Martin and Nance elected, Collins and Berry re-elected in Aug. 4 pandemic-era primary
Casting ballots amid a pandemic.......Voting during a pandemic gave polling places in last week’s primary election a different look – including the Barren Fork Precinct polling place in the Wasola Volunteer Fire Department firehouse, shown here. Polling places were equipped with plexiglas shields, masks, hand sanitizer, sanitizing spray and pen sterilizers. After each voter left a voting station, it was wiped down with sanitizing spray by an election judge, and the pen was sterilized. Right: Jimmy and Jean Frye sign in to vote with election judge Ted Bischoff while judges Don Pinckney, David Niemi and Mary Ann Niemi get ready to help with the voters’ next steps. Photo courtesy Janet Taber
Wise: Voter turnout was ‘phenomenal’
With 3,192 ballots cast here in last week’s primary election – 44.49 percent of Ozark County’s 7,174 registered voters – residents re-elected incumbents Jama Berry as Ozark County Assessor and Gary Collins as Eastern District Commissioner, and also elected Cass Martin as Ozark County’s next sheriff and Layne Nance as the next Western District Commissioner.
Ozark County Clerk Brian Wise had high praise for the Aug. 4 voter turnout. “Almost breaking the 45 percent mark on a primary is phenomenal,” he told the Times. “The voters of Ozark County are always willing to go to the polls for their voices to be heard.”
In other races related to Ozark County, Wasola resident Karla Eslinger won the Republican nomination for the Missouri 33rd Senate District seat, and Twin Bridges resident Travis Smith won the Republican nomination for Missouri 155th House District representative. Their Democrat opponents ran unopposed.
Although the proposed Amendment 2, which would expand Medicaid in Missouri, was passed by voters statewide, Ozark Countians turned it down in a big way, casting 2,149 no votes (70.55 percent) and 897 (29.45) yes votes.
Here are some of the details related to races of local interest in last week’s primary:
Martin elected sheriff
Ozark Countians gave Cass Martin of Dora a 1,563-to-1,415 win over opponent Curtis Dobbs of Pontiac for the sheriff’s job. On Jan. 1, 2021, Martin will be sworn into the office that has been held since Jan. 1, 2013, by Darrin Reed, who opted not to run for re-election
Berry re-elected Ozark County Assessor
Jama Berry will continue as Ozark County Assessor for another four years after defeating her two opponents, Jennifer Cole and Karen Cunningham, with these totals: Berry 1,710; Cole 202; and Cunningham 1,018. Berry was first elected to the assessor’s position in 2012, replacing Katherine Loftis, who retired.
Collins re-elected Eastern District Commissioner
Gary Collins was re-elected as Ozark County Eastern District Commissioner after defeating opponent Jay Smith 767 to 598.
Collins has served on the county commission for a total of 26 years, including four years as presiding commissioner. His current time as eastern district commissioner began with the Aug. 7, 2012, primary election, when he defeated incumbent T. J. Lewis by three votes, 633 to 630. A recount was done two weeks later, but the vote totals did not change, and Lewis conceded. Collins ran unopposed for re-election in the 2016 primary.
Nance elected Western District Commissioner
Layne Nance will be Ozark County’s next Western District Commissioner after defeating opponents Shane Ledbetter and Robert Merriman with these totals: Nance 628, Ledbetter 560 and Merriman 375.
Nance has been employed for 7 1/2 years as a grader operator with the Ozark County Road and Bridge Department, the department he will help oversee with Eastern District Commissioner Gary Collins in his new role as county commissioner.
When Nance is sworn in on Jan. 1, 2021, he will replace outgoing commissioner Greg Donley, who has served in the office since unseating incumbent Rex Robertson by 53 votes in the 2008 general election. At the time, Donley ran as a Democrat and defeated his Republican opponent 1,176 to 1,123.
In 2012, still running as a Democrat, Donley defeated Republican challenger Steve Evans 1,231 to 1,068. Donley changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Independent in 2016 and defeated Republican challenger Theron Oxley by 72 votes in the general election, 1,191 to 1,119. He announced last year that he would not seek re-election but doesn’t rule out another run for political office in the future.
Eslinger wins Republican nomination
for Missouri Senate seat
Wasola resident Karla Eslinger won the Republican primary election in a close race for the Missouri 33rd Senate District seat. Eslinger garnered 12,701 votes (37.12 percent) in the eight-county district, overcoming a close challenge by Robert Ross, with 12,559 votes (36.70 percent) – a 142-vote difference. The third Republican candidate, Van Kelly, received 8,958 votes (26.18 percent).
Ozark Countians cast these votes in the 33rd Senate District race: Eslinger 2,010; Ross 567; and Kelly 357.
Eslinger was elected to the Missouri 155th House District seat in 2018, overcoming challengers Mike Lind of Thornfield and Taney County resident Jack Clemans. Rather than standing for re-election to the House seat, she chose to run in the 33rd Senate District race after current Senator Mike Cunningham term-limited out.
In the November general election, Eslinger will face Tammy Harty, who ran unopposed on the Democratic ticket.
The 33rd Senate District comprises Ozark, Texas, Wright, Webster, Douglas, Howell, Oregon and Ripley counties.
Smith wins Republican nomination
for Missouri House seat
Twin Bridges resident Travis Smith defeated Taney County resident Joe Combs to win the Republican nomination for the Missouri 155th House District seat. Smith got 5,484 votes (59.34 percent) to Combs’ 3,758 votes (40.66 percent) in the Aug. 4 primary.
The 155th House District comprises all of Ozark and Douglas counties and part of Taney County.
Ozark Countians cast 3,076 votes for Smith and 653 votes for Combs.
In the November general election, Smith will face Thornfield resident Mike Lind, who ran unopposed on the Democratic ticket. The winner will take the House seat currently held by Wasola resident Karla Eslinger, who was first elected to the 155th House District in 2018 and, instead of running for re-election to the House seat, chose to run for the 33rd Senate District seat that will be vacated at the end of 2020 by Mike Cunningham, who is term-limited.
Other candidates and issues
These Ozark County officeholders ran unopposed for reelection: Christy Thompson, treasurer; Melinda Abraham, public administrator; Matt Wade, surveyor.
Gene Britt ran unopposed for the Ozark County coroner’s job currently held by Shane Ledbetter, who did not file for re-election but instead filed as a candidate for Western District Commission, a race he and fellow candidate Robert Merriman lost to Layne Nance.
Bakersfield residents voted on whether to authorize their village 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.” This issue has already been approved by most other entities in the county. The vote tally was Yes 29 (85.29 percent), No 5 (14.71 percent).
Precinct totals
Ozark County’s 11 precincts, including absentee votes as a precinct, reported these counts for the races of local interest:
Absentee: Republican ballots, 281; Democratic ballots, 29; Libertarian ballots, 1. Sheriff: Dobbs 125, Martin 150. Assessor: Berry 132, Cole 16, Cunningham 129. Missouri 33rd Senate District: Ross 42, Eslinger 202, Kelly 33. Missouri 155th House District: Combs 56, Smith 197. Eastern District Commissioner: Collins 61, Smith 54. Western District Commissioner: Ledbetter 61, Nance 66, Merriman 36. Amendment 2: Yes 111, No 183.
Barren Fork (Wasola): Republican ballots, 308; Democratic ballots, 13. Sheriff: Dobbs 120, Martin 185. Assessor: Berry 174, Cole 10, Cunningham 115. Missouri 33rd Senate District: Ross 54, Eslinger 214, Kelly, 36. Missouri 155th House District: Combs 86, Smith 191. Western District Commissioner: Ledbetter 71, Nance 179, Merriman 51. Amendment 2: Yes 59, No 249.
Bayou (Bakersfield): Republican ballots, 313; Democratic ballots, 12. Sheriff: Dobbs 147, Martin 159. Assessor: Berry 205, Cole 26, Cunningham 70. Missouri 33rd Senate District: Ross 72, Eslinger 197, Kelly 27. Missouri 155th House District: Combs 40, Smith 258. Eastern District Commissioner: Collins 171, Smith 132. Village of Bakersfield question: Yes 29, No 5. Amendment 2: Yes 90, No 228.
Big Creek (Theodosia): Republican ballots, 477; Democratic ballots, 36; Libertarian ballots, 2. Sheriff: Dobbs 287, Martin 185. Assessor: Berry 266, Cole 58, Cunningham 139. Missouri 33rd Senate District: Ross, 108, Eslinger 314, Kelly 41. Missouri 155th House District: Combs 152, Smith 277. Western District Commissioner: Ledbetter 202, Nance 159, Merriman 103. Amendment 2: yes 155, no 343.
Bridges (Gainesville): Republican ballots, 616; Democratic ballots, 13. Sheriff: Dobbs 259, Martin 349. Assessor: Berry 295, Cole 39, Cunningham 264. Missouri 33rd Senate District: Ross 81, Eslinger 477, Kelly 43. Missouri 155th House District: Combs 103, Smith 445. Eastern District Commissioner: Collins 189, Smith 109. Western District Commissioner: Ledbetter 122, Nance 85, Merriman 80. Amendment 2: Yes 179, No 415.
Dawt (Tecumseh): Republican ballots, 162; Democratic ballots, 11. Sheriff: Dobbs 84, Martin 77. Assessor: Berry 93, Cole 15, Cunningham 51. Missouri 33rd Senate District: Ross 37, Eslinger 109, Kelly 14. Missouri 155th House District: Combs 21, Smith 128. Eastern District Commissioner: Collins 89, Smith 71. Amendment 2: Yes 59, No 110.
Jackson (Brixey-Rockbridge): Republican ballots, 98; Democratic ballots, 0. Sheriff: Dobbs 52, Martin 43. Assessor: Berry 77, Cole 3, Cunningham 15. Missouri 33rd Senate District: Ross 24, Eslinger 53, Kelly 20. Missouri 155th House District: Combs 19, Smith 64. Eastern District Commissioner: Collins 12, Smith 11. Western District Commissioner: Ledbetter 18, Nance 36, Merriman 15. Amendment 2: Yes 31, No 56.
Lick Creek (Howards Ridge): Republican ballots, 123; Democratic ballots, 11. Sheriff: Dobbs 64, Martin 55. Assessor: Berry 59, Cole 11, Cunningham 40. Missouri 33rd Senate District: Ross 22, Eslinger 73, Kelly 15. Missouri 155th House District: Combs 17, Smith 81. Eastern District Commissioner: Collins 51, Smith 58. Amendment 2: Yes 42, No 83.
Pontiac: Republican ballots, 89; Democratic ballots, 7. Sheriff: Dobbs 61, Martin 26. Assessor: Berry 39, Cole 5, Cunningham 37. Missouri 33rd Senate District: Ross 18, Eslinger 54, Kelly 7. Missouri 155th House District: Combs 15, Smith 55. Western District Commissioner: Ledbetter 27, Nance 21, Merriman 38. Amendment 2: Yes 36, No 56.
Richland (Dora): Republican ballots, 364; Democratic ballots, 7; Libertarian ballots, 1. Sheriff: Dobbs 141, Martin 218. Assessor: Berry 255, Cole 16, Cunningham 80. Missouri 33rd Senate District: Ross 66, Eslinger 195, Kelly 92. Missouri 155th House District: Combs 43, Smith 298. Eastern District Commissioner: Collins 194, Smith 163. Amendment 2: Yes 98, no 256.
Thornfield: Republican ballots, 202; Democratic ballots, 13. Sheriff: Dobbs 75, Martin 117. Assessor: Berry 115, Cole 3, Cunningham 79. Missouri 33rd Senate District: Ross 43, Eslinger 123, Kelly 29. Missouri 155th House District: Combs 102, Smith 82. Western District Commissioner: Ledbetter 60, Nance 82, Merriman 52. Amendment 2: Yes 37, No 171.