Layne Nance elected Western District Commissioner

Layne Nance will be Ozark County's next Western District Commissioner after defeating opponents Shane Ledbetter and Robert Merriman in Tuesday's Republican primary election. With all western district precincts reporting, including absentee votes considered a precinct, the totals were: Nance 628; Ledbetter 560; and Merriman 375.

Nance has been employed for 7 1/2 years as a grader operator with the Ozark County Road and Bridge Department, the department he will help oversee with Eastern District Commissioner Gary Collins in his new role as county commissioner.

When Nance is sworn in on Jan. 1, 2021, he will replace outgoing commissioner Greg Donley, who has served in the office since unseating incumbent Rex Robertson by 53 votes in the 2008 general election. At the time, Donley ran as a Democrat and defeated his Republican opponent 1,176 to 1,123.

In 2012, still running as a Democrat, Donley defeated Republican challenger Steve Evans 1,231 to 1,068. 

Donley changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Independent in 2016 and defeated Republican challenger Theron Oxley by 72 votes in the general election, 1,191 to 1,1119.

He announced last year that he would not seek re-election but doesn't rule out another run for political office sometime in the future.