Thank you to those who put their name on the ballot

It was an interesting August primary earlier this month.

In Cape Girardeau County, election authorities had projected one of the strongest turnouts for a similar election in many years with turnout potentially reaching 40%. That would not have been a surprise considering some of the races and ballot issues. There were three-way races for State House District 147 and circuit clerk, and the City of Jackson had an important wastewater ballot issue. However, turnout was about half of what they thought it might reach, with only 22% of registered voters in the county casting a ballot.

In the District 147 race, John Voss won the hotly contested Republican primary over Elaine Edgar and Nathan Thomas. Voss, who trailed both of his competitors in the fundraising totals, won with a 379-vote margin and earned 40% of the vote. He will face Democrat Andy Leighton and Libertarian Greg Tlapek in November.

Ashley Schuessler defeated incumbent Charleen “Charlie” Biester and third-place finisher Daniel Leimbach in the Cape County circuit clerk contest.

The Jackson wastewater referendum passed with a 78% margin.

In Scott County, challengers unseated two incumbents, with Danny Tetley winning the race for presiding commissioner and Donald Cobb defeating Amanda Oesch by two votes in the race for prosecuting attorney. (It was unclear at the time this editorial was written on Thursday whether a recount would take place.) Tara Mason won the primary for recorder of deeds. And similar to Cape County, turnout was near 24% in Scott County.

In Bollinger County, incumbent Leo Arnzen won reelection as presiding commissioner. He is unopposed in the November general election.

Of course, the big statewide contests were primaries for U.S. Senate. Attorney General Eric Schmitt won the crowded GOP primary, and Anheuser-Busch beer heiress Trudy Busch Valentine picked up the Democratic nomination. The two candidates will face off in November, seeking to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt.

We know voters often get weary of election year campaigns, particularly when they turn negative. But we have great respect for those who put their name on a ballot, especially in local races where it’s not about building a political career or climbing the ladder. This is an important part of democracy. Likewise, voters should make it a priority to educate themselves on the candidates and issues and make their voices heard. There will be another opportunity in November.

To all those who campaigned, whether you won or lost, thank you for running. We often quote Theodore Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena” speech following elections, and it bears repeating:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”