Phelps County voters headed to the polls on Nov. 3 to vote in the United States midterm elections. Voters across Phelps County’s 19 voting precincts voted on a slate of county, state and federal races. Election-night results are considered unofficial until they are certified by the County Clerk.

Of 29,392 registered voters in Phelps County, 13,166 ballots were cast on election day, bringing voter turnout to 44.79. According to Johnson, that is an unusually good turnout for midterm elections, at around 15 percent higher than average.

Voters in Phelps County reelected Joey Auxier as presiding commissioner of the Phelps County Commission in the only contested race that was determined solely in Phelps County.

The race was between Republican incumbent Presiding Commissioner Joey Auxier and Democratic challenger Bill Lindgren. Auxier received 8,240 votes, or 64.78 percent to Lindgren’s 4,479 votes, or 35 percent, sending Auxier back to the commissioner’s seat for another four-year term.

Other races on the ballot in Phelps County included the race for state senator for Missouri’s 16th District between Republican Bill Hardwick, who currently serves as the representative for Missouri’s 121st District and Democrat Virginia Staabs. Statewide, Hardwick received 30,826 votes, or 72.92 percent, to Staabs’ 11,444, or 27 percent votes, earning Hardwick the seat. In Phelps County, Hardwick received 8,239 votes or 63.8 percent. Staabs received 4,669 votes or 36.20 percent.

Republican incumbent Bennie Cook was challenged by Democrat Marsha Snodgrass for state representative for Missouri’s 143rd District, a position Cook has held for six years. Cook received the most votes in a successful bid for reelection with 9,868 votes, or 78.46 percent. Snodgrass received 2,709 votes, or 21.53 percent.  In Phelps County, Cook received 1,482 votes or 72.15 percent. Snodgrass received 572 votes, or 27.85 percent.

Republican Tara Peters sought reelection to the Missouri House of Representatives to represent District 122. She was challenged by Democrat Dan Victor. Peters was victorious statewide with 6,472 votes, or 61.3 percent, against Victor’s 4,085 votes, or 38.65 percent. In Phelps County, Peters received 6,675 votes or 61.69 percent. Victor received 4,145 votes, or 38.31 percent. 38 write-in votes were also recorded.

In the statewide contest for state auditor, Republican incumbent Scott Fitzpatrick received 1,018,753 votes, or 50.16 percent, earning reelection to another four-year term. He was challenged by Democrat Quentin Wilson who received 958,595 votes, or 47.2 percent. Libertarian Dustin Coffell netted 53,581votes, or 2.6 percent. In Phelps County, Fitzpatrick received 8,089 or 62.58 percent. Wilson received 4,435 votes, or 34.31 percent. Coffell received 402 votes or 3.11 percent.

In the only election for federal office on the Phelps County ballot, for United States representative in Missouri’s 8th Congressional District, Republican incumbent Jason T. Smith was victorious with 152,677 votes, or 67.72 percent.  He was challenged by Democrat Chris Reichard, who received 65,751 votes, or 29.16 percent. Libertarian Rebecca Sharpe Lombard received 6,996 votes, or 3.1 percent. In Phelps County, Smith received 8,016 votes or 61.42 percent. Reichard received 4,546 votes or 34.99 percent. Lombard received 430 votes, or 3.31 percent.

There were eight uncontested local elections on this year’s midterm ballot in Phelps County.

In uncontested local elections, incumbent Laura Johnson received 10,290 votes for county clerk, with 279 write-in votes recorded.

Incumbent Marlaina Wallace received 10,298 votes for clerk of the circuit court, with 269 write-in votes recorded.

Incumbent Joshua Meyer received 10,201 votes for Phelps County recorder of deeds, with 311 write-in votes recorded. 

Incumbent Taylor Banholzer received 10,160  votes for prosecuting attorney for Phelps County, with 286 write-in votes recorded.

Incumbent Faith Barnes received 10,422  votes for Phelps County collector of revenue, with 263 write-in votes recorded.

Incumbent Cathy Tipton received 10,288 votes for Phelps County treasurer with 264 write-in votes recorded.

In local judicial elections, Kenneth G. Clayton, who ran unopposed, was reelected as Associate Circuit Judge Division 1 and Probate with 10,401 votes. 312 write-in votes were also cast.

Carolyn Buschjost ran unopposed in her first bid for Associate Circuit Judge Division 2 and was elected with 10,296 votes. 285 write-in votes were also cast.

The statewide judicial ballot asked voters whether they wished to retain Judge Paul C. Wilson on the Missouri Supreme Court, to which he was first appointed in 2012. Statewide, voters chose to retain Wilson with 1,842,332, or 62 percent votes “yes” and 684,554, or 37.1 percent votes “no.” In Phelps County, 7,096 people, or 56.52 percent voted “yes” and 5,459, or 43.48 percent voted “no.”

Voters were similarly asked whether to retain Matthew P. Hamner as a judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District. Statewide, 290,537, or 72 percent of Missourians voted “yes” and 110,190, or 27.49 percent “no.” In Phelps County 7,812, or 67.85 percent voted in favor of retaining Hamner, with 3,702, or 32.15 percent voting not to.

There were four proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot and one statewide proposition.

Amendment 3 asked voters to repeal the 2024 voter-approved amendment enshrining reproductive healthcare rights, including abortion. It would allow the creation of legislation regulating abortion and constitutionally ban gender transition procedures for minors.

The amendment was rejected across the state with 941,065, or 44.51 percent votes “yes” and 1,173,172, or 55.48 percent votes “no.” In Phelps County 7,232 voters, or 55.26 percent approved of the amendment, with 5,855, or 44.74 percent rejecting the measure.

Amendment 6 asked voters whether or not to pass a measure that would make it more difficult for state lawmakers to overturn or change laws that Missouri voters approved through citizen-led ballot initiatives. The amendment would require at least 80% of both the Missouri House and Senate to approve sending changes to those laws to voters, rather than allowing lawmakers to change them directly. It would also constitutionally protect citizens’ right to use petitions to propose laws and referendums and limit lawmakers’ ability to weaken that process. The amendment passed statewide with 1,125,555, or 59.96 percent votes “yes” and 835,585, or 40 percent votes “no.” In Phelps County it received 6,696, or 51.69 percent votes “yes” and 6,258, or 48.31 percent votes “no.”

Amendment 7 would have amended Missouri’s constitution to establish a public endowment fund to support the state government, the goal being to eventually replace state income taxes once the fund generates sufficient revenue to replace them. The amendment was rejected statewide with 1,251,889, or 60.5 percent votes “no” and 815,744, or 39.45 percent votes “yes.” In Phelps County, the measure received 7,536, or 58.79 percent votes “no” and 5,282, or 41.21 percent votes “yes.”

Amendment 8 passed statewide and will require most counties in Missouri to elect sheriffs to four-year terms and make it more difficult to remove a sheriff from office– a system already used in most counties under state statutes. The amendment will enshrine the practice in Missouri’s state constitution. Under the amendment, an elected sheriff can only be removed through a writ of quo warranto initiated by the Missouri attorney general. Currently, county prosecuting attorneys can attempt to remove sheriffs in their own county through a writ of quo warranto. Statewide, Amendment 8 received 1,053,346, or 50.98 percent votes “yes” and 1,012,534, or 49 percent votes “no.” In Phelps County, it received 7,269 votes, or 56.7 percent “yes” and 5,552, or 43.3 percent votes “no.”

Proposition A asked voters whether or not to approve a new congressional district map adopted by the Missouri General Assembly in 2025. The measure would replace the congressional district boundaries established in 2022 with the newer map. A “yes” vote would approve the new congressional map, while a “no” vote would reject it and retain the 2022 map. Statewide, Proposition A failed to garner enough votes to pass. It received 785,969, or 38.15 percent votes “yes” and 1,273,815, or 61.84 percent votes “no.” In Phelps County, the measure was also rejected. It received 5,694 votes, or 44.61 percent “yes,” and 7,070 votes, or 55.39  percent “no.”

Elections were certified on Friday, Nov. 6 at the Phelps County Courthouse by Phelps County Clerk Laura Johnson and a team of bipartisan poll judges.

According to Johnson, one ballot tabulator in the Dillon North voting precinct was damaged after it was fed ballots that became wet when the First Assembly of God’s gymnasium door was propped open. An emergency bypass ballot slot on the machine was used to record votes on the jammed machine in question.

Johnson said ballots recorded by the machine were recounted by hand by a bipartisan team of volunteers. A machine recount was also done.

“After having two bipartisan teams independently hand-count and machine-count all the ballots cast into the machine in Dillon North precinct, I am happy to report that the number of voter signatures in the poll books matched the total number of ballots cast,” Johnson said. “Our decision to conduct this additional review is rooted in our commitment to accuracy, transparency, and public confidence. By completing both recounts, we can ensure that the official results accurately reflect the ballots cast by the voters of this precinct.”