Dickerson, Koeper reelected; Jordan takes race for Cape County coroner

Tuesday was a historic day for Cape Girardeau County politics.

Sheriff Sheriff Ruth Ann DickersonBEN MATTHEWS

Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson became the first woman elected to a full term as she easily defeated Drew Juden to win the Republican primary. There is no opposition in the November election.

Dickerson earned 71% of the vote, 10,457 to Juden’s 4,191.

Elected in a special election in November 2018 to serve the remainder of the term of John Jordan, who left to become a U.S. marshal, Dickerson has guided the department for nearly two years. Earlier this year, she shepherded a half-cent sales tax to passage. Revenue from the tax will fund a number of personnel, equipment and capital projects for the department and county.

Juden, a Cape Girardeau native, made his law enforcement career first as director of the Department of Public Safety in Sikeston, Missouri, and then as director of the state Department of Public Safety.

Dickerson said by telephone Tuesday night the tax vote indicated the county’s voters have confidence in her leadership.

“We were so excited to get the sales tax passed, and we appreciate the support on that,” she said. “That is just a major thing that I wanted to continue forward, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that tax money is spent exactly as I told the voters it would be done.”

When asked about serving as the county’s first female sheriff, Dickerson said the honor is humbling.

“It has been an honor to be at the Sheriff’s office and then to be elected to be their sheriff. I appreciate the support totally,” she commented.

Wavis Jordan.Jeff Long

In a race for county coroner, Republican Wavis Jordan earned 39% of the vote to win a plurality over two competitors. Jordan is the first Black to hold countywide office in recent history.

Jordan earned 5,408 votes to Dennis Turner’s 4,684 and K. Gerald “Jerry” Swan’s 3,610.

Jordan works in the funeral home industry but has not served in a coroner’s office. Turner has served as the county’s chief deputy and had the endorsement of Coroner John Clifton, who announced in July he would step down from the post at the end of the year.

There is no November opposition for Jordan.

Paul KoeperJeff Long

Incumbent Paul Koeper won reelection as associate commissioner for District 1.

He earned 48% of the Republican ballots cast with 4,161 votes, compared to 3,149 for Dwayne Kirchhoff and 1,333 for Josh Biester.

Koeper does not face an opponent in November.

Of the 53,215 registered voters in the county, 17,783, 33%, cast ballots in Tuesday primaries.