Voters in Mexico Public School District 59 on Tuesday rejected the Proposition C waiver request made by area public school officials and representatives. According to unofficial election results issued by the Audrain County Clerk's office, with all precincts reporting, the vote was 1,579 (52.67 percent) against, versus 1,419 (47.33 percent) in favor of the proposal.

Commenting this morning, Mexico Public Schools Superintendent Tina Woolsey stated: "I guess the first thing would be that I would like to say 'thank you' to the 1,419 people who did vote 'yes'. We appreciate their support. And another 'thank you' to the committee ('Yes For Mexico Schools') who helped promote the Proposition C (waiver request). We appreciate all the hard work they put in it, and appreciate their help in this matter. And then beyond that, the 'no' is a disappointment. However, schools survive, and that is what we will do. We'll do the best we can with what we have. School starts August 20, and we'll provide all of our young people a clean and healthy learning environment, and a teacher who cares about their success. And so we'll go through the year and do the best we can, and provide quality for the young people of our community."

Placed on the ballot at the behest of school officials, and following unanimous approval from the Mexico Board of Education, the request centered on permanent waiver of a state-mandated rollback related to the Proposition C education funding formula. Under Proposition C – specifically, a one-cent sales tax approved by state voters in 1982, and dedicated to education funding – each Missouri public school district receives a flat amount of per student revenue. In the 2007-2008 school year, the average was approximately $845 per student. However, the original Proposition C statute similarly mandates that each school district reduce its corresponding property tax levy by an amount equal to one-half of the revenue received from the one-cent sales tax.

State legislators then further amended Proposition C, allowing school districts the option to seek – via voter approval – permanent waiver of the rollback requirement. When approved, resultant revenue is dedicated to a district's operating fund, such as staffing and maintenance concerns. Since, approximately 90 percent of Missouri's school districts have approved the waiver requests. But the issue has now failed twice in the Mexico Public School District, with voters rejecting a similar request in 2004.

Regarding possibility of another rollback request at a future date, Woolsey indicated it is too soon to consider, adding: "It would be up to the board of education. It's always important for the board of education and the superintendent to work together as a leadership team for the schools of the community, and it's very important to have unanimous support from all parties."
Similarly, asked about impact to the district's bottom line as a result of Tuesday's defeat – i.e., less available operating fund revenue than if the rollback waiver request had been approved – Woolsey concluded by noting: "The budget is set for this school year. We will tighten the belt, and will consider every purchase order, and we will continue to provide quality instruction for our students."

Several other elections were conducted throughout the region on Tuesday, specifically regarding miscellaneous primaries.

In Audrain County, Tom Groves defeated Randy Kriegel in the Democratic primary contest for Western County Commissioner, registering 806 votes to Kriegel's tally of 598. Groves will contend for the office in November's general election against Republican John Cauthorn, who tallied 762 votes as an unopposed GOP primary candidate. In the Eastern County Commissioner's Democratic primary, Roger Young – unopposed, and sans a Republican contender – effectively was re-elected with 957 total votes.

In the Audrain County Sheriff's contest, Stuart Miller defeated his Democratic primary opponent Gerald Barnett, registering 1,825 votes to 805. Miller will run unopposed in the general election, since no Republican had previously filed to contend in the corresponding primary.

The assessor's contest in Audrain County resulted in a Democratic primary victory for Melissa Maupin, who totaled 1,415 votes to 1,195 for her opponent, Dee Wells. Maupin is similarly unopposed in the November general election.

In a contested Republican primary election for South Fork committeewoman, Virginia Pehle defeated her opponent, Madonna L. Tyser, by a tally of 78 to 48 votes. Pehle will run unopposed in the general election.

Also Tuesday, in the eastern section of the county, Vandalia voters approved by a 289 to 167 tally the re-establishment of the Vandalia Special Road District's 35-cent tax levy. The levy was originally implemented several years ago, with resultant funding allocated to local road maintenance. However, the issue must be placed before voters at least every four years.

Results of local contested races in Ledgerland include:

Boone County
Assessor
x-Tom Schauwecker (D) 8,758 votes
Barbara Bishop 5,248
Public Administrator
x-Cathy Richards (D) 10,274 votes
Dan Dunham (D) 2,679
County Commissioner District 1
x-Karen Miller (D) 6,111 votes
Sid Sullivan (D) 2,544

Callaway County
The voter turnout in Callaway County was 23.03 percent.
Sheriff
x-Dennis Crane (D) 2,271 votes - 73.45 percent
Rick Hughes (D) 821 - 26.55 percent

Monroe County
The voter turnout in Monroe County was 35.91 percent.
Sheriff
x-David Hoffman (D) 1,119 votes - 62.03 percent
Dwain Wilkerson (D) 642 - 35.59 percent
Ronnie Barton (D) 43 - 2.38 percent
Assessor
x-Judy Harmon (D) 1,067 votes - 63.51 percent
Randall Little (D) 623 - 36.49 percent
Coroner
x-Jim Reinhard (D) 1,211 votes - 67.96 percent
Regina Webber (D) 571 - 32.04 percent
County Commissioner
Eastern District
Ralph Lemongelli (D) 186 votes - 26.12 percent
x-Mike Whelan (D) 526 - 73.88 percent
Paris Fire Protection District
Annexation Question
x-Yes 295 - 73.75 percent
No 105 - 26.25 percent

Montgomery County
The voter turnout in Montgomery County was 21.31 percent
County Commissioner District 2
Mike Theissen (R) 265 votes - 43.30 percent
x-John Noltensmeyer 347 - 56.70 percent
Bear Creek Committeeman
x-Bart Korman (R) 132 votes - 61.97 percent
Calvin Winter (R) 80 - 37.56 percent


Ralls County
Voter turnout in Ralls County was 36.07 percent.
Sheriff
x-Paul Forney (D) 1,758 votes - 72.41 percent
Ronald Johnson (D) 670 - 27.59 percent
Assessor
Renita Harrison (D) 1,051 votes - 43.85 percent
x-Tom Ruhl (D) 1,346 - 56.15 percent
Public Administrator
x-Connie Miller (D) 1,354 votes - 56.09 percent
Sandy Lanier (D) 682 - 28.25 percent
Gregg Sims (D) 378 - 15.66 percent
Coroner
Lindel Jackson (D) 418 votes - 18.03 percent
Charles Strode (D) 370 - 15.96 percent
Dawn Robertson (D) 156 - 6.73 percent
x-Dennis Turner (D) 880 - 37.95 percent
Denise Goodwin (D) 392 - 16.90 percent
Michael Murphy (D) 103 - 4.44 percent
County Commissioner
Western District
x-Steven Whitaker (D) 617 votes - 50.41 percent
Wilbert Reynolds (D) 121 - 9.89 percent
Mike Roberts (D) 486 - 39.71 percent
County Commissioner
Eastern District
Bob Whitley (D) 339 votes - 28.09 percent
Robert Myers (D) 110 - 9.11 percent
x-R.C. Harlow (D) 471 - 39.02 percent
Larry Robertson (D) 10 - 0.83 percent
John Paschal (D) 103 - 8.53 percent
Christopher Thomas (D) 20 - 1.66 percent
John Booth (D) 154 - 12.76 percent
County Committeeman
Clay Township
Charles Foster (D) 118 - 30.26 percent
x-Woody St. Clair (D) 272 - 69.74 percent

Candidates nominated for contested Missouri House seats following Tuesday’s primary election are:
State House-District 18
x-Anne Zerr (R) 1,799 - 55 percent
Matthew Seeds (R) 1,485 - 45 percent
   
State House-District 20 (R)
x-Jeanie Riddle 2,029 - 65 percent
Tom Scheppers 1,085 - 35 percent
State House-District 20 (D)
x-David Moen 1,454 - 57 percent
Don Salcedo 1,116 - 43 percent