Turnout very low in election

NEW MADRID - In less than an hour, election judges tallied by hand the four election issues facing voters in New Madrid County.

Tuesday's special election turnout was even smaller than originally projected by New Madrid County Clerk Clement Cravens.

"It was slow," said Cravens about the election. "But we saved thousands of dollars by not using the optical scan ballots." Optical scan ballots are much more expensive, he explained.

In Tuesday's election, Lilbourn residents overwhelmingly approved a proposal to issue $1,250,000 in revenue bonds to provide improvements to the Lilbourn's sewer system. By a vote of 82 yes to 17 no, the voters agreed to issue the bonds which will fund the construction and improvements to the system along with equipment and maintenance.

In another water-related issue, the residents in Public Water Supply District No. 4 also gave the nod to issuance of waterworks system revenue bonds totaling $1,000,000 to extend and improve the system as well as for operation. The unofficial tally from Cravens' office was 102 yes votes and only two no votes.

It was a narrow race in Marston to gain approval for a proposal to change the terms of office for the mayor and the board of aldermen to four years from two years. The final tally was 43 yes votes, 41 no votes and one blank vote submitted.

New Madrid city voters were asked to fill an unexpired term for municipal judge. Garnering the most votes in Tuesday's election was Amy Phillips Pryor, who received 21 write-in votes for the position she is currently appointed to fill. The post was a write-in position after there was no one filing for the term which will end in April and in the future will be appointed by the Board of Aldermen.

Also receiving write-in votes were: Harold Higgerson, 6; Steve Barbre, 4; Lynn Bock, 2; Charles Spitler, 2; and each receiving one vote, Stephen McIntosh, Sherl Phillips, Gary Wagley, Hal E. "Chance" Hunter; H. Riley Bock; and Dub Prince. There were four blank ballots.