Voters in Phelps County went to the polls on Tuesday, Aug. 4 to select party nominees for offices at the county, state and federal levels. They also decided on four proposed amendments to the Missouri Constitution. Phelps County voters also decided on a proposed municipal tax in Rolla to fund a sports facility in the city.

According to unofficial election results from Phelps County Clerk Laura Johnson, 9,300 votes were cast out of 29,219 registered voters, or a 31.83 percent voter turnout. 

Republican primary

In the Republican primary for Missouri State Auditor, incumbent Scott Fitzpatrick received 4,671 votes, or 85.49 percent, while Gerald “Jerry” Wistrand Jr. received 793 votes, 14.41 percent. Fitzpatrick took Phelps County, as well as the districtwide nomination with 549,997 votes or 85.535 percent.

Two candidates sought the Republican nomination for U.S. Representative in Missouri’s 8th Congressional District. In Phelps County, incumbent Jason T. Smith received 5,113 votes, or 85.4 percent, and opponent Gordon Heslop received 871 votes, or 14.56 percent. Districtwide, Smith received 94,468 votes, or 86 percent, defeating Heslop who received 15,367, or 13.99 percent of the votes across the district, securing the GOP nomination.

Four candidates ran for the Republican nomination for State Senator in Missouri’s 16th district. In Phelps County, Bill Hardwick received 2,595 votes, or 43.34 percent; Philip Lohmann received 282 votes, or 4.71 percent; Don Mayhew received 1,898 votes, or 31.70 percent; Hannah Kelly received 1,212 votes, or 20.24 percent support. At the districtwide level, Hardwick was victorious for the GOP nomination with 11,030 votes, or 43.1 percent of the vote; Lohmann received 1,034 votes districtwide, or 4 percent; Mayhew received 5,659 votes, or 22.11 percent; Hannah Kelly received 7,865 votes, or 30.73 percent.

Three candidates ran for the Republican nomination for the Phelps County Recorder of Deeds. Joshua Meyer was victorious and received 2,392 votes, or 40.69 percent support, securing the Republican GOP nomination. Lauri Kean received 1,273 votes, or 21.66 percent; and Lori Lunceford received 2,213 votes, or 37.65 percent.

Tara Peters ran unopposed for the Republican nomination for Missouri State Representative 122nd District, and received 4,324 votes across the district.

Bennie Cook ran unopposed for the Republican nomination for Missouri State Representative 143rd District, and received 893 votes in Phelps County, and 6,360 votes districtwide.

Kenneth G. Clayton was unopposed for the Republican nomination for Associate Circuit Judge Division 1 and Probate. He received 5,370 votes in Phelps County.

Carolyn Buschjost, also unopposed, sought the Republican nomination for Associate Circuit Judge Division 2, and received 5,215 votes in Phelps County.

Joey Auxier ran unopposed for the Republican nomination for Presiding Commissioner of the County Commission. He received 5,293 votes in Phelps County.

Marliana Wallace was unopposed for the Republican nomination for Circuit Court Clerk and received 5,209 votes.

Laura Johnson was unopposed for the Republican nomination for the County Commission Clerk and received 5,198 votes.

Taylor Banholzer was unopposed for the Republican nomination for Prosecuting Attorney and received 5,112 votes.

Faith Barnes was unopposed for the Republican nomination for Collector of Revenue and received 5,387 votes.

Cathy Tipton was unopposed for the Republican nomination for Treasurer and received 5,024 votes.

Tim Bornemann and Mike Monaldi both sought the Republican nomination for Arlington Committeeman. Bornemann received 133 votes, or 71.12 percent. Monaldi received 54 votes, or 28.88 percent. There were two votes, or 1 percent support for write-in candidates.

Democratic Primary

Quentin Wilson and Gregory Upchurch ran for the Democratic Party nomination for Missouri State Auditor. In Phelps County, Quentin received 1,329 votes, or 64.33 percent; Upchurch received 737 votes, or 35.67 percent. Wilson was the victor statewide, securing the Democratic nomination with 325,648 votes or 67.84 percent. Upchurch received 154,346 votes or 32.15 percent support.

Chris Reichard and Frank A. Barnitz sought the Democratic Party nomination for U.S. Representative in Missouri’s 8th Congressional District. In Phelps County, Reichard received 512 votes, or 21.96 percent; Barnitz received 1,819 votes, or 78 percent. Districtwide, Reichard was victorious and received 15,334 votes, or 54 percent to Barnitz’s 12,999 votes, or 45.87 percent.

Virginia Staabs was unopposed for the Democratic Party nomination for Missouri State Senator 16th District. She received 2,072 votes in Phelps County and 5,009 votes across the district.

Dan Victor was unopposed for the Democratic Party nomination for Missouri State Representative 122nd district. He received 1,766 votes.

Marsha Snodgrass was unopposed for the Democratic Party nomination for Missouri State Representative in Missouri’s 143rd District and received 273 votes.

Marc Koller ran unopposed for the Democratic Party nomination for Presiding Commissioner of the County Commission and received 2,021 votes.

Libertarian Primary

Dustin Coffell ran unopposed for the Libertarian Party nomination for Missouri State Auditor and received 43 votes in Phelps County. Statewide, Coffell received 6,716 votes.

Rebecca Sharpe Lombard was unopposed for the Libertarian Party nomination for U.S. representative in Missouri’s 8th Congressional District. In Phelps County, she received 41 votes. Statewide, Lombard received 728 votes.

Four proposed amendments to the Missouri Constitution were also put before Phelps County voters.

Amendment 1 asked voters whether Missouri should continue for another 10 years the existing one-tenth of one percent sales and use tax supporting soil and water conservation, state parks and historic sites. In Phelps County, the measure received 7,374 yes votes, or 80.13 percent, and 1,829 no votes, or 19.87 percent. The amendment passed in Phelps County, and also statewide with 1,141,865 yes votes, or 82.288 percent, to 245,778 no votes, or 17.712 percent.

Amendment 2 asked whether all charter counties, including Jackson County, should be required to elect a county assessor and whether assessors in charter counties should comply with training requirements established by state law. In Phelps County it received 6,719 yes votes, or 74.67 percent, and 2,279 votes no, or 25.33 percent. The amendment passed in Phelps County and statewide with 1,042,413 yes votes, or 76.924 percent, and 312,713 no votes, or 23.076 percent.

Amendment 4 proposed requiring citizen-initiated constitutional amendments to receive majority approval statewide and in each congressional district. The proposal would also require that the full text of an initiative petition be made available to voters with their ballots. In Phelps County, the measure received 2,118 yes votes, or 23 percent, and 7,090 no votes, or 77 percent. The amendment failed to pass in Phelps County and statewide with 275,040 yes votes, or 19.677 percent, and 1,122,748 no votes, or 80.323 percent.

Amendment 5 proposed requiring the General Assembly to phase out and eliminate Missouri’s individual income tax based on revenue growth. It would also authorize expanded sales and use taxes and require local tax-rate reductions under certain circumstances when sales-tax revenues increase. In Phelps County the measure received 1,482 yes votes, or 16.09 percent, and 7,728 no votes, or 83.91 percent. The amendment failed in both Phelps County, and statewide with 233,309 yes votes, or 16.684 percent, and 1,165,085 no votes, or 83.316 percent.

The statewide outcome of each constitutional amendment was determined by votes cast throughout Missouri. The official Phelps County ballots include Amendments 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Rolla Prop S

Voters residing in the city of Rolla also considered whether the city should impose a municipal sales tax of one-quarter of one percent in order to fund operations and improvements to The Centre, a city recreational and swimming facility. Funds would also be used to keep prices at The Centre low, and to undertake future maintenance and capital repairs.

The proposal passed with 1,710 yes votes, or 54.37 percent, and 1,435 no votes, or 45.63 percent. Of 11,230 registered voters in Rolla, 3,180 voted on Prop S — a turnout of 28.32 percent.

These results are unofficial and remain subject to certification by the Phelps County Clerk’s Office.