BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Stoddard County voters predominantly voted Republican in the Primary/Special Election Tuesday with Incumbent Steve Mitchell retaining his position as Associate Judge, Division III, and Republican Tila Rowland Hubrecht solidly winning the State Representative seat in the Missouri House in both the Primary and Special Elections. The county election results are unofficial. The election results cannot be certified until noon, Wednesday, according to the county clerk's office. No issues or races had been contested as of Friday morning.
Of the total of 4,953 people who voted in the election, 3,951 people voted as Republicans. Only 971 voted as Democrats. There were 16 votes cast on the Libertarian ballot and 15 votes cast on the Constitution Party ballot. The small number of Democrats voting on the Democratic ballot led some to speculate that Democrats crossed over to vote in the Republican Primary.
In Missouri, voters can vote in the party of their choice. Democrats had no contested races on the ballot. The Special Election to fill the 151st District unexpired term pitting Democrat Ryan Holder against Hubrecht was on all party ballots.
The one contested race locally that drew lots of attention and heavy campaigning was the race for Associate Judge, Division III. Republican Brad Jarrell attacked Mitchell in his campaign for moving from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party for the Primary Election.
Mitchell won the election by a 1,934 to 1,844 vote total, or by 90 votes. He garnered 51.19 percent of the total votes cast. He won in Bernie, Puxico and Bloomfield, which was the difference in the election. He also carried the Grayridge (19-17), Pyle (29-25), Essex (61-49), and Advance City (62-54) precincts.
He carried both wards and the rural area in Bloomfield. The vote totals in those precincts were: Bloomfield Rural, 210-189; Bloomfield Ward One (103-67) and Bloomfield Ward Two (68-66). Mitchell also ran well in Puxico. The vote totals there were: Puxico City (58-21) and Puxico Rural (111-89). The margin of victory for Mitchell in Bernie was less, but he still carried both precincts. Those totals were: Bernie City (99-91) and Bernie Rural (79-59). Mitchell also benefitted from a 121-57 edge in absentee votes.
Jarrell carried Dexter, Dudley and Bell City. He won the Dexter area by a 762-709 total. Jarrell won Dexter Rural (350-321), Dexter Ward Two (215-199) and Dexter Ward Three (75-67). Mitchell tied Jarrell (122-122) in Dexter Ward One. Jarrell won Dudley (67-21) and Advance Rural (55-51).
Bloomfield bond
issue passes
Bloomfield voters approved a $10 million revenue bond issue by a 229-209 vote total. The money will be used to replace delivery lines and make upgrades to the city water system, as well as make improvements to the city waste water lagoon. The city was split over the issue. Voters in Ward One rejected the measure by a 124-105 vote, while voters in Ward Two approved it by a 101-77 total.
"We are very happy," said Mayor Donna Medlin about the election results. "We are also thankful."
Medlin said the city will now move forward with the water and sewer projects. The first step will be to make application for grants from USDA Rural Development and any other agencies that may have grant money.
Medlin said she was aware of the large turnout in the election. She said people who had not regularly voted came out to vote on the bond issue.
"The people had a chance to vote and did so," said Medlin. "The majority of the voters understood that the city had to take action to improve the city's water and sewer systems."
She said it would probably be 18 to 20 months before any work could begin on the water project. Smith & Company, Engineers, of Poplar Bluff had been retained to design the projects.
Stoddard County voters mirrored the state when voting on the amendments. Amendments 1 (farm) passed by 2,955 to 1,907 total, Amendment 5(guns) passed by a 3,667 to 1,147 total, Amendment 7 (transportation tax) failed by a 2,141 to 2,565 total, Amendment 8 (Veterans Lottery) failed by a 2,192 to 2,523 total, and Amendment 9 (electronic privacy) passed by a 3,758 to 959 total.
Only one precinct in the county, Bernie City, voted 106-133 against Amendment 1. Several precincts voted to approve the transportation tax. They were Advance City (95-94), Bernie Rural (97-88), Bloomfield Ward 2 (94-88), Bloomfield Ward 1 (117-114), and the absentee box (125-91). The rest of the precincts voted against the transportation tax.