Parks tax gets 76 percent approval
Two Platte County sales tax questions passed easily and Dagmar Wood, first district county commissioner, in effect won a second term at Tuesday’s primary election.
Voter turnout in Platte County was 32%, much higher than the 20% or so local officials had projected.
The sales tax questions were each for a quarter cent sales tax, one for parks and stormwater and one for law enforcement operations. The two new quarter cent taxes will take effect on Jan. 1 and will replace the current half cent sales tax for parks, which expires at the end of this year.
The quarter cent sales tax for parks passed with 76% in favor to 24% opposed, registering 15,243 in favor to 4,860 opposed.
Voters okayed the quarter cent law enforcement tax with 61% yes to 39% opposed, with 12,351 in favor to 7,746 opposed.
In the first district commission Republican primary, incumbent Wood was victorious 52% to 48% in a race closer than some observers anticipated over her challenger, political newcomer Dan Mason, a retired federal agent who investigated fraud and waste within the United States Department of Agriculture. Wood finished with 2,203 votes to 1,997 for Mason.
No Democrats filed for first district commissioner, so Wood will be unopposed on the November general election ballot.
In another contested Republican primary, Shanna L. Burns topped Samantha Price 54% to 46% for the office of county public administrator. Burns totaled 4,449 votes to 3,763 for Price. There are no Democrats seeking the office, so Burns will be unopposed in November.
For county commissioner in district two, current commissioner John Elliott is not seeking re-election. Joe Vanover was unopposed in the Republican primary for that office and Dave Park was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Vanover will face Park in the November general election.
Running unopposed on the Republican ticket for countywide offices were incumbents Sheriff Mark Owen, who received 8,683 complimentary votes; assessor David Cox, 8,657 complimentary votes; and treasurer Rob Willard, 8,570 complimentary votes.
Platte County voters also favored Medicaid expansion, known as Amendment Two on the ballot. The issue passed statewide as well. In Platte County, it was favored with 62% voting yes and 38% opposed.
Sixth District Congressman Sam Graves won his Republican primary. In Platte County, Graves garnered 79% of the vote to 21% for Chris Ryan.
For the Sixth District Congressional seat on the Democratic ticket, Gena Ross carried Platte County by capturing 56% of the vote, with Henry Martin getting 22%, Charles West 19% and Donald Robert Sartain 3%.
Ross won her party’s nomination district wide with 33% support. She will now face Graves in the November general election.
For more Platte County election numbers from Tuesday, including a precinct by precinct breakdown, go to www.plattemovotes.org/results and click on “August 4, 2020 Primary.”