August primary includes several contests, amendments

Three weeks from today Missouri voters will head to the polls for the August primary election. On the ballot will be local and state races and several amendments.

Here is a look at the contested races and issues to be decided:

Cape Girardeau County

On the Democratic ticket, two candidates will seek the vote to run in the Missouri House District 147 race. They include Gary L. Gaines and Blake Hopper.

The circuit judge circuit 32, division 1 contest features Allen Moss, Michael Gardner and Trae Bertrand. The division includes Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Perry counties.

Associate circuit judge division II will feature Jeffrey Dix and incumbent Judge Gary Albert Kamp.

Recorder of Deeds Scott R. Clark is up for re-election. He is challenged by Drew Blattner.

Party precinct committeemen elections are not typically covered much, but, as was illustrated when the 8th Congressional District seat was left vacant, carry importance. The candidates for the Delta precinct are Mark Reitzel and Chris Blattel.

Ward 3 voters in Cape Girardeau will select a new council member. Two individuals appear on the ballot. They are Victor R. Gunn and Evan Trump.

Cape Girardeau County voters will be asked whether to support Proposition K. This is a one-quarter of a cent sales tax to provide services for children and youth 19 years old and younger.

Perry County

Four appear on the ballot for the county clerk: Jared W. Kutz, Mina Hoehn, Cathy (Lohmann) Stumpe and Steven C. King.

For the recorder of deeds office, the candidates are Dana (Ballman) Pritchard, Kimberly Wingerter, Samantha Schremp and Douglas K. Martin.

Five seek the county treasurer position: Kathy Schumer, Brian Charles Brickhaus, Lisa Lukefahr, Jackie C. Wengert and Diane B. Geile.

Scott County

Glenda Kay Enderle and Joe Bill Davis are two candidates for county treasurer.

Two Democratic candidates for Missouri House District 149 are Bill Burlison and Diedra Ashley Freeman.

The Republican candidates for the 149th District are Don Rone and Neal E. Boyd.

Duston Y. Stone and Holly Rehder are Republican candidates for District 148.

District 151 voters will vote two times on the seat in the same election. Ryan WM. Holder and Tila Rowland Hubrecht are the candidates to fill the vacant seat. Voters also will vote in the primary for the new term representative. The two candidates are Hubrecht and Brandon A. Cooper.

Bollinger County

The presiding commissioner office is up for election and the candidates are Travis Elfrink, Ronald Reagan, Larry Fadler, Kenny Trentham and Chris Lape.

County clerk candidates are Brittany Hovis and Misty Stevens.

Heath L. Robins and Stephen P. Gray seek the nod for prosecuting attorney.

Statewide amendments

The following amendments appear on the ballot:

Amendment 1: "Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to ensure that the right of Missouri citizens to engage in agricultural production and ranching practices shall not be infringed? The potential costs or savings to governmental entities are unknown, but likely limited unless the resolution leads to increased litigation costs and/or the loss of federal funding. State and local governmental entities should have no direct costs or savings from this proposal. However, the proposal's passage will likely lead to increased litigation and criminal justice related costs. The total potential costs are unknown, but could be significant."

Amendment 5: "Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to include a declaration that the right to keep and bear arms is a unalienable right and that the state government is obligated to uphold that right? State and local governmental entities should have no direct costs or savings from this proposal. However, the proposal's passage will likely lead to increased litigation and criminal justice related costs. The total potential costs are unknown, but could be significant."

Amendment 7: "Should the Missouri Constitution be changed to enact a temporary sales tax of three-quarters of one percent to be used solely to fund state and local highways, roads, bridges and transportation projects for ten years, with priority given to repairing unsafe roads and bridges? This change is expected to produce $480 million annually to the state's Transportation Safety and Job Creation Fund and $54 million for local governments. Increases in the gas tax will be prohibited. This revenue shall only be used for transportation purposes and cannot be diverted for other uses."

Amendment 8: "Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to create a 'Veterans Lottery Ticket' and to use the revenue from the sale of these tickets for projects and services related to veterans? The annual cost or savings to state and local governmental entities is unknown, but likely minimal. If sales of a veterans lottery ticket game decrease existing lottery ticket sales, the profits of which fund education, there could be a small annual shift in funding from education to veterans' programs."

Amendment 9: "Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended so that the people shall be secure in their electronic communications and data from unreasonable searches and seizures as they are now likewise secure in their persons, homes, papers and effects? State and local governmental entities expect no significant costs or savings."

We encourage you to be educated on the issues and vote in the August primary election. Having an informed electorate is vital to our democracy.

Candidate questionnaires will appear in the Aug. 3 Southeast Missourian and online at semissourian.com/election.

You can read more about the upcoming races in the Southeast Missourian and online at semissourian.com.