Four local elections face contested races in the upcoming April election.
Poplar Bluff City Council Ward 4, Neelyville mayor, Neelyville R-IV school board and Poplar Bluff R-I school board will appear on the ballots April 6. School board races that are not contested will not appear on the ballot and those with fewer candidates than open seats can appoint somebody to fill that vacancy.
Poplar Bluff City Council
The Ward 4 seat is currently held by Shane Cornman, who filed in December for a second term.
He will face Robert E. Durbin, who previously was one of nine candidates in 2020 for two at-large seats. Those seats were secured by current council members Steve Davis and Chris Taylor.
The winner of the April 6 election will serve a two-year term.
Former council member Jerrica Fox has also filed for the Poplar Bluff Ward 2 seat. Fox previously served as an at-large council member, being appointed in August 2015 for a partial term and elected to the seat in April 2016.
Ed DeGaris currently holds the Ward 2 seat, but is not running for a new term.
Neelyville City Council
Incumbent mayor Kevin Byrnum filed for re-election in the upcoming election. He will face newcomer Karen Prosser for the seat.
The city also has two ward seats open. John Knowles is running for Ward 1 and Jeffery Gilmore is running for Ward 2. These are uncontested races.
Neelyville R-IV
Six candidates are running for two seats open for the Neelyville R-IV school board.
The seats are currently held by Jim Hover and Gene Russom.
Hover filed for re-election.
Running against him are newcomers Travis A. Russom, Ashley Taylor, Justin Pennington and Justin Beaird. Former board member Dean Fisher also filed for election.
Beaird was one of nine candidates that ran for election last year. Fisher lost his bid for re-election last year.
Poplar Bluff R-I
The two incumbents filed for re-election on the Poplar Bluff R-I school board, but will face a newcomer.
Tim Gaebler was appointed to the board last year to finish the term started by Heather Tuggle, who resigned from the board in early 2020. Ken Davis also filed to retain his seat.
Newcomer Kevin Ellis also filed for election.
Fisk City Council
Incumbent Kristi Wilkerson filed for re-election to the Fisk City Council Ward 1 seat.
The council also has an opening for a Ward 2 seat, which nobody filed for.
Qulin Aldermen
The Qulin Aldermen will have a full council with three candidates filing; one for each seat.
Incumbent Cheryl Johnson filed for a Ward 1 seat, with Charles Galbraith filing for the other. Jessica Love filed for the Ward 2 seat.
Twin Rivers R-X
Both incumbents filed for re-election for the Twin Rivers R-X school board.
Donna Sue Ashcraft Fincher and Keith Parker will keep their seats on the board.