HERMANN — In what is shaping up as perhaps the quietest campaign season in local history, Gasconade County voters will face a choice of candidates for three county government offices — two to be decided in the August Primary Election and the third in the November General Election.

As filing for county offices closed March 31, a late entry in the race for public administrator added another reason for voters to go to the polls in August.

To be decided in the primary vote will be the offices of sheriff, which has Scott Eiler facing Shawn Mayberry in the bid to succeed John Romanus,  and the post of public administrator, which features a race between Kathy L. Meyer and Kelly Brehe Thomas.

Romanus resigned the post last month to return to his civilian employment as an electrician. Capt. Mark Williams was named interim sheriff to serve through the validation of the General Election, as which time the sheriff-elect will be named to the office to finish the final nearly two months of Romanus’ term. The new sheriff's term will begin Jan. 1.

In November, county voters will decide who holds the Southern District associate commissioner’s office. Incumbent Republican Jerry Lairmore is being challenged by Democrat Jerry L. Spurgeon.

The other four offices on this year’s ballot have only one candidate and all are Republican: Incumbent Northern District Associate Commission Jim Holland; incumbent Assessor Paul W. Schulte; incumbent Surveyor Vincent C. Klott; and newcomer Jeffrey Arnold for the coroner’s office. Arnold ran against retiring Coroner Ben Grosse four years ago.

As the coronavirus pandemic lingers and social-distancing and crowd-size guidelines remain in place, campaigning for local government has taken on a new complexion. With candidate forums, fund-raising picnics in the parks and other public gathering on hold, candidates are having to rely on social media and word-of-mouth campaigning.

Meanwhile, with the General Municipal Elections normally held in April pushed back to June, the Gasconade County Clerk’s Office staff is preparing for quick turnaround between elections. After the June municipal and school board elections, attention will focus on the August primary vote and then turn toward a busy General Election three months later.