General Election draws 56.93 percent turnout

By Neal A. Johnson, UD Editor
Posted 11/16/22

 

OSAGE COUNTY   — Of 9,766 registered voters in Osage County, 56.93% (5,560) turned out for last Tuesday’s General Election.

“The turnout was amazing for this …

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General Election draws 56.93 percent turnout

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OSAGE COUNTY  — Of 9,766 registered voters in Osage County, 56.93% (5,560) turned out for last Tuesday’s General Election.

“The turnout was amazing for this type of election,” said County Clerk and Election Authority Nicci Bouse-Kammerich. “I think the high turnout was due to a few different things, including Amendment 3, the no excuse voting two weeks prior to the election (new law), and the office being a central polling location on election day to approve inactive voters that are registered but have moved or changed their name and never updated with our office (new law).”

Official results saw an overwhelming majority of Osage County voters say no to Amendment 3, 3,798-1,687. Despite the sentiment among local voters, the constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana was approved by statewide voters, 1,089,017-962,230. 

Amendment 1 was rejected by local voters, 3,259-1,992. The question asked whether the Missouri Constitution should be amended to allow the General Assembly to override the current constitutional restrictions of state investments by the state treasurer; and allow state investments in municipal securities possessing one of the top five highest long-term ratings or the highest short-term rating. Statewide, the measure was shot down by a 54.3% (1,062,159) to 45.7% (893,162) margin.

Regarding Amendment 4, Osage County voters approved by a 3,158-2,160 margin the question of whether to increase funding for Kansas City police. Statewide, the measure was approved at 1,265,946-735,839.

Amendment 5, which will create the Missouri Department of the National Guard and elevate the National Guard to a Cabinet-level state entity instead of a division of the Department of Public Safety, was approved statewide by a margin of 1,193,917-788,187, while locally, voters were in favor of the amendment, 3,370-1,970.

Voters rejected the question of a Constitutional Convention 1,325,943-632,206 statewide and 3,870-1,349 in Osage County.

Freeburg voters approved their question, 122-60, to allow trustees to forgo annual elections if the number of candidates who have filed for the offices is equal to the number of candidates filing for the election. 

US RACES

In the race for the 3rd District, incumbent Republican Blaine Luetkemeyer defeated Democrat Bethany Mann (4,813-683) with nine write-in votes. Luetkemeyer carried the vote statewide 180,358-96,465 over Mann.

Republican Eric Schmitt carried the local vote 4,570-855 over Trudy Busch Valentine, while Libertarian Jonathan Dine received 76 votes, and Constitutional candidate Paul Venable garnered 14 ballots. Schmitt won the seat with 1,143,636 votes compared to Valentine (868,875), Dine (34,706), and Venable (14,548).

STATE RACES

Republican Ben Brown defeated Democrat John Kiehne by a 4,730-728 margin, while in the 61st District race for state representative, Republican Bruce Sassmann received 5,001 votes, with 49 write-ins. Brown garnered 48,391 votes statewide compared to 17,094 for Kiehne.

Republican Scott Fitzpatrick carried the county with 4,758 votes for state auditor, while Democrat Alan Green garnered 635 and Libertarian John A. Hartwig Jr. received 96. Fitzpatrick won the position with 1,216,056 ballots; Green received 768,502, and Hartwig had 61,093.

SUPREME COURT

Local voters affirmed Supreme Court judges Zel M. Fischer (3,144-1,602) and 1,207,418-566,921 statewide and Robin Ransom (3,070-1,653), with a statewide margin of 1,235,603-523,353.

EASTERN DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

— Judge Kelly C. Broniec was affirmed by a 3,061-1,647 vote locally and 483,275-237,377 statewide.

— Thomas C. Clark II was affirmed (3,067-1,632) and 469,285-247,320 in Missouri.

— Michael E. Gardner was affirmed (3,082-1,610) and 469,422-247,869 statewide.

— John P. Torbitzky was affirmed (3,035-1,669) and 460,219-254,154 across the state.

20TH CIRCUIT JUDGE

Republican Ryan J. Helfrich garnered 4,620 votes compared to 738 for Democrat Bill Stahlhuth in the battle for  (Div. II). Running unopposed, Republican Associate Circuit Judge Sonya Brandt received 5,086 votes, with 36 write-in ballots cast.

OSAGE COUNTY RACES

Here are the results of other unopposed county races.

— Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin (5,051/34 write-ins)

— Prosecuting Attorney Amanda Grellner (5,032/52 write-ins)

— Collector Denise Nolte (5,084/32 write-ins)

— County Clerk Nicci Bouse-Kammerich (5,006/35 write-ins)

— Circuit Clerk Beth Billington (3,777, 178 write-ins)

— Recorder Cindy Hoffman (4,015/151 write-ins)

— Treasurer Valerie Prater (5,041/29 write-ins)

— Assessor Tina (Rothove) Kammerich (5,024/27 write-ins)