There were three Republican primaries on Tuesday’s election ballot in Platte County, which drew a voter turnout of 26.77 percent.
The election included an extremely tight race for county assessor, with Marcus Farr knocking off Dagmar Wood by a total of 74 votes. Farr finished with 4,731 votes to 4,657 for Wood, 50.39 percent to 49.61 percent. Results are considered unofficial until certification is performed by the Platte County Board of Elections on Friday, Aug. 9.
Joe Vanover, incumbent second district county commissioner, defeated challenger Melissa Steele Moran, with Vanover pulling 2,869 votes (56.59%) to 2,201 (43.01%) for Moran.
Shanna Burns, incumbent, won her primary election against challenger Samantha Price. Burns had 5,019 votes (60.81%) to 3,234 (39.19%) for Price.
Farr, Vanover and Burns will all be unopposed in the November general election, as there were no Democrats file for any of those offices.
COUNTY ASSESSOR RACE
Farr’s narrow victory over Wood may have come as a mild surprise to some observers, as Wood had a heavily funded campaign. But Farr credited hard work during the campaign as a major reason for his victory.
Wood is the current first district county commissioner. First elected in 2016, she won a tight re-election by 52-48% in 2020 over political newcomer Dan Mason, who did not actively campaign. Rather than seek a third term as commissioner, Wood chose to seek the office of county assessor in 2024.
Farr is a certified real estate appraiser and an experienced appraiser currently working in the office of the county assessor.
In her campaign for assessor, Wood said: “When citizens call our office, they will be given complete information on their valuations, the process, and how to appeal them to a taxpayer-friendly board of equalization.”
Farr had said in his campaign that he would “provide the lowest assessments allowable; be in the office full time, unlike officeholders who treat their county position as part-time work with full time pay, and fully support senior tax relief.”
DISTRICT TWO COUNTY COMMISSIONER
First elected in 2020 to a spot vacated by John Elliott, Vanover was re-elected on Tuesday to his second term as county commissioner in district two, which serves the general northern half of the county. He is a former assistant prosecutor for the county.
During his first term in office, Vanover led an effort to start to develop the Michael Gunn Park at Platte Meadows in southern Platte County and also worked to find a use for a Civil War era log cabin in southern Platte County that the county parks department had purchased.
In his campaign, Vanover had said the biggest issue facing Platte County’s government is that the jail is full, and he believes a taxpayer-funded jail expansion can address overcrowding. Voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected the county commission’s proposed $408 million sales tax for an expanded jail and jail operations.
Vanover said he is against a proposed sales tax for the Platte County Children’s Fund to provide mental health services, which he called a step toward universal health care and something parents should manage instead. He said he helped allocate American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to a COVID Response Committee to create a safer customer experience for residents interacting with county offices. Vanover also said he helped renew Platte County’s roads sales tax at a reduced rate.
Melissa Steele Moran was making her first run for political office. She has lived in Platte County for 36 years. She has been owner of Senior Helpers business for more than 16 years. Moran also serves on A Turning Point’s board and the Platte County Gala Committee. She is the current president of the Parkville Area Chamber & EDC and the president of Northland Professionals in Aging.
“I want to serve the community I live in and continue to make this county a great place to live. This is not a political steppingstone for me,” she had said in her campaign.
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR
Shanna Burns won her re-election bid for public administrator easily over Samantha Price.
Burns was first elected Platte County public administrator in 2020. Prior to that, she had been a deputy in the public administrator’s office for two years. Before working in the public administrator’s office, she had spent five years working as a 911 dispatcher.
The public administrator office serves as the guardian for residents whom the probate courts have deemed unable to manage their own affairs. This primarily includes people with severe disabilities. In her campaign, Burns said the experience of raising a child with special needs gives her unique insight into how to care for Platte County residents with disabilities.
Price, by all appearances, did not actively campaign. According to her profile on LinkedIn, Price has worked as a funeral director since January 2022. She has an associate’s degree in criminal justice. Price previously ran for public administrator against Burns in 2020. Burns won that 2020 race by 54% to 46%.
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