After a hard-fought and at times heated campaign, incumbent Sheriff Jeptha "Jay" Gump defeated challengers Tony Wheatley, Dale Embry and Chris Dunham on the Republican ticket in the primary election held Tuesday, Aug. 8. Turnout was 33.77 percent.
In the minds of many residents, the incumbent sheriff and his three challengers put the Sheriff's race at the top of the races that were decided during the primary election.
With no challenger on the Democrat side, the winner of the primary will run unopposed in the November election.
Gump garnered 1,148 votes, while Wheatley received 687, Embry 681 and Dunham 333.
All the contenders have law enforcement experience.
Sheriff Gump will soon have eight years under his belt as the top law enforcement officer of Moniteau County.
The race for Coroner has also been decided in the Primary Election. Incumbent Loyd Fulks, winner of the race for Coroner on the Republican ticket, received 1,573 votes to 1,143 votes for challenger Marty Ramsdell. The winner of the primary will run unopposed in the November election. Incumbent First District Commissioner Tony Barry won with 1,135 votes over challenger Jeff Wingate, who got 564 votes.