Primary Election is next Tuesday, Aug. 6
The Ozark County Clerk’s Office is located on the main floor of the Ozark County Courthouse, and staff there are available to answer any questions about the election. Voters can also cast absentee ballots in the Clerk’s office for the Primary now through Aug. 5.
By Jessi Dreckman,
Missouri’s 2024 Primary Election will be held next Tuesday, Aug. 6, and the Times is providing this voter’s guide to help local residents be informed before heading to the polls.
Voters who participate in the Primary Election will determine which candidates will go on to appear on the ballot for the General Election, slated for Nov. 5 this year.
Residents who are properly registered to vote in the Primary Election should appear at their correct precinct on Election Day and will be asked what party’s ballot they wish to receive. The choice is from the three established parties in Missouri: Republican, Democrat or Libertarian. The ballot features non-partisan issues, along with races for that political party only. As an alternative to choosing one of the three political party ballots in the Primary, voters can request a non-partisan ballot, which allows them to vote on issues only (not candidates).
The winning candidates of the Primary Election then go on to run for that position in the General Election against other parties’ candidates, where all voters will have a chance to cast their ballot for each position that falls within their district.
Due to the Times presstime early next Tuesday, results will not be available to be printed in the Aug. 7 edition. Instead, results will be posted to the Ozark County Times Facebook page and on www.ozarkcountytimes.com. They will also be included in the Aug. 14 edition.
A sample ballot, provided by the Ozark County Clerk’s Office, is also included on page B8 in this edition.
Republican ballot
In Ozark County, only Republicans have filed for county positions, meaning only voters requesting a Republican ballot in the Primary Election Tuesday can vote on those positions Aug. 6.
Without Democrat or Libertarian opposition, it is likely that the candidates who are elected for the Ozark County positions in the Primary will win the seat during the Nov. 5 General Election; although, there is the possibility that an independent or write-in candidate would file before the General Election, then signaling a contested race. The exception to that is the seat of the Ozark County Republican committeeman, who is elected at the Primary level.
Republican voters will have these contested races on the ballot, if their residence falls within the district of that office:
• Ozark County District Eastern District Commissioner: Jim Britt and Michael Warren (See page B3 for candidate profiles).
• Ozark County Assessor: Jama M. Berry and Kimberly (Clarkson) Wilson (See page B2 for candidate profiles).
• Jackson Township Committeeman (for Ozark County Republican Committee): Adam Freeman and David Haskins (See page B5 for candidate profiles).
• Missouri Governor: Darrell Leon McClanahan III, Jeremy Gundel, Bill Eigel, Robert James Olson, John R. (Jay) Ashcroft, Mike Kehoe, Chris Wright, Darren L. Grant and Amber Thomsen.
• Missouri Lt. Governor: Holly Rehder, Dave Wasinger, Lincoln Hough, Paul Berry III, Tim Baker and Matthew E. Porter.
• Missouri Secretary of State: Valentina Gomez, Shane Schoeller, Denny Hoskins, Adam J. Schwadron, Jamie Corley, Dean Plocher, Mary Elizabeth Coleman and Mike Carter.
• Missouri State Treasurer: Cody Smith, Andrew Koenig, Lori Rook, Vivek Malek, Tina Goodrick and Karan Pujji.
• Missouri Attorney General: Will Scharf and Andrew Bailey.
• United States Representative District 8: Jason Smith, James Snider and Grant Heithold.
• Missouri State Senator District 33: Travis Smith and Brad Hudson.
• Missouri State Representative District 155: Julie AuBuchon and Matthew Overcast.
Republican voters will also see these races in which only one Republican candidate is listed on the ballot:
• Western District Commissioner: Layne Nance
• Ozark County Sheriff: Cass Martin
• Ozark County Coroner: Gene Britt
Ozark County Surveyor: Matt Wade
• Ozark County Public Administrator: Melinda Abraham.
• Circuit Judge Circuit 44: Craig Carter.
• United States Senator: Josh Hawley
Democrat ballot
Those requesting a Democrat ballot will be able to vote for these contested races:
• United States Senator: Karla May, December L. Harmon, Lucas Kunce and Mita Biswas.
• Missouri Governor: Eric Morrison, Crystal Quade, Sheryl Gladney, Hollis L. Laster and Mike Hamra.
• Missouri Lt. Governor: Richard Brown and Anastasia Syes.
• Missouri Secretary of State: Monique Williams, Barbara Phifer and Haley Jacobson.
• United State Representative District 8: Randi McCallian and Franklin Delano Roth II.
Democrat voters will also see these races in which only one Democrat candidate is listed on the ballot:
• Missouri State Representative District 155: Courtney Sweeney-Legore.
• Missouri State Treasurer: Mark Osmack.
• Missouri Attorney General: Elad Jonathan Gross.
Libertarian ballot
Libertarian voters will have these races on the ballot, all with only one choice of candidate to vote for, if their residence falls within the district of that office:
• United States Senator: W. C. Young.
• Missouri Governor: Bill Slantz.
• Missouri Lt. Governor: Ken Iverson.
• Missouri Secretary of State: Carl Herman Freese.
• Missouri State Treasurer: John A. Hartwig Jr.
• Missouri Attorney General: Ryan L. Munro.
• United States Representative District 8: Jake Dawson.
Non-partisan ballot measures
The following proposed constitutional amendments are non-partisan and will appear across parties on all Missouri ballots. A more detailed description of these amendments are located on page B7 in this week’s edition.
Constitutional amendment 1: (vote yes or no): Proposed by 102nd General Assembly (First Regular Session) SJR No. 26:
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to allow places where individuals, corporations, organizations, and associations provide childcare outside of the child’s home to be exempt from property tax? This is intended to make childcare more available, which would support the well-being of children, families, the workforce, and society as a whole.
State governmental entities estimate the state’s Blind Pension Fund could have annual lost revenue of up to $400,000. Local governments expect an unknown fiscal impact.
Constitutional amendment 4: (vote yes or no): Proposed by 101st General Assembly (Second Regular Session) SS 2 SJR:
No. 38 Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to authorize laws, passed before December 31st, 2026, that increase minimum funding for a police force established by a state board of police commissioners to ensure such police force has additional resources to serve its communities?
This would authorize a law passed in 2022 increasing required funding by the City of Kansas City for police department requests from 20% of general revenue to 25%, an increase of $38,743,646, though the City previously provided that level of funding voluntarily.
No other state or local governmental entities estimate costs or savings.
Village of Theodosia ‘use tax’
The Village of Theodosia has put a measure on the ballot asking voters within the Theodosia city limits to approve a “use tax.” Voters will choose yes or no to the following question:
Shall the Village of Theodosia impose a local use tax at the same rate as the total local sales tax rate, provided that if the local sales tax rate is reduced or raised by the same action?
See more about the measure on page B3.