Early voting now underway

Early voting is now through April 3. Vote-by-mail ballots can be requested now until March 30.

Locally, the ballot will include the offices of: four members of the Joppa-Maple Grove Board of Education; three members of the Massac Unit 1 Board of Education; four aldermen for the City of Metropolis; three aldermen, plus an un-expired two-year term for Ward 1 alderman, for the City of Brookport; and three trustees for the Village of Joppa, plus a two-year unexpired term for village president. Unless otherwise indicated, terms are for four years.

In addition to the candidates for these offices, the ballot will also include one question for voters.

The yes-or-no question is stated as follows: “Shall the following described territory comprising all the territory of Joppa-Maple Grove Unit District No. 38 of Massac County, Illinois, be annexed to and made a part of Massac County Unit District No. 1 of Massac County, Illinois? (Joppa-Maple Grove USD No. 38 in the entirety of its current territory).”

In order to pass, the question must be passed by voters in both the Joppa-Maple Grove school district and Massac County Unit 1 school district.

According to the Massac County Clerk’s Office, the following candidates have filed their petitions:

• City of Metropolis:

— Alderman Ward 1 (vote for one): incumbent Chuck Short.

— Alderman Ward 2 (vote for one): incumbent Brian Anderson.

— Alderman Ward 3 (vote for one): incumbent Albert P. Wagner or Kenneth Parrish or Richard Corzine Jr.

— Alderman Ward 4 (vote for one): incumbent Jeremy Holley.

• City of Brookport:

— Alderman Ward 1 four-year term (vote for one): incumbent Colleen Bryant

— Alderman Ward 1 two-year term (vote for one): no candidate.

— Alderman Ward 2 (vote for one): incumbent Debbie Workman.

— Alderman Ward 3 (vote for one): Greg Williamson or Bronda Jones.

• Village of Joppa:

— Village president, unexpired two-year term (vote for one): Leslie “Les” Little.

— Village trustees (vote for three): incumbent Sue Sandusky and/or incumbent Angela Dummitt and/or incumbent Betty Fry.

• Massac County Unit 1 school board (vote for three): Kelly Jennings and/or incumbent Mark L. Souders and/or Arthur Davis and/or John I. Willis.

• Joppa-Maple Grove school board (vote for four): incumbent Denise Meyer and/or incumbent Kevin Castleman and/or incumbent Chris McGinness and/or Adam Tucker Harris and/or incumbent Peggy McNeill.

In addition, the ballot will also include the election of:

• Trustees to Shawnee Community College District No. 531 to serve a two-year term. Candidates are (vote for not more than two): Deborah Shelton-Yates and/or Tiffany Schultz.

• Regional Board of School Trustees for Franklin, Johnson, Massac and Williamson counties (vote for not more than three): Shawn A. Tuthill of Williamson County and/or Louis I. Parker of Johnson County.

For some areas of Massac County, the April 4 Consolidated Election ballot will also include the offices for board members of surrounding school districts. These are:

• Vienna High School District No. 13-3 board of education (vote for three to serve a four-year term): David Stewart and/or Curtis Moore and/or Randy Huckelberry and/or Kimberly Shoemaker and/or Monty S. Kerley.

• Vienna Grade School District No. 55 board of education (vote for one to serve a unexpired two-year term): Chad Colson.

• Vienna Grade School District No. 55 board of education (vote for three to serve a four-year term): Patrick D. Trovillion and/or Stephani D. Borders and/or Zachary T. Moore and/or Heather Sims.

• Century School District 100 board (vote for three to serve a four-year term): Keith Clark (Township 14S Range 1W); and Wesley Anderson (Township 15S Range 2E).

This year’s election will be held on Tuesday, April 4, with polls open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m.

The following voting precincts will have new polling places beginning with this election:

• Metropolis #1 and Metropolis #2 will be in the lobby of the Southern Illinois Center for Independent Living building, 101 W. Eighth St., Metropolis;

• West Brooklyn #6 and East Brooklyn #7 will be at the Harry Statham Gym on Crockett Street in Brookport;

• And, Franklin #15 will move to the Metropolis Community Center, 900 W. 10th St., combining with Adkins #17.

Residents of Metropolis #1, Metropolis #2, West Brooklyn #6, East Brooklyn #7 and Franklin #15 should have received new voter ID cards reflecting the polling place change. Residents who have not should contact the Massac County Clerk’s Office.

For more information on voter registration, contact the Clerk’s Office or visit the Illinois State Board of Elections website — elections.il.gov — under the Voter Services tab. The Registering to Vote pamphlet is under the Information for Voters.