Scotland County Local Races to be Decided in Primary Election

PROTECTED CONTENT

If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.

Username

Password

Login

Lost your password?

Username and Password Help

Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.

Email

Submit

← Back

 By Echo Menges 

The 2024 Primary Election next week will decide three contested county level races in Scotland County and whether voters are willing to foot a nearly five million dollar bond issue. 

Local voters will have to choose a Republican Party ballot to have a choice in the races for Eastern and Western District Commissioner, along with the race for Public Administrator. 

In the race for Eastern District Commissioner, incumbent Brent Rockhold will face challenger Tom Glass. 

In the race for Western District Commissioner, incumbent David Wiggins will face challenger James Spray. 

In the race for Public Administrator, the current Public Administrator Melissa Smith has not filed to retain her seat and is not listed in the August Primary Election. Two new names have been put forward for the office on the Republican ballot, Oleva Fredrick and Serena Stott. 

All Scotland County voters, no matter which ballot they choose, are tasked with deciding on a bond issue put forward by the Scotland County Nursing Home District. Voters will choose yes or no on a general obligation bond in the amount of $4,800,000 for the purpose of rehabilitating, repairing, improving and furnishing the defunct Scotland County Care Center. 

The race for Missouri’s next governor is competitive, with Democratic candidates Eric Morrison, Crystal Quade, Sheryl Gladney, Hollis L. Laster, and Mike Hamra on the ballot. The Republican primary includes nine contenders: 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. Bill Slantz represents the Libertarian Party. 

For Lieutenant Governor, Democrats Richard Brown and Anastasia Syes are competing, while six Republicans—Holly Rehder, Dave Wasinger, Lincoln Hough, Paul Berry III, Tim Baker, and Matthew E. Porter—are also in the race, along with Libertarian Ken Iverson. 

The Secretary of State race features three Democrats—Monique Williams, Barbara Phifer, and Hayley Jacobson—and eight Republicans— Valentina Gomez, Shane Schoeller, Denny Hoskins, Adam J. Schwadron, Jamie Corley, Dean Plocher, Mary Elizabeth Coleman, and Mike Carter. Carl Herman Freese is the Libertarian candidate. 

Elad Jonathan Gross is the sole Democratic candidate for Attorney General. Incumbent Republican Andrew Bailey faces challenger Will Scharf, with Ryan L. Munro running as a Libertarian. 

For State Treasurer, Democrat Mark Osmack and six Republicans—Cody Smith, Andrew Koenig, Lori Rook, Vivek Malek, Tina Goodrick, and Karan Pujji—are competing, with John A. Hartwig Jr. representing the Libertarian Party. 

In federal races, incumbent U.S. Senator Josh Hawley is unchallenged in the Republican primary. Democrats Karla May, December L. Harmon, Lucas Kunce, and Mita Biswas are in the running, with Libertarian W.C. Young also on the ballot. Incumbent U.S. Representative Sam Graves faces three Republican challengers: Freddie Griffin Jr., Brandn Kleinmeyer, and Weldon Wray Woodward. On the Democratic side, Rich Gold and Pam May are competing, with Andy Maidment running unopposed as a Libertarian. 

Voters will also decide on two Constitutional Amendments: Amendment 1, which would exempt certain childcare-providing organizations and businesses from property tax, and Amendment 2, which pertains to funding for the Kansas City police department. 

One Scotland County polling location will be open for all Primary Election Day voters, which is the Boyer Event Center in Memphis. Ahead of election day, voters may vote by absentee ballot until the day before the election at the Scotland County Clerk’s Office in the courthouse. 

“People can vote absentee until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 5,” Scotland County Clerk and Electioneer Tammy Kirchner told the Memphis Democrat. “We are also open Saturday, August 3, from 8:00 a.m. until noon, if anybody wants to come in and vote absentee.” 

Kirchner is working with her election day staff of 12 election poll workers/judges scheduled to staff the Boyer Center polling location on August 6. Six staff will be from the Republican Party and six of the staff will be from the Democratic Party. Poll workers will also be assisting people with limited mobility by assisting them curbside. Those who are not able to physically enter the Boyer Center are asked to utilize the ballot call stations located on the north side of the Boyer Center along Madison Street. 

The Scotland County Primary Election Ballot is included in this week’s newspaper.