Voter turnout predicted at 12-15 percent
Voters across Platte County have the opportunity to make decisions involving their local units of government at the municipal election to be held Tuesday, April 5.
Turnout across the county is not expected to be huge, according to local election officials.
“My standard (predicted voter turnout) for general municipal elections is 12 percent,” says Chris Hershey, a director for the Platte County Board of Elections.
That number could be slightly higher this April, Hershey quickly added.
“The Park Hill and Platte County school board races may create a bit higher turnout, as well as the Park Hill and Kansas City ballot questions,” Hershey remarked. “With that in mind, 15 percent seems like a reasonable guess.”
The school board races mentioned by Hershey have numerous candidates, a somewhat unusual occurrence. There are eight candidates for two open spots at Park Hill (originally ten candidates filed, but two pulled out) and eight candidates for two open spots at Platte County R-3.
Candidates at Park Hill are Cory Terrell, Tammy M. Thompson, Daryl Terwilleger, Jason Richard Keck, Shereka Denice Barnes, Jeffery (Jeff) Runyan, Christopher Robyn LaCour, and Diona ‘Kelli’ Johnson.
Candidates at Platte County R-3 are Joyce Danbury, Michael Matousek, Michael Claxton, Ralph Lyndon Rogers, Shawn Chiddix, Matt Craine, Kathy Schlimm and Robert D. Shepherd.
Park Hill also has two ballot questions to be decided by voters (see related story in this issue of The Landmark).
Of the city elections to be decided Tuesday, drawing the most general interest for a variety of reasons is the City of Parkville election. There currently is a criminal investigation underway at City Hall and the current mayor, Nan Johnston, has been found guilty of violations of the city’s ethics code.
Johnston is not seeking re-election.
The names of four candidates for Parkville mayor will appear on the ballot: Jason Sears, Dean Katerndahl, Andrew Barchers and Emily Boullear. Boullear has said she is not campaigning and in effect dropped out of the race, though her name will still appear on the ballot.
There is a race for ward one alderman at Parkville, with incumbent Tina Welch facing challenger Nick Casale.
Running unopposed for alderman spots at Parkville are newcomers Bob Bennett in ward two; Stephen Melton in ward three and Michael Lee in ward four.
The City of Dearborn has a contested race, with four candidates for two aldermen spots. Candidates are Donald Swanstone, Jr., Pat Downing, Desiree Keefhaver and Breanna L. Cheadle. Top two vote-getters will be elected.
The City of Weatherby Lake has three candidates for the west ward alderman position: James T. Pate, Jr., John Lueders and Paula York.
For more details on Tuesday’s ballot, see the various election legal notices in this edition of The Landmark.