Special election set to replace Hutcheson

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- A special election will be held in Mississippi County to fill the office of sheriff.

On Monday the Mississippi County Commission ordered a special election to be held on Jan. 29, 2019, according to County Clerk Hubert "Junior" DeLay Jr.

"As for the possible candidates to appear on the ballot, each political party's nominating committee may submit their nominated candidate," DeLay said in an emailed response to the Standard Democrat.

Candidates wishing to appear on the ballot as an independent candidate may do so by submitting a petition to the county clerk's office with a number of valid signatures equal to at least 2 percent of the number of voters in the last sheriff's election.

"There were 5,147 votes cast, therefore, at least 103 valid signatures must be on the petition," DeLay said.

The deadline for nominating committees to submit the name of their nominees and the deadline for the submission of independent candidate petitions is 5 p.m. Jan. 11, 2019, which is the midpoint between when the election is called and the Election Day, DeLay said.

State statutes require the commission to call a special election to fill the vacancy no later than 10 weeks from when the vacancy occurs, DeLay said.

On Nov. 20, former Mississippi County Sheriff Cory Hutcheson pleaded guilty to federal charges for using the cellphones of a judge, other law officers and others to track their whereabouts. He also agreed to resign by Nov. 24 as part of a plea deal as federal prosecutors agreed to dismiss 26 other counts.

According to DeLay, Hutcheson attended the Nov. 21 county commission meeting and submitted his resignation which was effective at 5 p.m. Nov. 23.

"The County Commission accepted the resignation and promptly unanimously appointed Branden Caid as the interim sheriff until such time that a new sheriff was elected at a special election," DeLay said.

Caid, who had been acting sheriff during Hutcheson's leave, was sworn in as the interim sheriff immediately following the effective resignation date and time, the county clerk said.