Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 2, 1995 TAG: 9511020055
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CLAYTON BRADDOCK SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Long
That means talking with friends and neighbors and a whole lot of knocking on doors.
The typical ingredient in many political races - criticism of the other candidates - isn't a part of the court clerk soup, agreed Carter L. Effler, the independent candidate; R. Todd Jones, the Republican candidate; and Zelda S. Vaughn, the Democrat.
What's also missing, at least from some points of view, are real, tangible issues.
"The winner will be the one who does the best job of campaigning," Effler said. The others agreed.
Management "will make the difference," said Effler, who was a longtime manager of the New River Clinical Laboratory. He recently transferred to a hospital position in Roanoke.
"I don't think there are any issues," said Vaughn, chief deputy to Clerk of Court J.D. Harman, who is retiring this year. "We just do our job and carry out the law."
If any issues are important, Effler said, they include: much needed improvements in the city's municipal building, new technology and increased funding from both the city and Richmond.
Jones, a veteran police officer and detective, says the biggest issue is the need for computers and other technology.
"People will look to the future," he said. "The office is behind in technology and needs to be more automated. We need technology to take us into the next century."
Primary duties of the clerk's office are managing and archiving court system paperwork, including real estate transactions, issuing marriage licenses and keeping records, dating back to 1892, that people use in tracing family histories .
The clerk's office makes no polices that directly affect voters, and that may keep the race a people event, the candidates agreed.
Vaughn may have some advantage, Jones and Effler said, because her boss supports her in her bid for his seat. But "we need some new blood in there," Effler said.
Vaughn ran for clerk in 1984, finishing second to Harman when he first won election to the post. "I was encouraged," she said.
All three candidates are expecting a low voter turnout in Radford this year. Years with presidential elections routinely get the most turnout, while years with town elections get the least, voter registrars say.
That would put this election somewhere in the middle. But the clerk's race is the only contested race on the city's ballot.
Name: Carter L. Effler
Age: 53
Party: Independent
Occupation: Medical technician and supervisor of billing with Carilion Consolidated Laboratory in Roanoke.
Education: Bluefield College, Bluefield, W.Va. Longtime service as supervisor with Radford Community Hospital School of Technology.
Family: Wife, Janet, and children, Lee Edward, Debra Elaine, Scott Eric.
Community involvement: Member of Radford School Board, including term as vice chairman; 10 years as member of Radford Volunteer Fire Department and member of the Radford Rescue Squad as a cardiac technician. Honorary lifetime member of Virginia Congress of Parents and Teachers, active in leadership positions at Central United Methodist Church.
Why are you running for office? To provide service and management expertise.
What issues are most important? Needed construction in the courthouse, improvements in technology, improvements in budgets from both the city and Richmond.
Name: Zelda S. Vaughn
Party: Democrat
Age: 47
Occupation: chief deputy clerk, circuit court
Education: Radford High School; attended seminars of Supreme Court and the Virginia Court Clerk Association; took course in banking at New River Community College.
Family: Husband, William, and children Bonnie, 18, and Jason, 15.
Community Involvement: Active in Radford First Pentecostal Holiness Church.
Why are you running for office? Twenty years in the circuit court office, including two years as chief deputy. To serve the public with courtesy and information
What issues are most important? "I don't think there are any issues. We just do our job and carry out the law."
Name: R. Todd Jones
Party: Republican
Age: 30
Occupation: Police patrol officer and former detective.
Education: Bachelor's and master's in criminal justice administration at Radford University
Family: Wife, Amy, and son, Nathan, 11 months.
Community Involvement: Chairman, parish relations, Grove Methodist Church, adjunct teacher at Radford University: volunteer firefighter: member of the Radford Parks and Recreation Department.
Why are you running for office? "To serve the public and see the office progress in technology."
What issues are most important? To improve technology, to provide a professionalism among employees, to provide equality and courtesy.
Keywords:
PROFILE POLITICS
by CNB