Bakersfield and Gainesville school boards will have contested races

The Bakersfield and Gainesville School Districts will have contested races in the April 2 General Municipal Election. 

At Bakersfield, incumbent Chris Bales has refiled to run in the race. The other incumbent, Jonathan Lashley, chose not to sign up to run for another term. Other candidates who have thrown their name in the hat are Justin Turner and Andrea Russell. 

At Gainesville, both incumbents Jabet Wade and Mason Eslinger have refiled. They are joined by two new candidates, Seth Miller and Nick Jones. 

The Times plans to have candidate profiles for the contested school board and any other General Municipal Election races in an upcoming edition. 

In the Dora, Lutie and Thornfield School Board elections, the number of candidates equal the number of open positions, meaning those schools will not be required to hold an election. 

At Dora School, the school board’s two incumbents, Robert Lee and Terry Martin, have refiled. There were no other candidates who filed. 

At Lutie School, three positions have terms ending this year, that of Carl Kruger, Shanna Clayton and Ric Engelhardt. Kruger and Clayton have refiled as candidates. They are joined by new candidate Marlene Homer. Engelhardt has opted out of running for another term. Because the number of candidates is equal to the number of positions open, there will not be an election. 

At Thornfield School, incumbents Steve Clodfelter and Josh Mayberry have terms expiring. Clodfelter has refiled to run in the race. Mayberry chose not to sign up to run for another term. The open position will be filled by Kenny Miller, a new candidate who filed this year. Because the number of candidates equal the number of positions open, there will not be an election. 

The period for candidates to file for the open positions in April 2 General Municipal Election was from Dec. 5 to Dec. 26, 2023. Legal notices from each school were included in the newspaper prior to the opening of the filing period. 

The last day to register to vote in the election is March 6. The candidates will be officially certified by the Ozark County Clerk’s Office on Jan. 23. 

Absentee voting for the General Municipal Election begins Feb. 20. No excuse required absentee voting begins March 19 and continues through April 1. The last day the Clerk’s office can mail out absentee ballots is Wednesday, March 20.