Voter Turnout Low, Only 6 Percent Went to Polls

By Tim Schmidt, Record Editor
Posted 7/4/11

Only 6 percent of the registered voters in the county went to the polls Tuesday, one of the lowest turnouts in recent municipal elections. According to unofficial election results, only 1,282 of the …

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Voter Turnout Low, Only 6 Percent Went to Polls

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Only 6 percent of the registered voters in the county went to the polls Tuesday, one of the lowest turnouts in recent municipal elections. According to unofficial election results, only 1,282 of the 20,268 registered voters cast ballots. The low turnout was not unexpected, however. The election featured no municipal races in Wright City, Truesdale, Marthasville or the Village of Innsbrook as well as no race for three spots on the Wright City R-II School Board. Two of the three Warrenton aldermen seats also had incumbents running unopposed. In the April elections held the previous four years, the turnout ranged from 9 to 13 percent, including last year’s figure of 11 percent where an assortment of races were contested. “It wasn’t a shocker,” County Clerk Barb Daly said referring to the voter turnout. “We figured it wouldn’t be a well attended election.” Other than the low turnout, Daly reported no problems or issues were encountered by her staff throughout Tuesday’s election. “It went fine,” Daly said. “It was a very quiet day.” The lone proposition on the ballot, to extend the Warrenton city limits by 600 feet, to the west, was approved by voters 284-83. The annexation covers only MoDOT right of way. The western edge of the city limits is west of Pendleton Cut-Off Road. The majority of voters in all three wards approved the annexation request. Election Contests The Warren County R-III School Board will have a new face at its next meeting. Lisa Wilmes, a political newcomer, won one of the three seats up for grabs and will join incumbents Beth Banze and Teresa Scott who were each re-elected. Banze finished with 608 votes, while Scott and Wilmes followed with 603 and 553, respectively. All three will serve three-year terms. A fourth candidate, John Bradshaw, finished fourth with 522 votes. In Warrenton, Ward 2 Alderman Beth Kendall barely held off a challenge from Jerry VanDillen, her next-day neighbor, to earn a third two-year term. Kendall received 64 votes, while VanDillen had 63 votes. VanDillen also was on the losing side in a two-person race for a seat on the Warren County Ambulance District Board of Directors. Carla Turner was re-elected to the board as she received 172 votes compared to 125 cast for VanDillen. Turner will serve a three-year term. No Opposition Several candidates had no opposition, though only one board will have a political newcomer. The Wright City R-II School Board had only three candidates running for three seats. Joseph Butterfield will be a new member to the board and will be joined by incumbents Melissa Springmeyer and Cori Ruge Olson. All three will serve three-year terms. Others re-elected were Warrenton Ward 1 Alderman Phil Tallo and Ward 3 Alderman John Clark; Wright City Ward 1 Alderman Tom Black and Ward 2 Alderman James Toothman; Truesdale Mayor Murray Bruer and Truesdale Aldermen Donald McGee and Adriane Null; Marthasville Mayor Dale Verges and East Ward Alderman John Graham and Southwest Ward Alderman Keith Hagedorn; Innsbrook trustees Jeffrey Thomsen, Jerry Rust and Peggy Morris; and Pendleton trustees Rebecca Kilpatrick, Christopher Pottebaum Sr. and Karen Carr.


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