April 08, 2008 10:45 pm
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By Susan Redden
sredden@joplinglobe.com
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Voters on Tuesday returned three incumbents to the Carthage R-9 School Board and elected two newcomers to the Carthage City Council.
Incumbents Tony Diggs, Jeff Jones and Danny Lambeth survived challenges by two other residents to win additional, three-year terms on the school board. Lambeth received the most votes, 533, followed by Jones, 528, and Diggs, 472. The challengers were Kent Hogan, 260 votes, and Alan Snow, 275, according to complete, unofficial returns.
Voting at the Church of the Nazarene, Dwane and Shirley Scowden, of Carthage, said they relied on familiarity when they voted for school board candidates. The couple opted to vote for Diggs, Jones and Hogan. Dwane Scowden said their votes went to the three candidates with whom they were personally acquainted.
“We know Tony (Diggs) and (Jeff) Jones pretty well, and we know (Kent) Hogan, so that’s who we voted for,” he said.
The couple had no City Council race to decide in their ward.
There were council races in the 2nd and 3rd wards, while the remaining three council candidates ran without opposition.
Timothy Teed won the 2nd Ward post, receiving 36 votes to 19 for Ronnie Wells. Wells served on the council earlier for three terms but did not seek re-election a year ago.
John E. Studebaker won the 3rd Ward council post. He received 76 votes to 30 for Vince Scott.
Other candidates, running without opposition, were Claude Newport, 1st Ward; Larry D. Ross, 4th Ward; and Keith Hurlbut, 5th Ward.
The election will bring some new faces to the council because three members did not seek re-election. Those stepping down are Cynthia Curry, 3rd Ward; Bill Johnson, 4th Ward; and Tom Flanigan, 5th Ward.
Turnout was light for the annual city and school elections, officials said.
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