After a two month delay, the municipal and school elections are today across Missouri with the polls open until 7 o’clock this evening. Voters will decide the outcome of races for local offices as well as several other issues. KTTN News will have results tonight as they become available after 7 o’clock.
The Grundy County Clerk’s office report 101 absentee ballots were cast for this election. That includes five who voted on Monday at the Courthouse with 19 more ballots requested but have not been voted and returned to the clerk’s office.
Despite having two additional months to vote absentee, the 101 is well below last years’ count of 183 for this election. The larger than usual number of absentees in 2019 was due to four candidates seeking Trenton Mayor and eight running for four seats on the Trenton City Council as well as the Trenton R-9 School District debt service levy issue.
The spring election is usually held on the first Tuesday in April, but the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the statewide postponement until June 2nd.
This year, four candidates are unopposed for each of four city council seats, there are four names on the ballot for three positions on the Trenton R-9 Board of Education. One candidate, Doug Franklin, previously announced his withdrawal from the race but that occurred after the deadline to file.
The city of Trenton has a ballot issue to be decided, which is the five percent tax imposed on sleeping rooms and paid by those who stay at a motel or bed and breakfast establishment within Trenton.
There are several ballot issues in other area counties today including one in Chillicothe with R-2 school district patrons deciding a proposed 68 cent increase in the operating levy beginning this year as well as to continue a 12 cent capital projects levy that will expire three years from now. Voters within the city of Chillicothe are voting on a local sales tax of one quarter (¼) of a percent to benefit the police department.
Voters of the Brookfield R-3 School District decide a proposition on whether to borrow three million dollars for improvements to facilities, which is described as no increase to the current debt service levy which is 66 cents on the 100 dollars assessed valuation.
The Cameron R-1 School District is asking voters for the board to borrow ten million dollars for facility improvements without increasing the current 99 cent debt service levy
The Braymer C-4 School District has proposed a $1.00 increase in the operating levy to provide funds for the betterment of school facilities.
The town of Kingston votes on a one percent city sales tax and Hamilton voters decide whether to impose a motor fuel fee of one cent per gallon for street work.
Marceline voters determine the outcome of a local use tax which is to be the same rate of two percent in their city sales tax. Unionville also votes on a local use tax which is to be the same as the current one point eight seven five (1.875) city sales tax.
Harrison County is asking voters to retain and to make permanent the one half of one percent sales tax for road improvements.
