CONFUSED? YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO BE
Four people in Platte County, formerly on the ballot as Republicans, are now seeking the necessary signatures to appear as an independent candidate in the November general election.
Meanwhile, the August primary ballot is now set. No additional candidates filed when the filing period for auditor and treasurer had to be reopened for a short time under Missouri law after the current incumbents in those positions withdrew recently.
To appear on the November ballot as an independent, a candidate needs to submit signatures on a petition of two percent of the total number of voters who voted at the last election for the office being sought.
Those persons seeking independent status for November are Kevin Robinson, current county auditor; Chris Kendall, current county treasurer; Holly Cayer, current employee in the collector’s office who wants to run for collector; and Dale Brouk, who seeks to run for presiding commissioner.
According to information provided by the Platte County Board of Elections, the number of valid signatures needed to qualify as an independent for each office is as follows:
Auditor: 606.
Collector: 626.
Presiding commissioner: 813.
Treasurer 914.
Several of the four potential independent candidates had their petitions in Downtown Platte City Saturday morning during the Platte City Farmers Market and Firehouse Market events.
Cayer, Brouk, Kendall and Robinson withdrew from the Republican primary ballot recently after failing provide a timely filing of their financial disclosure forms with the county clerk’s office. They had filed the necessary form with the Missouri Ethics Commission, but county ordinance required the form to also be filed with the county clerk by April 21.
County commissioners discussed what action to take about the late filings at a work session on April 30, and at that work session commissioners Scott Fricker and Joe Vanover spoke adamantly about following the county ordinance and removing from the ballot a total of seven candidates who missed the deadline.
But at the official commission session a few days later, Vanover had a change of opinion and by a 2-1 vote the candidates remained on the ballot. Only Fricker still supported the idea of removing them from the ballot. Allyson Berberich, first district commissioner, joined Vanover in voting to allow the candidates to remain on the ballot.
But earlier that morning prior to the commission meeting, Cayer, Robinson, Brouk and Kendall had gone to the board of elections office and withdrew from the ballot.
OFFICIALLY ON THE
PRIMARY BALLOT
PRESIDING COMMISSIONER:
Gena Ross, Republican
Jason Maki, Republican
Mary McKenna, Democrat
COUNTY CLERK
Mary Calvillo, Republican
Russ “Wojo” Wojtkiewicz, Republican
Jera Pruitt, Republican
Hans Peter, Democrat
COUNTY AUDITOR
Laura Waldon, Republican
COLLECTOR
Jim Bosch, Republican
TREASURER
Elliot Lahn, Republican
PROSECUTOR
Tony Luetkemeyer
RECORDER OF DEEDS
Christopher L. Wright, Republican
Nicholas Palmer, Republican
The primary election is Tuesday, Aug. 4. The general election will be Tuesday, Nov. 3.
