A factor in Tuesday’s primary election for city council and school board in area towns could be how candidates plan to deal with expected area growth.

“The main thing that stood out from the forum we had before the primary is that you have maybe a group that’s a little bit more progressive and a group that’s maybe happy with the way things are now in Baldwin,” said Ivan Huntoon, a loan officer at Baldwin State Bank and a vice president for the Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce.

Huntoon moderated a recent forum in Baldwin City for seven candidates who are seeking three positions on the city council.

A major issue in Baldwin City will be how the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway’s proposed Gardner intermodal – a large warehouse area for railroad-shipped goods – will affect Baldwin City. The development is expected to attract thousands of workers to the area.

Lorene Damewood and Ted Swartz, both supervising judges for Douglas County elections, test voting machines Thursday with Keith Campbell, right, deputy of elections for Douglas County, to ensure the machines are functioning properly for Tuesday's primary elections. Several primaries will take place in Douglas, Jefferson and Leavenworth counties.

Council incumbents Nancy Brown, Tony Brown and Ted Brecheisen Jr. are in the running Tuesday with Kenneth Wagner, Kenneth D. Niehoff, Jennifer L. Hayes and Jason Mock. The candidate who receives the fewest votes will drop off the ballot for the April 3 general election.

For the Baldwin City school board, Teresa A. Arnold, Joshua K. Mihesuah, Doug Mead and David Wagner will appear on the ballot for an at-large board seat. But Wagner has dropped out of the race.

Two candidates will move on to the general election.

Outside Douglas County, voters in area cities will also go the voting booth Tuesday:

¢ In Tonganoxie, eliminating one candidate from each of two school board primary races, one among Kathy Baragary, Rex Hutton and Craig Lohman, and another among Francie Campbell, Mildred McMillon and Bill Weatherford.

¢ In McLouth, trimming two candidates from the race for three city council positions among Sharon Lobb Johnson, Bob Ryan, Gerald Sullivan, George L. Bowen Jr., Curtis Woodhead, Keith Meador, Myra Harwood, Charles Karmann and Tom Burns, who will appear on the ballot but who has withdrawn his candidacy.

¢ In the Linwood area, eliminating one candidate – Eric L. Dove, Angie Erickson or Kerry Mueller – vying for a seat on the Basehor-Linwood school board.

¢ In the Perry-Lecompton school district, eliminating one candidate – Lori R. Coyle, Matt Erickson or Bob Treanor – competing for a board seat.

¢ In De Soto, narrowing the field to two candidates for a school district seat from among Bob Dyche, Donald Gentry and Jim Thomas.