Meet the Candidates Event to be Held July 24
The Scotland County Democrats Club is hosting a free public event called “Spotlight on the Candidates” to introduce voters to the candidates running in the primary election this August and to learn about the measures that will be on the ballot.
The event will be held on Friday, July 24, at the Memphis Theater at 6:30PM. It is open to the public.
Several candidates will be there to speak in person to Scotland County voters. Candidates who will be present include Josh Smeade, running for US Congress from the 6th district; Nick Miller, running for MO Senate; Tristan Sutton, running for MO House; and Diane Tague, Scotland County Collector. Also present will be Will Westmoreland, an advocate for rural Americans and director of Back Forty Action.
A quilt and a cutting board will be raffled off at the event. Snacks and beverages will be provided.
Organizers invite all northeast Missourians to attend, especially those who may have questions, concerns, or comments about the candidates’ positions on the issues, and how the items on the August ballot may affect our local schools, hospital, taxes, and other important community issues.
The August 4th primary election, in addition to asking which candidates should be on the ballot in November, will also propose several Constitutional Amendments that could directly affect Scotland County.
Amendment 1 is the renewal of the percentage of our sales tax which goes to MO State Parks and our Soil & Water Conservation District.
Amendment 4 weakens our ability to pass citizen ballot initiatives by requiring such initiatives to pass with a majority in every district in the state instead of just a statewide majority.
Amendment 5 would eliminate state income tax and ban future individual income taxes in Missouri. Shifting that tax burden to sales tax could disproportionally impact low-income people and those on a fixed income such as seniors. The effect of the loss of these funds on rural roads, health care, schools, and infrastructure could be profound.
The Scotland County Democrats Club, organizers of the event, started meeting in March 2026 and recently re-energized the Scotland County Democratic Committee. Members of the club came together as a group called Better Together several years ago in response to economic and political issues in our community. The Democrats Club now meets monthly to discuss issues, candidates, and choices we face in our county, our state, and our nation. Their meetings are open to the public.
