SCOTT COUNTY RACES WILL BE DECIDED IN PRIMARY

BENTON -- Scott County officials face a plethora of competition from Democratic challengers.

With no Republicans vying for county offices, the races will all be decided in the Aug. 2 primary election. The filing period ended Tuesday.

All three county commissioners face opposition, with the high profile race being the one for presiding commissioner between incumbent Durward Dover and Bob Kielhofner, the longtime county clerk.

In District 1, commissioner Walter Bizzell faces a challenge from Lloyd "Beans" Evans of Sikeston.

In District 2, there's a three-way contest between incumbent Joe Spalding and challengers Dewaine Shaffer of Chaffee and Everett Holder of Scott City.

Shaffer previously served on the county commission before losing to Spalding six years ago. Holder ran unsuccessfully four years ago for presiding commissioner.

With Kielhofner running for presiding commissioner after serving as county clerk for 24 years, four candidates are making a bid to succeed him.

The candidates are Rita Milam of Benton, who currently serves as chief deputy clerk; Tom Beardslee, chief deputy at the Scott County Sheriff's Department; Shirley Tetley of rural Sikeston; and Robby Henley of Sikeston.

Prosecuting Attorney Cristy Baker-Neel faces opposition from Sikeston attorney Frank Marshall and former assistant prosecuting attorney Bob Gowen of Scott City.

The contest for recorder of deeds pits Oran farmer Tom Dirnberger against Joel "Chuck" Bollinger of Scott City. Bollinger is the son of longtime incumbent John Bollinger, who is retiring after more than four decades in office.

Treasurer H.J. "Cotton" Holyfield faces opposition from Bob Kindle of rural Sikeston. Kindle was the last candidate to file for county office, filing Tuesday, election officials said.

The race for circuit clerk is strictly an office affair, with deputy circuit clerk Pam Glastetter of Benton seeking to unseat her boss, Circuit Clerk Barbara Criss.

Associate circuit judges David Dolan and David Mann are unopposed for re-election, as are Circuit Judge Anthony Heckemeyer and Collector Tom Marshall.

Marshall was appointed as collector in February 1970 and won election later that year over three opponents.

But since then, he's won re-election every four years without any opposition.

"I have just been very fortunate," the 63-year-old Marshall said Wednesday. He added that this will probably be his last election.