BEFORE CANDIDATES CAN PUT AN ‘R’ AFTER THEIR NAME
The Platte County Republican Central Committee is now implementing vetting for all county elected offices.
If you would like to run as a Republican, you must first contact the chair of the Platte County Republican Central Committee.
Per RSMo. Sec. 115.357, no candidate can file for office under a political party’s name unless and until that party accepts the filing fee. The fee is not legally paid until the committee treasurer accepts the funds. The funds will not be accepted until the vetting process has been completed and approved.
The chair, Tammy Thompson, may be contacted at 816-505-1994 or chairman@platterepublicans.org.
“The statute has been in effect since 1983. Buchanan County has been vetting their candidates for at least five years or more now. I did not realize the committee had this ability until after I became chair,” Thompson told The Landmark this week. “I brought it before the committee and we decided to implement it.”
Thompson said the Platte County Republican Central Committee has decided “we don’t want anyone on the ballot running as a Republican that hasn’t talked with us first. Vetting isn’t an endorsement by the committee, it is only to be able to put an R after their name.”
Thompson explained that the process will work this way for potential candidates:
How it works:
You advise the chair you intend to file or refile for office and would like to be vetted.
A time will be established for the vetting process to occur.
You complete the paperwork that will be reviewed by the vetting team.
You will be advised of the determination.
If successful, you will sign a pledge to support our platform and pay your fee to the central committee treasurer.
The treasurer will give you a receipt that you can then show to the Platte County Board of Elections.
All vetting will be completed in advance of the first day of filing in February.
An additional vetting period will be held after filing starts for individuals not deciding to run until then.
Thompson said an information sheet for potential candidates explains the process as:
“To make this process as smooth and confusion free as possible, only pay your fee directly to the committee treasurer after vetting is completed and you are notified you can file with our party. Only checks will be accepted absolutely, no cash.
“Should you instead hand your fee to the board of elections, your name will still not appear on the ballot as a Republican until the central committee has accepted your intended candidacy with our party. For that to occur, you must participate in the vetting process. Once completed, you and the committee treasurer will be notified of the results. If the treasurer is authorized to accept your fee, you will be given a paid receipt. You will show this receipt to the clerk to indicate you can file for office using the republican party’s name.”