Filing Update

Those hoping to claim a local elected position have until Tuesday, Jan. 15, to throw their names into the hat.

Available are offices from a variety of area school boards, local governments and water districts.

Filing can be completed at the main office for the entity of the seat during regular business hours. All establishments are required to remain open until 5 p.m. on the final day of filing.

Absentee balloting begins Feb. 19 and must be submitted — via mail, fax or in office — by 5 p.m. March 27. Voters can apply to receive an absentee ballot from the county clerk’s office either in person or by fax. After application forms are completed, they are to be returned to the county clerk’s office for processing, after which an absentee ballot can be secured. For more information, call 417-223-7512.

Voters casting an absentee ballot must provide a legitimate reason for doing so. Secretary of State John R. Ashcroft’s website lists the following as valid reasons for voting absentee:

• Absence on election day from the jurisdiction of the election authority in which such voter is registered to vote;

• Incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability, including a person who is primarily responsible for the physical care of a person who is incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability;

• Employment as an election authority, as a member of an election authority, or by an election authority at a location other than such voter’s polling place; and

• Incarceration, provided all qualifications for voting are retained.

The following is a list of seats available on area boards of education. Names of the current incumbents are listed followed by individuals who have filed for election. All school board positions are for three-year terms unless otherwise noted.

• McDonald County School Board — Chris Smith and Frank Woods. Smith and Woods have filed for re-election, while Nick Martin is seeking a seat on the board.

• Neosho School Board — At the time of publication, school officials were not available to provide information on open positions.

• East Newton School Board — Judy Harper and Julie McGill.

• Wheaton School Board — Dan Goostree and Chis Park. Park has filed for re-election, while Joel Stansberry is seeking a seat on the board.

• Seneca School Board — Suzanne Brown and Preston Olson.

• Southwest R-V School Board — Bobby Stephens and Brian Robbins. Diana Roller is seeking a seat on the board.

Municipal openings with incumbent names are listed. All are for two-year terms unless otherwise noted:

• Anderson (8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday-Friday) — East Ward Alderman, Gene Cantrell; West Ward Alderman, Chester Neel. Cantrell has filed for re-election.

• Noel (9 a.m. until noon; 1 to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday) — Mayor, Lewis Davis; Collector, Nancy Irish; North Ward Alderman, Allie Peck; South Ward Alderman, Steve Powell; West Ward Alderman, Faye Davis. Lewis Davis, Irish, Powell and Faye Davis have filed for re-election, while Steve Kelly has filed for Mayor, Terry Lance has filed for South Ward Alderman and Reid Schmit has filed for West Ward Alderman.

• Lanagan (8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday) — All alderman positions are at-large. At the time of publication, city officials were not available to provide information on open positions.

• Goodman (7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday-Friday) — Mayor, Greg Richmond; Collector, Megan Sexson; North Ward Alderman, Alice Kezar; South Ward Alderman, Ron Johnson. Richmond and Sexson have filed for re-election.

• Pineville (8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday-Friday) — North Ward Alderman, Becky Davis; South Ward Alderman, Anne Crowder-Sanders;

• Southwest City (8 a.m. until noon; 1 to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday) — Mayor, David Blake; East Ward Alderman, Steve Reece; West Ward Alderman, Gloria Armstrong*. Blake has filed for re-election.

* Armstrong was appointed to the position despite living in another district. As a result, she is not eligible to file for re-election in the West Ward but can file for election in the East Ward.

Rural water district positions are all for three-year terms, set up by sub-districts:

• Rural Water District No. 1 (7 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday-Friday) — Sub-district 1, Todd Clay; Sub-district 3, Roger Morey;

• Rural Water District No. 2 (8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Mondays, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday) — Sub-district 5, Terry Cox;

• Rural Water District No. 3 (call 417-762-7167 for times to register) — At the time of publication, officials were not available to provide information on open positions or filings.