Municipal elections take place in Missouri on April 2, 2024, and candidate filing runs from December 5 - 26, 2023. According to www.bing.com candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a Missouri resident; must be registered to vote in the jurisdiction of the person’s domicile prior to the election registration deadline; must not be confined under a sentence of imprisonment; and must not be on probation or parole after a conviction of a felony.
Typically, municipal elections include candidates running for city government offices, school boards, fire protection districts and ambulance boards, plus other offices. They may also include propositions and questions. This article will concentrate on city mayors and aldermen serving two-year terms in Cole Camp, Lincoln, and Warsaw, with additional information about the candidates for county offices who have filed to run in the primary election on August 6, 2024.
Warsaw’s County Clerk Susan Porterfield and Presiding Commissioner Steve Daleske helped provide information.
Cole Camp’s current officials include Mayor Robert Meuschke who was elected on April 5, 2022. Aldermen include Diana M. Burdick and Mindy Fox in the East Ward, plus David Locke and Jon Beckman in the West Ward. Aldermen Burdick and Locke were elected in April 2023. Mayor Meuschke has filed to run for a second term as mayor, and Alderman Burdick has filed to run against him for the position as mayor.
Lincoln’s Mayor Glen Nelson was elected to his position on April 8, 2022. He has filed to run for another two-year term. Current aldermen are Barbara Hammond and Jack Lietzke, East Ward, and Janice Swearngin and Philip Fisher in the West Ward. Aldermen Swearngin and Lietzke are up for re-election but as of publication date had not filed to run again. A new candidate for West Ward Alderman is Seth Casey.
Officials in Warsaw include Mayor Eddie Simons who has held the office since 2012. He has filed to run for re-election in 2024. Current aldermen are Reba Slavins and Rob Coskey in Ward 1; Lou Breshears and Doug Hedrick in Ward 2; and Eric Flores and Adam Howe in Ward 3. Aldermen Coskey and Howe have filed to run for another term. Doug Hedrick has resigned, and James White has filed to run for his Ward 2 position.
Benton County officials wishing to run for additional terms of office, or new candidates who want to be on the ballot on the August 6, 2024, primary must file between February 27 and March 26, 2024. Their certification date is May 28, 2024. Current Presiding Commissioner Steve Daleske has served in his position since 2019. Scott Harms, Northside Commissioner and Lary Berry, South Side Commissioner are serving their first four-year term and will need to file to run for re-election early next year. Presiding Commissioner Daleske is on a different election cycle and his current term is up in 2026.
Sheriff Eric Knox, Coroner J. Weston Miller, Assessor Jim Hansen, Public Administrator Lori Dunkin and Surveyor Jesse Wininger are county officials who will have to file to run for re-election in the August 6, 2024 primary between February and March 26, 2024 for another term in office next year.
