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DeBoer holds lead for mayoral position Mail Tribune / Drew Fleming From left, Alan DeBoer, wife Becky, daughter-in-law Brooke, and son Derek smile upon hearing early results Tuesday night indicating DeBoer was in the lead to become Ashland�s next mayor but said he�s waiting until final results to celebrate. By Sara Murphy ASHLAND � With only 1,800 votes tallied in the Ashland mayoral election, Tuesday evening�s results were anything but final. Still, Alan DeBoer held a strong early lead with 916 votes, or about 51 percent of the counted ballots, according to the Jackson County Elections Office. City Councilwoman Carole Wheeldon was in second place, as of 11 p.m., with 445 votes, or about 25 percent. Albertson�s checker Gary Smith had received 237 votes, or about 13 percent. Retired Army officer John Freedom trailed with 69 votes, followed by personal and career coach Betty Austin Hutto, who had received 50 votes. DeBoer, an Ashland School Board member and auto dealership owner, said he was both optimistic and skeptical about his early lead. "I think it�s too early," he said. "We�ll wait until we get the total." Wheeldon, who hosted an election party at home, also said it was "way too early to say anything" based on Tuesday�s early results. "It ain�t over till the fat lady sings," she said. "There�s a lot left to come in. I�m really optimistic that things are going to turn around." Gary Smith, hanging out at Standing Stone Brewing Co., was pleased with the evening�s early results that pegged him in a strong third place. "Anybody who wants to vote for me, I�m blessed with that," he said. "I�m tickled." Smith remained optimistic for a win, but pledged to keep a friendly � if competitive � relationship with the leading candidate. "If I win, I win; if I lose, I lose," Smith said. "Either way, I�m still playing golf with Alan tomorrow at 9:30." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.