By Sue Kiesewetter
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Early Tuesday night returns from the Warren County Board of Elections are showing the Kings Board of Education may welcome one new member in January, but the Mason board is too close to call.

With about half of precincts reporting, incumbent Roger Jones was narrowly leading with 27 percent of the vote, followed by challenger Toby Darkins, 26 percent. Incumbent Konrad Kircher and newcomer Mike Sharbaugh were tied with 24 percent of the vote.

Darkins has been a Kings soccer club coach for for three years. Sharbaugh has been a trustee for 15 years on his homeowners' condominium association.

In the fast-growing Mason district, the vote was a tossup.

With about half of precincts reporting in Mason, incumbents Eric Kantor and Kevin Wise were tied with challenger Deborah Delp, active in school parent-teacher groups, all with 28 percent of the vote.

Challenger Michael Lane, active in Kiwanis and the chamber of commerce, trailed with 16 percent.

In Lebanon, with 60 percent of the precincts reporting, incumbents Katherine Poitinger and Donna Davis Norris, along with newcomer Lee Wiederhold were leading a field of seven candidates for three seats.

Early results showed Poitinger had 18 percent, Norris 17 percent, Lee Wiederhold 17 percent, incumbent Paul Brewer 15 percent, David Armold 12 percent, John Lutmer 11 percent and Stephen Kaiser, 10 percent.

With 29 percent of precincts reporting for three seats on the Little Miami Board of Education, Mary Beth Hamburg led with 28 percent, followed by Nona Cress with 25 percent; Michael Alan Cremeans with 24 percent and Gary W. Stringer with 23 percent.

E-mail suek@infionline.net