The Reporter newspaper, Camdenton Missouri

The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

Published March 4, 2015

Write-ins will play a role in April county election

By Jeff Thompson
CAMDEN COUNTY - Residents who wish to be official write-in candidates for a number of uncontested offices in the April 7 municipal election have until March 20 to file with the County Clerk’s Office.

There are nine uncontested races in the upcoming election ranging from mayoral slots for Lake Ozark and Camdenton to aldermen in Osage Beach and Laurie to trustees in Sunrise Beach and Village of Four Seasons.

According to Deputy County Clerk Becky Farris, if a candidate is on the ballot for an office, write-in votes are officially counted only for those who have filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate with the proper filing officer.

The deadline for write-in candidates to file a declaration of intent is by 5 p.m. on the second Friday before the election at the County Clerk’s office; in this case, March 20.

County Clerk Rowland Todd has previously stated he does not like write-in votes because they usually end up being unofficial.

“I never have (liked unofficial write-ins),” Todd had said about the Nov. 4, 2014 election. “They slow things down, up to three more hours sometimes.”

However, some write-in candidates may have an easier time of it: if no candidate is on the ballot for an office, filing a declaration of intent is not required and votes are counted for every name properly written in.

Elected positions that offer no candidates in April’s election include:
* Camden County Ambulance District #3 Director;
* Camden County Ambulance District #6 Director;
* Richland Alderman Ward 1; and
* Stoutland Councilman.

On the other hand, two former city officials in Lake Ozark and Linn Creek are seeking new positions.

Mark Maples - former Lake Ozark police chief - is running against Todd Painter - who himself was appointed to fill a vacated spot - for the Ward 3 Alderman position.

On the other side of the county, former Linn Creek mayor J.S. Thornhill will face off against Angela Young and William (Lou) Reeves for the city’s At Large Alderman spot.

One of the single-candidate Osage Beach alderman spots is for Ward 2 currently held by Steve Kahrs; Kahrs did not file for re-election.

Two school districts are asking voters to approve measures for additional funding.

Macks Creek R-V School District is seeking a $2.2 million bond issue for additions and renovations, but the ballot stresses that approval “is estimated to result in no increase” of the present tax levy of $0.4733 per $100 of assessed valuation.

However, the Stoutland R-II School District seeks approval to eliminate the Proposition C Sales Tax Rollback and increase the operating levy from $2.75 per $100 to $3.4326.

The other operating expense on the ballot is the Public Water Supply District #2 of Laclede County seeking approval for a $1.5 million bond issue for “construction and improving a waterworks system...”

In addition, the Camdenton, Macks Creek and Climax Springs school districts each have two slots open on their respective boards of educations with three candidates for each district.

Camdenton (voters will choose two names for the school board). Running for the positions are: Christopher C. McElyea, Laura Davis and Nancy Steward.

Climax Springs (voters will choose two names for the school board). Running for the positions are: Richard Smith, Walter Bacon and Larry Gregory.

Macks Creek (voters will choose two names for the school board). Running for the positions are: Josh Lane, Byron Willis and James M. Wehmeyer.

Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information contact the County Clerk’s Office at 573-317-3890.