The primary election for countywide offices up for grabs this year is scheduled for Aug. 4. Filing deadline for the county positions was last Tuesday, March 31 at 5 p.m.
Here is the list of candidates for your countywide offices:
- County commissioner, district one: Dan Mason, a retired federal agent, is challenging incumbent Dagmar Wood, who by the way was the band leader in promoting that $65 million 200 bed jail expansion. Both are Republicans.
- County commissioner, district two: This is the district in which incumbent John Elliott has chosen to not seek reelection. Jumping in the race were Joe Vanover, Republican, who is a former assistant prosecutor for the county; and David Park, Democrat, who is retired from the City of Kansas City and has been actively engaged in following county commission activities the past few years. In 2018, running against incumbent Ron Schieber for presiding commissioner, Park pulled more votes than any Democrat has in the county in a decade. He has made it known his priorities include county parks and much better transparency efforts by the commission.
- Public administrator: There will be a primary election needed in August for this spot. Jera Pruitt is not seeking re-election. On the ballot will be two Republicans: Shanna L. Burns and Samantha Price. The public administrator serves as a public guardian and conservator for people who have been declared incapacitated by the probate division of the circuit court. There are approximately 200 people in Platte County under guardianship and conservatorship with the public administrator’s office.
- County treasurer: Incumbent Rob Willard, first elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2016, will survive without a challenger in 2020. Willard is a Republican.
- County assessor: David Cox, incumbent, Republican, is the only candidate to file.
- County sheriff: Mark Owen, Republican, first elected in 2012, also will not have a challenger in 2020.
