Absentee voting is underway in Missouri for the April 6 general municipal election. The Ozark County Times reports only one of the county’s three municipalities, Gainesville, and two of its five school districts, Dora and Thornfield, will hold elections that day.
Elected positions are coming open on all five Ozark County school boards and all three municipal boards, as well as Public Water District #1 in Theodosia and the Ozark County Ambulance District. (No terms are expiring on the Ozark County Health Department, the county’s other board with publicly elected members). However, state law allows entities to opt out of holding elections when the number of candidates equals the number of terms ending, which is the case for the elected boards in the other two municipalities, three school districts and two public boards. Entities are generally happy when this happens because they must pay to run their elections, which usually cost several hundred dollars.
The last day to register to vote in the April 6 election is March 10.
To request an application for an absentee ballot, contact Ozark County Clerk Brian Wise at 417-679-3516. Or visit the Missouri Secretary of State’s website to print out an application: www.sos.mo.gov then click on Elections and Voting > Voting Information > Absentee voting > Request Missouri Absentee Ballot. Complete the application, sign it, then attach it to an email sent to Wise’s office (ozark@sos.mo.gov) or mail it to Ozark County Clerk, P.O. Box 416, Gainesville, MO 65655.
Election to three-year terms for board members will be held in the Dora and Thornfield school districts, but not in Bakersfield, Gainesville and Lutie.
In Dora, incumbents Terry Martin and Robert Lee refiled, and Gwen Chambers also filed.
In Thornfield, incumbents Darrin Clayton and Josh Mayberry refiled, and Travis Tucker refiled.
In Bakersfield, Chris Bales and Jonathan Lashley refiled, and no other candidates filed.
In Gainesville, incumbents Mason Eslinger and Jabet Wade refiled, and no other candidates filed.
In Lutie, incumbents Carl Kruger, Ric Englehardt and Shanna Clayton all refiled, and no other candidates filed.
Of the three municipalities in Ozark County, only Gainesville will hold an election. Elected municipal officials here serve two-year terms.
Gainesville’s incumbent East Ward Alderman Dana Crisp refiled, and Debbie Miller also filed for the East Ward seat. Center Ward incumbent Treva Warrick refiled. Shane Ledbetter did not refile for his West Ward seat, and no other candidate filed.
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