It’s an unusual time of year to hold an election, but local municipal races that were postponed from April will be decided June 2.

Tax issues and elected positions for local cities and school boards are on the ballot. The elections were delayed during the statewide stay-at-home order. Voters now will be asked to respect each other’s space and take other steps to avoid the spread of COVID-19 when they come to the polls.

“I hope voters will work with our election judges and everything will go smoothly,” commented Warren County Clerk Denise Stotler, who organizes the local elections.

Stotler said the county’s election judges, many of whom are older, have stepped up to serve the community in June. The county is supplying them with masks, face shields and gloves donated by the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office, Stotler said. There will also be printed material asking voters to stay 6 feet apart from each other.

Because each voting precinct is in a unique building, Stotler said she is empowering the individual election judges to make safety decisions for their locations.

“If it’s a small precinct and the judges want only two or three people in at a time, I’ll let them make that call. They’re the ones working all day, so I want them to feel safe,” Stotler explained.

Voters are also being asked to bring their own small contribution as well: a pen or marker to use to mark their ballot. Otherwise, it could become highly time consuming to sanitize pens after every use, Stotler said.

Absentee ballots are also still available for qualifying voters. Absentee voting will be open until 5 p.m. June 1. For more information about absentee voting, call the county clerk’s office at 636-456-3331.

On the ballot

Voters on June 2 will be asked to decide tax issues in Truesdale and the Warren County R-III School District. Competitive races for office are also on the ballot for most election districts.

• In Truesdale, residents are being asked to vote on a half-cent sales tax dedicated to city street and transportation improvements. For the Truesdale Board of Aldermen, four people are competing for two seats. They are incumbent Mike Thomas, former alderman Rhonda Colombo, and newcomers Rodger Wells and Joe Brooks.

• In the R-III School District, voters will decide a proposed 39 cent tax increase per $100 of assessed property valuation. The tax is aimed at providing competitive salaries for staff. The R-III School Board has four people competing for three seats. They are incumbents Laurie Wenzel, Rodger Tucker and Franci Schwartz, and newcomer Samuel Palmer. A fourth seat with a shorter term on the school board has two candidates, Sarah Janes and Joseph Lanigan.

• In Warrenton, two newcomers are competing for a board of aldermen seat representing Ward 1. They are Joshua Poore and Jack Crump. In Wards 2 and 3, incumbents Scott Schulze and Bob Delaloye are unopposed for re-election.

• In Wright City, four people are competing for a Ward 1 alderman seat. They are incumbent John O’Connor, and challengers Michelle Heiliger, Robert Hamlin and Jermaine Johnson. In Wright City Ward 2, new candidate Ramiz Hakim is unopposed, as is Mayor Dan Rowden for re-election.

• The Wright City R-II School Board has three seats available, with four candidates. Incumbents Heidi Halleman, Alice Jensen and Michael Bates are joined on the ballot by term-limited state Rep. Bryan Spencer.

• For the Wright City Fire Protection District, Jodi Benoist is challenging incumbent Jeanette Woehrle for a seat on the board of directors.

• In Innsbrook, the Village Board of Trustees has two seats available to four competing candidates. They are incumbent Ted Sator, former trustee Jerry Rust, and newcomers Donna West and John Simon.