probably the only city in Johnson County that doesn’t allow Sunday sales,” said Richard Braukas, owner of Mike’s Liquor Store.

Braukas owns one of the city’s two liquor stores. He lobbied the City Council last year to allow the sales. There wasn’t enough consensus on the issue to take a vote, said City Council member Linda Zindler.

But the council unanimously agreed in November to put the matter of Sunday liquor sales up for a public vote, Zindler said.

Voters will have other issues to contemplate on Tuesday besides the Sunday liquor sales.

Ballots throughout the area will include city and school board races. There also will be other ballot issues including the constitutional amendment on marriage.

The constitutional amendment and the Lawrence school bond questions have caused a great deal of interest in this general election, said Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew.

“Those questions have sparked an interest in voters,” he said. Shew said he thought there would be a 40 to 50 percent turnout in the general election based on advance voting.

As of Thursday morning, 850 people had cast advance ballots. There are 66,990 registered voters in Douglas County. About 1 percent of the voters have hit the polls, Shew said.

text Area races (04-01-05)

Wakarusa Township also has a ballot question. Voters in the township will decide if taxes should increase by up to 6 mills for the next four years to improve township roads.

In Leavenworth County, voters will consider a question for a 1 cent retail sales tax that would begin Jan. 1, 2007, and end Dec. 31, 2016. The county currently has a 1 cent sales tax scheduled to end Dec. 31, 2006.

Funds from the sales tax would be used to provide funding for the county and the city for capital improvements, infrastructure, purchasing equipment and debt reduction.

Here’s a breakdown of the races with opposition that will be on ballots in Douglas County:Baldwin school district: The two candidates for position 2 are David Norris, of Eudora, and Lonnie Broers, of Baldwin. Ruth C. Barkley and Chip Hornberger Jr., both of Baldwin, are the candidates for position 4. Jay Hundley and Ande J. Parks, both of Baldwin, are candidates in the position 6 race.City of Baldwin: Voters will choose Kenneth D. Hayes or Gary L. Walbridge for mayor. People will pick two people for city council. Candidates are Doyle W. Jardon, Amy Cleavinger, John L. Frazier and Jason Mock.Eudora school district: Voters will elect three board members. Candidates are Branden Boyd, Brenda Clark, Marion R. Johnson, Jim Martin and Bob Rice.City of Eudora: Voters will select two representatives for city council. Candidates are Lori C. Fritzel, Joseph L. Hurla, Timothy Reazin and William J. Whitten.Santa Fe Trail school district: Patrons will vote on three different school board races with opposition in two of them. Franklin Rhodes and Brad Fischer, both of Overbrook, are the candidates for position 4. Clayton R. Lee and Carolyn Hug, both of Scranton, are the candidates for position 6.Shawnee Heights school district: Voters will cast ballots in three races. The candidates for position 4 are Ann Dunn and Linda Oliva Hersh, both of Topeka. It’s the only race with opposition.