Two area sheriffs face election challenges

Two Southeast Missouri sheriffs face re-election battles after the first day of filing for county offices.

David Diveley

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan faces a Republican primary challenge from David Diveley of Cape Girardeau. Diveley, a retired federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent, said he is running to bring improvements to the sheriff’s department.

John Jordan

If elected sheriff, Diveley said he would work to improve cooperation between law-enforcement agencies and implement community policing practices.

“I can make our children more secure, I can make the people throughout the county more secure, and I can develop a county sheriff’s department that we can all be proud of,” said Diveley, who spent 27 1/2 years as an ATF agent.

“That experience has formed my opinions about how an effective law-enforcement agency should operate and serve the people,” he stated in a news release.

Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers holds the door open on the number hopper as Sheriff John Jordan draws a number Tuesday morning at the Cape Girardeau County Administration Building in Jackson. Jordan is seeking his sixth term as Cape Girardeau County Sheriff. Candidates have until March 29 to file for office.LAURA SIMON ~ lsimon@semissourian.com

Jordan announced in October he would seek his sixth term as sheriff. First elected in 1994, Jordan is the longest-serving sheriff in Cape Girardeau County history.

Jordan said he still has a passion for the job.

In Scott County, Sheriff Rick Walter is being challenged by fellow Democrat Ron Merideth of rural Sikeston and Republican Gregg Ourth of Oran.

They were among candidates for county offices who flocked to the courthouses Tuesday, the first day of filing for elective offices across the state.

In Cape Girardeau County, Jordan was one of seven Republican incumbents to file for re-election to four-year terms. The others were associate commissioners Paul Koeper and Charles Herbst, Assessor Robert Adams, Treasurer Roger Hudson, Coroner John Clifton and Public Administrator Lisa Reitzel.

Koeper, the District 1 associate commissioner, is being challenged by Shawn Peetz of rural Jackson. Peetz could not be reached for comment.

In Bollinger County, five Republican incumbents filed for re-election. They are District 1 Commissioner James Null, Sheriff Darin Shell, Assessor Ronda Elfrink, Coroner Charles Hutchings and Public Administrator Larry Welker.

Hutchings faces GOP primary opposition from Micah Bristow of Marble Hill.

Two Republicans and two Democrats are competing for the seat of District 2 Commissioner Steve Jordan, who is not seeking re-election.

Those running are Republicans Nick Hendricks and Roy Garner, both of Marble Hill. On the Democratic side, Eldon Thorne of Patton and Greg Ellis of Sedgewickville have filed.

In Scott County, District 1 Associate Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn, a Democrat, faces a challenge from Republican John Graham of Sikeston.

District 2 Commissioner Donnie Kiefer, Assessor Teresa Houchin and Coroner Scott Amick filed for re-election. Public Administrator Julia Crader Dolan, who had been appointed, also filed. As of late afternoon, no candidate had filed for Scott County surveyor.

In Perry County, District 1 Associate Commissioner James L. “Jim” Sutterer of Perryville has filed for re-election. He faces a GOP primary challenge from Dan Miesner of Frohna and Richard “Dick” Martens of Perryville.

Three Republicans and two Democrats are running for the District 2 associate commissioner seat, seeking to succeed Patrick Heaps, who is not seeking re-election.

The Republican candidates are Tim M. Brewer, Jay Wengert and Ryan Robins, all of Perryville.

The Democratic candidates are Ken McGraw Jr. and Marion A. Brown, both of Perryville.

Sheriff Gary Schaaf, Assessor Charles Triller and Surveyor Tim Baer have filed for re-election. All three are Perryville Republicans.

William “Bill” Bohnert of Perryville has filed for the open seat of coroner as a Republican. No one has filed for Perry County public administrator.

Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers said fewer candidates filed in Cape Girardeau County on the first day of filing than four years ago.

Candidates’ position on the ballot for their particular office was chosen by a random drawing, which has become the typical procedure for election officials across the state.

“A lot of the clerks have gone to a lottery system for the first day of filing,” she said. “The state does it now this way, too.”

Summers said after the first day of filing, candidates will be positioned on the ballot for their particular office in the order in which they filed. She said the lottery eliminates the practice of candidates camping out at county courthouses in advance of the first day of filing.

“Some people think there is an advantage to being the first person on the ballot,” she said. But she said she doesn’t know whether such placement makes a difference on Election Day.

Candidates have until March 29 to file for office.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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