Filing period opens for Aug. 7 primary

Candidate filing for the Aug. 7 primary election began at 8 a.m. Tuesday. While in the recent past candidates sometimes lined up outside the Ozark County Clerk’s office hoping to be first to file so that their name was listed first on the ballot, that practice no longer holds. Now, according to the Missouri Secretary of State’s website, candidates who file for the primary election on the first day of filing select a number by random drawing, and that number determines where the candidate’s name will appear on the primary ballot. 

After the first day and through the rest of the filing period, which continues until 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, candidates’ names are placed on the ballot “in the order of their filing,” according to the website. 

Qualifications and salaries

Missouri law specifies that a county office candidate must meet these “general qualifications”: 

• Citizen of the United States

• Resident of the state one year “next preceding election”

• Registered Missouri voter

• Is not delinquent in the payment of any state income taxes, personal property taxes, municipal taxes, real property taxes on the place of residence as stated in teh declaration of candidacy

• Is not a past or present corporate officer of any fee office that owes any taxes to the state

• Has not been found guilty of or pled guilty to a felony or misdemeanor under federal or state law

The following list shows the Ozark County offices that are up for election in 2018, along with  additional specific qualifications for that office as well as the estimated salaries (rounded off in some cases). Salary information was provided by the secretary of state’s office. 

• Presiding county commissioner – Salary: $27,000. Qualification: resident of the county.

• County clerk – Salary: $38,000. Qualifications: Over 21; resident of the county one year “next preceding election.”

• County collector – Salary: $38,000. Qualifications: Over 21; resident of the county; must meet statutory bond requirements for the office. 

• County treasurer – Salary: $38,000. Qualifications: At least 21; resident of the state and county one year before election; must be current in payment of personal and real estate taxes; must meet statutory bond requirements for the office. 

• Clerk of circuit court/recorder of deeds – Salary: $56,752. Qualifications: Over 21

• Prosecuting attorney – Salary: $136,399. Qualifications:  At least 21; licensed to practice law in Missouri; resident of the county one year next preceding election

Circuit judges

The positions of circuit judge and associate circuit judge are also up for election this year. Salary information for those positions was provided to the Times by the Missouri Office of State Courts Administrator. the specific qualifications are listed here: 

• Circuit judge – Salary: $149,723. Qualifications: At least 30; U.S. citizen for at least 10 years; qualified Missouri voter for at least three years before election; resident of the circuit for at least one year; licensed to practice law in Missouri

• Associate circuit judge – Salary: $137, 745. Qualifications: At least 25; qualified Missouri voter; resident of county for at least one year before election; licensed to practice law in Missouri.

State and federal offices

State and federal offices to be voted on in the August primary include state auditor, currently held by Nicole Galloway; the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Claire McCaskill; the congressional District 8 seat currently held by Jason Smith; and the Missouri House of Representatives District 155 seat currently held by Lyle Rowland.

With some exceptions, candidates for state or federal positions must file at the Missouri Secretary of State’s office in Jefferson City.

For more information about filing for an elected county office, call the county clerk’s office, 417-679-3516.