The deadline to register for the Aug. 5 primary election is rapidly approaching.
Those who want to vote in Pulaski County have until Wednesday afternoon to register. County Clerk Diana Linnenbringer said she’ll be keeping her office open until 5 p.m. to accept late registrations.
“They can register here at the county clerk’s office; they can also go to the cities and register there,” Linnenbringer said. “Probably this year more than any other years, it’s very important to vote for the person you feel is most qualified and has the same beliefs you do for a particular office, whether it is county, state or the federal level.”
While registrations by mail are possible, they must be postmarked by Wednesday. Blank voter registration forms can be downloaded from the Missouri Secretary of State’s office web site or can be obtained from Linnenbringer’s office.
Voter registration is open to any citizen of the United States who lives in Missouri and is either 18 years old or will turn 18 by the Aug. 5 election. Those registering for the first time must provide proof of identity such as a current or valid photo identification, a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the registering person’s name and address, a birth certificate, a Native American tribal document, or other proof of American citizenship.
Missouri residents don’t register a political party affiliation but must select only one political party ballot. The Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties will all hold statewide primaries this year.
Locally contested races in the Aug. 5 primary include:
• the Pulaski County Sheriff’s race between incumbent Republican Sheriff J.B. King of Waynesville and challenger Terry Roberson of Devil’s Elbow, a retired state conservation agent, and the Democratic race between former Sheriff J.T. Roberts, who lives north of Waynesville, and a current reserve deputy, Lt. Bill Anderson, who lives north of St. Robert;
• the Eastern District County Commission race, in which Democrats Earl Arnold of Waynesville and Bobby Miller of Turkey Ridge are vying for the right to challenge incumbent County Commissioner Bill Farnham of Waynesville, who is running unopposed;
• the Western District County Commission race, in which Republicans David L. Dicke of Laquey and Ricky Zweerink and Dave Grossman, both of Crocker, are vying for the nomination to challenge the winner of a three-way Democratic race between Ted Helms and Bill Laughlin of Crocker and Wayne Anderson of Richland.
Regardless of political party, Pulaski County residents who live in Cullen Township — roughly, the unincorporated area surrounding but not including Waynesville and St. Robert that runs from Buckhorn to Devil’s Elbow — will vote on whether to authorize an $8 million bond vote for sewer line construction and upgrades to the Pulaski County Sewer District. Sewer officials say the bond vote, which must pass by a 57 percent rather than 50 percent margin, is needed to obtain lower interest rates than could be obtained by commercial bank financing on a project that’s being required by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Major state races this year include:
• the Republican nomination for governor, which features U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulsof of Columbia, Missouri State Treasurer Sarah Steelman of Rolla, Scott Long of Mountain View and Jennie Lee (Jen) Schwartze Sievers of Jackson;
• the Democratic nomination for governor, in which Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon is running against Daniel Carroll of Shelbina;
• the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor in which incumbent Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder is being challenged by Paul Douglas Sims of Lecoma and Arthur Hodge Sr. of Springfield;
• the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor between Sam Page of Creve Coeur, Michael E. Carter of St. Charles, Richard Charles Tolbert of Kansas City, Becky L. Plattner of Grand Pass, Mary Williams of Jefferson City and C. Lillian Metzger of Troy;
• the Democratic nomination to succeed Republican incumbent Sarah Steelman as state treasurer, in which Mark Powell of Arnold, Clint Zweifel of Florissant, Andria Danine Simckes of St. Louis and Charles B. Wheeler of Kansas City are vying to face off against the sole Republican candidate, Brad Lager of Savannah;
• the Democratic nomination to succeed Democratic incumbent Jay Nixon as attorney general, in which Chris Koster of Jefferson City, Margaret Donnelly of St. Louis, Jeff Harris of Columbia, and Molly Williams of Kansas City are vying to face off against the sole Republican candidate, Mike Gibbons of Jefferson City; and
• the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. Congressman Ike Skelton, whose seat is being sought by Stanley Plough Jr. of Clinton, Joseph Terrazas of Sedalia and Jeff Parnell of Rogersville.
- —
