With several highly contested races on the ballot, Pettis County Clerk Nick La Strada is hoping for a high turnout in Tuesday’s municipal election.
So far, absentee voting has been steady, according to La Strada. Things started out slow, and having plenty of rain and snow during the last six weeks hasn’t helped in-person absentee voting. But, La Strada said his office had more than 20 voters on Friday and nearly 20 on Thursday.
“With the weather, there’s been a lot of rainy days during this process, so we’ve had some slow days. Things are starting to pick up,” he said. “We’ve been getting a lot of phone calls, people asking questions about the tax issue, things of that nature. Good, informative questions.”
La Strada said in-person absentee voting is down slightly but mailed ballots are on par with recent years. He said he thinks many people are doing their homework on candidates and issues, and plan to wait until Election Day to cast their vote.
The 2021 municipal election saw a 17.88% turnout, which means 4,691 voters. In 2020, the election was delayed from April to June due to the pandemic and the turnout was 13.5%. Even with the slightly lower absentee turnout, La Strada said he’s predicting 17-18% registered voter turnout on Tuesday.
La Strada said the last municipal election that saw more than 20% turnout was in 2017 when State Fair Community College put a levy issue on the ballot, which voters did not approve. It was the highest municipal election turnout in two decades, with 21.87% of voters participating.
Every registered voter in Pettis County will have at least two items on their April 5 ballot: Proposition A, which asks for a half-cent sales tax increase to pay for current and future operations of the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office, and a four-way race for a six-year term on the SFCC Board of Trustees. The two-year SFCC seat has only one candidate.
Voters in the Green Ridge School District, Henry County School District, the City of Windsor and the Windsor Ambulance District will also have ballot questions. Other races include Sedalia School District 200 Board of Education, which has five candidates seeking two seats, La Monte mayor, Sedalia City Council Ward 2, Pettis County Ambulance District Sub-District 4, Green Ridge Alderperson, Smithton School Board, and Dresden School Board. In total, there are eight contested races and four ballot questions across Pettis County.
During his travels across the county this week in preparation for Tuesday’s election, La Strada said he saw countless candidate yard signs, even in smaller municipalities. He said he especially noticed signs for school board races.
“Last year what brought the turnout was clearly the health center,” La Strada said. “Now, we’re coming out of the pandemic and the controversies with school districts. Tax issues generally drive people out but this one has no controversy, just questions about what it will do. I think people are waiting until Election Day (to vote).”
The last day to register to vote in the April election was March 9. People can change their address even on Election Day if they moved within Pettis County, but anyone who moved from a different county is considered a new registration.
Absentee voting is available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 2 at the Pettis County Courthouse. The last day to absentee vote is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, April 4.
Polls will be open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Election Day. Voters can find their polling location, check to see if they are registered, and view a sample ballot at pettisclerk.com. For more information, visit pettisclerk.com or facebook.com/PettisCountyElectionsOffice or call the Clerk’s office at 660-826-5000 ext. 918 or La Strada’s cellphone at 660-281-7767.
The following candidates and issues will be on Pettis County ballots, although ballots will vary depending on where a voter lives.
City of Sedalia Mayor
Andrew Dawson
City of Sedalia Ward 1
Jack D. Robinson
City of Sedalia Ward 2
Tina Boggess (incumbent)
Chris Marshall
City of La Monte Mayor
Ronnie McNeive (incumbent)
Tabbatha Holland
City of Green Ridge Alderperson
Charles Raymond Martin
Tony Turner
Justin Tucker
Smithton R-VI School District (two seats)
Jake Gieschen
Jason Brown (incumbent)
James Trelow
Brian Conardy
Pettis County R-XII (Dresden) School District (two seats)
Keri Dickman
Addison Eckles
Lynn Alexander
Sedalia School District 200 (two seats)
Diana Nichols (incumbent)
Barbara Schrader (incumbent)
Michelle Quattlebaum
Brian Smith
Serena Cronk
State Fair Community College six-year term (two seats)
Tim Carr (incumbent)
Christopher Guffey
Amie Breshears
William (Billy) Foster
State Fair Community College two-year term
Tom Oldham
Pettis County Ambulance District District 4
John Fritz (incumbent)
Kim E. Graves
Windsor Ambulance District Proposition: Ambulance District Property Tax Relief
Shall the Windsor Ambulance District mandatorily reduce the District’s property tax levy by imposing a sales tax of up to one half of one per cent for the purpose of providing revenues for operation of the District and thereby by the total property tax levy on property within the District shall be reduced annually by an amount which reduces property tax revenues equal to fifty per cent (50%) of the previous year’s sales tax revenue collected from this sales tax?
Henry County School District Proposition A
Shall the following described land area presently located in Henry County R-I School District be detached from the Henry County R-1 School District, and be attached to the Green Ridge R-VIII School District.
Description of Land: Street Address: 10627 Wells Road, Windsor, Missouri 65360 Legal Description: All of the South Forty-One and One-Half (41-1/2) acres of Lot Two (2) of the Northeast Quarter of Section Six (6) in Township Forty- four (44) North, of Range Twenty-three (23) West of the Fifth Principal Meridian, Pettis County, Missouri: LESS AND EXCEPT; Beginning at a point in the South line of the South Forty-One and One-Half (41-1/2) acres of Lot Two (2) of the Northeast Quarter of Section Six (6), in Township Forty-Four (44) North, of Range Twenty-Three (23) West of the Fifth Principal Meridian, Pettis County, Missouri, 225.5 feet East of the Southwest Corner thereof, thence East along the South line of said 41-1/2 acres, 241 feet, thence North parallel with the West line of said 41- 1/2 acres 174.5 feet, thence West parallel with the South line of said 41-1/2 acres 241 feet, thence South parallel with the West line of said 41-1/2 acres 174.5 feet to the Point of Beginning, except any part thereof used for road purposes.
Green Ridge School District Proposition A
Shall the following described land area presently located in Henry County R-I School District be detached from the Henry County R-1 School District, and be attached to the Green Ridge R-VIII School District.
Description of Land: Street Address: 10627 Wells Road, Windsor, Missouri 65360 Legal Description: All of the South Forty-One and One-Half (41-1/2) acres of Lot Two (2) of the Northeast Quarter of Section Six (6) in Township Forty- four (44) North, of Range Twenty-three (23) West of the Fifth Principal Meridian, Pettis County, Missouri: LESS AND EXCEPT; Beginning at a point in the South line of the South Forty-One and One-Half (41-1/2) acres of Lot Two (2) of the Northeast Quarter of Section Six (6), in Township Forty-Four (44) North, of Range Twenty-Three (23) West of the Fifth Principal Meridian, Pettis County, Missouri, 225.5 feet East of the Southwest Corner thereof, thence East along the South line of said 41-1/2 acres, 241 feet, thence North parallel with the West line of said 41- 1/2 acres 174.5 feet, thence West parallel with the South line of said 41-1/2 acres 241 feet, thence South parallel with the West line of said 41-1/2 acres 174.5 feet to the Point of Beginning, except any part thereof used for road purposes.
Pettis County Proposition A
Voter approval would dedicate one-half of one percent sales tax, to be used for the purpose of providing funding to support current and future operations of the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office. By law, revenues generated by this sales tax would be used to fund agency staffing, improved personnel compensation, safety equipment, as well as future capital improvements and maintenance of the facilities.
City of Windsor Question
Shall the City of Windsor impose a sales tax of one-half of one percent (.5%) for transportation purposes, including, but not limited to: construction, reconstruction, repair and maintenance of streets, sidewalks, trails, and bridges?
