Incumbent Mike Amyx, incumbent Howard Hill and Sandra Praeger were the top three vote-getters in the city commission primary election that had 11 contenders. Incumbent Nancy Shontz was fourth with Mona McCoy and Bob Pulliam fifth and sixth. They were to contend for three seats on the commission in the April 2 general election. The other five contenders had been George Schmitendorf, Terry Summers, Steve Cochran, Jim Hertsch and Tim Williams.

Barbara Ballard, Lorraine Michel and Keith Wood finished atop the school board primary list and were followed by Alice Fowler, Hilda Enoch and Larry Morlan. Other candidates were Tom Christie, Laurel Krider and Ray Whiteaker. The top six candidates were to compete for the three open board slots in the April 2 general election.

Fewer than 23 percent of the registered voters took part in the local primary elections, the turnout being the lowest in at least 10 years.

The January unemployment rate in Douglas County increased 0.4 percent over the December 1984 figure. The January rate was 4.7 percent. The state rate had been 5.8 percent.