It’s that time again — election time.
The upcoming municipal election is set for Tuesday, April 5.
The City of Morrisville will see a contested mayoral race this spring with alderman Joshua Hook and candidate David Cross challenging incumbent Dustin Kessler.
And, two candidates — incumbent Ethel Mae Tennis and challenger Robert Ross Jr. — are vying for a Ward 1 seat on the City of Bolivar board of aldermen.
Filing for the election closed Tuesday, Jan. 25, according to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office.
Polk County Clerk Rachel Lightfoot said there are some important dates on the horizon for the April municipal election. She said the first day of absentee voting will be Tuesday, Feb. 22. The last day to register to vote will be Wednesday, March 9.
“New voter registration cards are in the proof process and active voters should be receiving their new ID cards in the next few weeks,” she said.
Lightfoot shared the following list of candidates and issues for the upcoming April election.
Bolivar: Five aldermen positions — including two from Ward 3 and one each from wards 1, 2 and 4 — are on the ballot.
Incumbent Ethel Mae Tennis and challenger Rob Ross Jr. filed for Ward 1 alderman.
Incumbent Justin Ballard filed for Ward 2.
Incumbent Steve Sagaser filed for a two-year term for Ward 3, while Dan Wohnoutka filed for a one-year term for Ward 3 left vacant following the resignation of former alderman Thane Kifer.
Incumbent Alexis Neal filed for Ward 4.
Fair Play: Four candidates — Jim Skopec, Steven L. Bruce, William E. Skipper Jr. , Ethan Grotheer and *Dewey Rumfelt — have filed for two 2-year at-large aldermen positions for the City of Fair Play.
Flemington: Five candidates have filed for five trustee positions on the Village of Flemington’s board of trustees. Harry Walters Jr., Robert Maddox and Jerrol Welch filed for three 2-year terms, while Vincent Deeser and Ira Webb filed for two 1-year terms.
*Voters in Flemington will also decide on one proposition, whether or not the village will be authorized to forgo annual elections if the number of candidates who have filed for a particular office is equal to the number of positions in the office to be filled by the election.
Humansville: One mayoral seat, four aldermen seats — two northward aldermen and two southward aldermen — and one city collector seat are open for election.
Michelle “SY” A. Shannon filed for the two-year mayoral term.
Paul Schroeder filed for the southward seat with a two-year term, and Chelsea Scott filed for the southward seat with a one-year term.
David Winfrey filed for the northward seat with a two-year term.
Gary Shannon and Michael A. Rocco filed for the northward seat with a one-year term.
No one filed for the two-year city collector seat.
Morrisville: Three candidates — incumbent Dustin Kessler, alderman Joshua J. Hook and David L. Cross — filed for mayor. The seat carries a four-year term.
Incumbent Jason Corey Sims and Fred E. Pratte each filed for two 4-year aldermen seats.
The City of Morrisville also has one proposition on the upcoming ballot.
The city is asking voters for authorization to enter into a franchise agreement with Southwest Electric Cooperative to provide non-exclusive utility services to the city for up to 20 years.
Several seats on Polk County school boards will be on the April ballot. School board candidates must be 24, a U.S. citizen, a resident taxpayer of the district and a Missouri resident for one year at the time of the election, according to the Missouri School Boards’ Association. Elected board members will serve three-year terms (unless otherwise noted) and are required to complete 16 hours of orientation and training within one year of their election.
Bolivar R-1: Two positions are open, both three-year terms. Incumbent Paula Hubbert, Mike Ryan, Jason Wilson, Justine Conley, Russell Moore and Joshua Laird have all filed.
Halfway R-3: Pamela Michelle Radford, Mark Timmerman and Curtis Joe Allen filed for two 3-year seats.
Humansville R-4: Stacy Foley, Elle Biron, Austin James Weaver, Sarah Elizabeth Witham, Shawn Baker and *Hayle Watts filed for two 3-year seats.
Marion C. Early R-5: Two 3-year seats are up for election. Christy Wiebe, Eliot Pratte and Scott Simmons filed for the open positions.
Pleasant Hope R-6: *Two seats on the board are up for election. Cassandra Davis, Rodney Valda Lee, Donal J. Pulley, Cariel Margret Grove, Debra R. Agee and Jeffrey K. Putman filed.
School district propositions: Two school districts are including propositions on the upcoming April ballot.
Humansville R-4 is asking voters to issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of $3.2 million for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, furnishing and equipping school sites, buildings and related facilities, including the construction of a new competition gym, lobby and locker rooms.
If the proposition is approved, the debt service levy of the school district is estimated to increase $0.50 per $100 of assessed valuation of real and personal property from $0.3877 per $100 of assessed valuation of real and personal property.
The Pleasant Hope R-6 school district is asking voters to issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of $3 million for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, repairing, renovating, furnishing and equipping school facilities, including repairing and replacing roofs at various district buildings, constructing a playground at the middle school and improving and updating district facilities.
If the question is approved, the district’s debt service property tax levy is estimated to remain unchanged at $0.6630 per $100 of assessed valuation of real and personal property.
Blue Mound Special Road District: A three-year commissioner seat will be open. No one filed.
Southwest Special Road District: A three-year commissioner seat will be on the April ballot. No one filed.
Some entities will have positions automatically filled following the April municipal election, according to Lightfoot.
Per state statute, if the number of candidates who have filed for a particular office is equal to the number of positions in that office to be filled, “no election shall be held for such office, and the candidates shall assume the responsibilities of their offices at the same time and in the same manner as if they had been elected.”
The following list, provided by Lightfoot, includes the organizations and the names of the candidates who will assume the responsibilities of their offices:
*Editor's note: The candidate and proposition list from Polk County Clerk Rachel Lightfoot was updated Wednesday, Feb. 4, to include two additional names and an additional proposition. Also, the number of seats available for the Pleasant Hope R-6 school board was changed to two.
