Candidates prepare for city council primary

The right side room at Harbaugh's Café had little space to walk through Friday night as Carbondale residents packed the place to ask city council candidates some final questions before the primary election on Tuesday. Six candidates paid $50 each to rent out the restaurant in order to meet with the public and field questions people had about their campaigns. Rhett Barke, Hugh Williams, Chris Wissmann, Corene McDaniel, Donald Barrett, and David More were all present for the event.

The primary election will decide which six of the 12 candidates will qualify for the general election on April 5. In the general election, voters will elect three of the candidates. Other candidates who were not at the event include Joel Fritzler, Angie Kaye, TyJuan Cratic, Taurian Harris, Andrew Young, and Justin Eckman.

With the election only four days away, the candidates expressed a variety of emotions ranging from nervousness to confidence. Incumbent Corene McDaniel said she is one of the nervous ones even though she has been through this election twice already. In addition to the election she won in 2003, McDaniel also ran for the council in 2001 but was not elected. "I can't sleep," McDaniel said. "I'm just as nervous as the first time. Maybe more." Some of the candidates said they weren't nervous about the election, but rather confident. Jess Jobe, wife of incumbent Chris Wissmann, said he isn't concerned, but she is concerned for him.

"He doesn't worry, I worry," Jobe said. "Somebody has to take the worry." None of the candidates said they expect to see a very high turnout for the primary election. They all said more people would wait until the general election to vote. Candidate Rhett Barke said this is something that happens every year and he expects it to happen again this year. "I think it is going to be typical," Barke said. "I think everyone is concerned that the turnout will be low."

Records from the city clerk show that in the past elections, about half as many people show up for the primary election as for the general election. In 2003, 1,996 people voted in the primaries while 3,640 voted in the general election. McDaniel said one of the reasons they don't expect many voters is because there aren't many controversial issues facing the city right now. Candidates Wissmann, Barke, and Hugh Williams all pointed out that with 12 candidates, it is tough for the media to cover each candidate and get information about them to the public. Councilman Lance Jack was also present at the event and said the voter turnout will probably be low, but that number could be changed depending on how hard the candidates campaign.

"A lot of that depends on the excitement generated by the candidates," Jack said. Candidate David More said events like this are ways for the candidates to drum up interest in the upcoming primary election. "A lot of this stuff is word of mouth," More said. "It is a chance to meet people."

Even though the overall numbers have been low, voter turnout has increased in the past two elections. There were nearly 600 more voters in the 2003 primary compared to the primary in 2001. In the general election, 800 more votes were cast in 2003 than in 2001. The polls for the primary election will be open Tuesday from 6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Registered voters have to vote at their assigned polling location, which is written on their voter registration card.