Primary election brings out 42% of Moniteau County voters

It was a high turnout primary election in Moniteau County Tuesday. There were 3,965, or 42.1 percent, of the county's 9,413 registered voters who visited the polls.

Local Contested Races
There were several Moniteau County contested races on the Republican ballot in this primary election - Sheriff, Assessor, Associate County Commissioner District 1, Associate County Commissioner District 2 and Coroner.

In the Sheriff's race, challenger Anthony "Tony" Wheatley won in a hard-fought campaign. He defeated incumbent Sheriff Jeptha "Jay" Gump on the Republican ticket in the primary election. With no challenger on the Democratic side in November, Wheatley will run unopposed. He will take office on Jan. 1, 2017, as the top law enforcement officer of Moniteau County. Wheatley garnered 2,089 votes - 57.66 percent, while Gump received 1,534 votes - 42.34 percent.  

With the incumbent choosing to not run for Moniteau County Assessor, the position was up for votes for three candidates, all on the Republican ballot. Amanda Trimble received 1,928 votes - 54.4 percent - winning over Tara Renfro, who garnered 1,264 votes for 35.67 percent, and Meleigha Caudel, who received 352 votes for 9.93 percent. Running unopposed in November, Trimble will take office on Jan. 1 as the Moniteau County Assessor.

In the race for Associate County Commissioner District 1, the incumbent has chosen not to run for another term. As a result the position was up for votes for five candidates, all on the Republican ballot. The winner was Noland Porter, who received 956 votes - 42.81percent. The other candidates were Johnnie Elliott, who garnered 814 votes for 36.45 percent; Steven Pate, who took 240 votes for 10.75 percent; Jeff Wingate, who received 132 votes for 5.91 percent; and Chris Baker, with 91 votes for 4.08 percent. Porter will take office on Jan. 1 as the District 1 Associate County Commissioner, since he will run unopposed in November.

In the race for Associate County Commissioner District 2, incumbent Kim Roll, running unopposed on the Democrat Ballot, received 73 votes, 100 percent. In the November election, he will face Greg Robinson, winner of the Republican Primary, who took 681 votes for 56.75 percent. He won out over Mac Finley who garnered 519 votes for 43.25 percent.  The winner of the November election will will take office on Jan. 1 as the District 2 Associate County Commissioner.

The race for Coroner has also been decided in the Primary Election. Marty Ramsdell, winner of the race for Coroner on the Republican ticket received 2,126 votes - 60.6 percent - to 1,382 votes - 39.4 percent - for David R. Shaul. Ramsdell, unopposed in November, will take office Jan. 1.

Local Uncontested Race Results

One local race was uncontested. Public Administrator Cher Caudel ran uncontested on the Republican ticket and will run uncontested in November. She received all 2,905 votes cast in that race.

Area Races

In less local races, Kenneth Hayden - Rep., won an uncontested race for Circuit Judge 26 Div. 2, as did incumbent State Rep. Caleb Jones, Rep., for the District 50 seat.

In the race for State Rep. for the District 58 seat, incumbent State Rep. David Wood won on the Republican ticket over challengers Mike Staton and Alex Stafford. In Moniteau County, Wood received 894 votes - 50 percent, Staton garnered 828 votes - 46.31 percent, and Stafford took 66 votes - 3.69 percent. In the November election, Wood will face Democrat candidate Travis Maupin, who ran unopposed.