After all of the campaigning, debating and advertising, Missouri voters will finally go to the polls next Tuesday to decide on a number of issues, as well as national, state and county offices. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The deadline to register for the election has already passed. Voters can find their polling places on the Cass County Clerk’s website and it is also available on page 8B in this issue of The South Cass Tribune. Voters need identification to cast a ballot. Approved forms of ID include a driver’s license or state-issued ID card, a military ID, a U.S. passport or a copy of a utility bill, bank statement or paycheck. If a voter lacks both a photo and non-photo ID they can cast provisional ballots.
Voters in Cass County will be voting on two national offices, U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative in the Fourth Congressional District.
Five names appear on the Senate ballot including Democrat incumbent Claire McCaskill and Republican Josh Hawley. In the U.S. House of Representatives race, there are three names including Republican incumbent Vicky Hartzler and Democrat Renee Hoagenson. The two are profiled in this week’s paper.
There is only one state office up for election and that is the position of state auditor. Democratic incumbent Nicole Galloway is running for the first time, having been appointed for her first term. She is challenged by four others including Republican Saundra McDowell.
There are five state representative races on ballot in the county including two uncontested. Republicans Mike Hafner in the 55th District and Jack Bondon in the 56th are running unopposed. In the 33rd District Republican incumbent Donna Pfautsch is facing Democrat Pat Williams.
In the 37th District, Democrat incumbent Joe Runions is being challenged by Republican John D. Boyd, Jr. In District 57 Republican Rodger Reedy is facing off with Democrat Joan Shores.
Five circuit court positions are on the ballot, but all five are uncontested with Republican nominees. In Division 1 the incumbent is William Collins, in Division 3 it is Stacy Lett, Division 4 is Mike Rumley, in Division 5 is Jeff Cox and Division 6 is Jason M. Howell.
At the county level, several offices are up for grabs, but several again are uncontested, all Republicans. Bob Huston is running unopposed for presiding commissioner; Kim York is unopposed in her re-election bid for circuit court clerk; Rick Brattin is unopposed for county auditor as is Chris Molendorp for the county collector’s position.
Three races are contested: county clerk, prosecuting attorney and recorder of deeds. (See related stories on the clerk and prosecuting attorney positions. Neither candidate for recorder of deeds could be reached for comment.)
There are three retention ballots for Missouri judges: W. Brent Powell and Mary Rhodes Russell for the State Supreme Court and Edward R. Ardini for the Western District Court of Appeals.
Voters will also give an up or down vote to three constitutional amendments and four propositions. Constitutional Amendment 1 deals with a number of changes to election and campaign laws; Amendments 2 and 3 deal with medical marijuana and Amendment 4 deals with changes to Bingo games for licensed organizations.
Proposition B is a plan to increase the state’s minimum wage and Prop C also deals with medical marijuana. Proposition D is listed as a bill to fund the state’s highway patrol but actually is a funding mechanism for road and bridge improvements in the state.
Archie residents will decide the fate of an annexation project while Drexel voters will decide on a half-cent sales tax to generate money for municipal purposes, including downtown and lake improvements as well as economic development.
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